My Twist of Fortune by Rayne, Piper (little red riding hood read aloud txt) 📗

He laughs. “She does love her whistle. But Donna Sullivan is Donna Demonte. She married—”

“Bill Sullivan?” I ask with a laugh. His smirk and nod saying we’re on the same wavelength. “She married the pothead who almost didn’t graduate?”

He returns my smile. “They fell in love after they returned from college. You won’t even recognize him now.” He taps his fingers on the paper. “I think I’m going to sign up for the first game so that I don’t have to worry about the later games in the season in case they make it far this year.”

I think he gives me a look like “maybe you want to as well,” but I must be reading his body language wrong after downstairs. “That makes sense.”

“Plus Donna never does the first home game because she’s too busy with introducing the team and making banners for them to run through. She puts stakes with players names along the grass and decorates the fence. It’s a whole ordeal. So if you sign up, it would save both of us from having to do it with Donna.”

“That sounds like a good idea.”

“Out!” Posey yells and puts her last card down on the stack in the middle.

“You’re good.” Adam stands and walks over to his dad’s side. “I’m ready.”

Hank puts his hands on Adam’s shoulders, the affection between father and son obvious. “We’ll leave you to your night then.”

Hank turns and heads toward the front door. I rush past them and open the door. I watch them get in the truck and pull out of the driveway until his lights fade away.

“I’m taking a shower,” Posey says, and she and Mandi go upstairs.

I take out my pen and look at the volunteer form. Am I asking for trouble? The pen hovers over the first home game spot. That tension is clearly still present with us and we’re both single, which means there’s nothing to really keep us apart. But he’s technically my cousin by marriage.

Arguing starts upstairs between Posey and Nikki, Jed slams his door, then Mandi yells at him. Without second-guessing myself, I scribble my name on the first home game night. It’s just so I’m not stuck with Donna. At least that’s what I’m choosing to believe.

The first football home game is fucking freezing. Adam, Chevelle, and Xavier sit on the bleachers to watch their brothers play. Although Fisher was called up from JV to varsity for this game, he most likely won’t play. They just wanted extra players since Greywall is known for playing rough.

Donna is arranging candy bars and chip stacks beside me in the concession stand.

“I got this, Donna. You go and do whatever else you need to.” Please.

Her hand falls to my forearm. “I don’t know where Marla is, and I hate to leave you by yourself.”

“I’m sure she’ll be here soon. Plus, I’ve been doing this for three years. I can handle it.”

“If you’re sure?” She squeezes my forearm, or more my jacket and sweatshirt underneath.

“Promise.” I slide my arm out of her hand. Sometimes I wonder if she forgets she’s married.

“Okay then.”

Just as Donna goes to the back door, Marla appears in the front. She’s wearing spirit wear that I assume is her dad or mom’s, or maybe back from when we attended Sunrise Bay High. She has on a black hat with a gold ball on top and bears embroidered along the front. She even has the mittens with bears on top.

“Where did you find all that?” I laugh, signaling for her to go to the back door.

When she walks in wearing tight jeans that show off her amazing curves and boots with a furry lining up to her calves. She looks adorable, and I want to shut the door on the concession stand and warm this place up with some body heat.

“My mom’s closet. She throws away nothing.” She holds up her mittens and shows me how they flip open to be fingerless gloves. “So I can handle the money.”

“Awesome. I’ll have to grab a pair of those.”

“Don’t be jealous. I’ll share.” She looks around, reads the labels for coffee, hot chocolate, and apple cider. “So the prices are all here?”

I nod. I can tell this isn’t her first time running a concession stand. “Where are your kids?”

“They’re in the bleachers, but I worry they’re going to end up in here. They’re still getting used to the cold.”

“They can sit in here if they want.”

She gives me an appreciative smile that makes her dimples deepen. “Thanks, but Posey wants to see the action.”

As she says that, Donna Demonte-Sullivan’s voice rings out over the speaker. “And now we welcome our Grizzly Bears. First up…”

She introduces the lineup, Cade and Jed both being referred to as quarterback. Marla grows quiet. I’m sure she’s aware that in a small town like ours, there’s no need for two quarterbacks. One of them will play the majority of the games with the other only playing when we’re already winning or if the other is hurt.

Cade hasn’t been himself since Jed arrived. Jed’s been used more in practice, and I tried to explain to Cade that Jed needs to learn the plays, the passes, what the other players excel and don’t excel at. Those are all things Cade already knows from playing with this team for three years. But all he sees when he looks at Jed is his replacement.

Reese comes to the front window, all bundled up. “Hi, Mr. Greene.”

“Hi, Reese. Can I get you something?”

She looks at the candy, but it’s clear—since she’s here without her friends—that she might not be here just for a refreshment before the game starts. Her vision strays to Marla, who is clapping for each boy being introduced, even though no one will hear her.

“This is Mrs. Greene, Jed’s mom,” I introduce them.

Marla sets her attention on Reese with a small wave. “Nice to meet you, Reese.”

“You too, Mrs. Greene,” she says and grabs a Snickers bar,