Songs for Cricket by Laine, E. (best books to read in your 20s TXT) 📗

“I wish. But I have—”

I didn’t say the rest. It just seemed mean.

“You can say it. You’re going to practice where you’ll be great. I wish I could be there with you.”

I leaned down and kissed him because I could. And because we hadn’t kissed since our one time together.

“I’ll come home for lunch,” I said.

He smiled. “You don’t have to babysit me. I’ll be fine. I need to contact my professors to see if I can make up any assignments I might miss.”

I absolutely hated this for him. “This sucks.”

He shrugged, and I just wanted to crawl back in bed with him. His tousled hair and sleepy grin were beyond sexy. He pulled me down for a deeper kiss, and I let him.

Long minutes later, I pulled back and said, “I have to get ready, or I’m never going to leave.”

As I grabbed my things, I asked, “Did you talk to August?”

I wasn’t sure if they had traded words. When he didn’t respond right away, I turned back before opening the door.

“I haven’t.”

There wasn’t enough time to explain my conversation with my brother.

“Oh, when I came back—”

“My mom called.”

“Oh,” I opened the door mad as hell. “How is she?”

He took in a deep breath, his body lifting and then deflating.

“I haven’t told her everything.”

His mom was a worrier, and I understood his reluctance.

I gave him my best smile. “There’s nothing to tell. You did nothing wrong.”

The thoughtful curve of his mouth was filled with thanks. “Go, or you’re going to be late.”

When I headed downstairs, Cooper was the only one waiting for me.

“Where’s August?” I asked, still pissed.

He seemed to sag. “He left early, I guess. Sent me a text not to wait for him.”

I wasn’t sure yet how to fix things. Though I was determined to do just that.

We drove to practice in companionable silence. August never showed up, and I had to rush to class.

My morning went better than the one before, but then again, I couldn’t imagine it getting any worse.

I texted August during lunch because he hadn’t been at the café either. The text I got wasn’t from him. I immediately called Emily back.

“Is my brother with you?” I demanded once she answered.

She seemed to splutter as she found words. “No. Why would he be?”

“What’s going on between you two?”

“Nothing . . .”

As she trailed off, I grew more impatient.

“Look, I’m trying to stay out of your business, but he’s been off since I saw him arguing with you. What’s going on?”

“He won’t talk to me,” she said with a sob.

“About what? If there is something wrong with him, I deserve to know.”

“He won’t talk to me, I swear.”

“Are you back with Kevin? If he’s done something to my brother . . .”

“No. I swear.”

“If you hear from him, let me know,” I said.

“Finley, trust me, I’m the last person he’s going to reach out to. But can you let me know when you find him? I really need to talk to him.”

If I didn’t have a class starting in the next five minutes, I might have tried to pry out her secret. As it was, I didn’t.

As I left the café, I thought I spotted Cooper with Tori.

It wasn’t until afternoon practice I caught up with August.

“Why weren’t you at practice this morning?”

“As I recall, you don’t check in with me, and I don’t with you,” he said and kept walking.

“Fine, but Shepard needs you,” I begged.

“There isn’t anything I can do for him.”

“Besides be his friend? This is stupid, grow up. You didn’t lose your shiny new toy to me. He can still be your friend.”

He stopped. “We already talked about this. But if it makes you feel better, I contacted Sawyer. He and Shelly are on top of things.”

Then he stalked off. Maybe Cooper was right. August just needed time, and obviously he was dealing with something else. Why else would he have cared enough to tell Sawyer about Shepard’s latest problem?

I let him go and hoped time would heal the wounds. There was no way I could live with myself if their friendship totally ended.

After practice, Billy caught up with me. “Are you going to the café for dinner?”

“No,” I said thoughtfully. I wanted to go home and spend time alone with Shepard. “I have other plans.”

He looked crestfallen, and I tapped his cheek. “You really are a decent guy.”

His hands raised; he winked at me, “Then give a guy a chance.”

I laughed. “I don’t think my boyfriend would like that.”

He looked as stunned as I felt, exhilarated to use that term. Shep and I hadn’t talked about our title. But what else could I call him?

Billy was dramatically going on about how I’d broken his heart as I ducked inside the pool area to head to the locker room. I was grateful that no more press had shown up.

I got ready and smiled thinking about how Shep would react when I showed up early with a plan on how to spend our alone time as I called him my boyfriend.

30

shepard

Finn had a plan, and I was grateful someone did.

“I’ve sent Hastings all the security footage from Friday through Monday morning when you guys left for practice. He says they’re on it, but it will take time.”

I held in my disappointment that everything couldn’t be wrapped up in a day. So far, my professors seemed amenable to helping me obtain class notes and making up any work that was due while I was on forced leave. The coverage about Lacey’s claims had been limited, which was surprising considering her family’s reach in the town. I didn’t question it and accepted the gift that it was.

“We’ll get you back on campus,” Finn was saying. “Shelly said her dad will hook you up with a colleague outside of his practice since his firm can’t handle it due to conflict of interest.”

The lead investigator working against his father would only stir up the news.

“I don’t have a clue how