Read Online Finding My Way by Heidi McLaughlin - Free Book Online Page B

in. He’s not smiling and that puts me on edge. His normal smile when he sees me is gone. I don’t even know what to think or what I’ve done to be called down here. He nods in my direction and steps aside so a man in a dark blue business suit can enter.
    “What’s going on?” I ask, my nerves on edge.
    “Liam,” Mrs. Craft says. “Coach Randall has some news.”
    I turn in my chair and look at my coach for some help here. He smiles and while that would normally put me at ease, it doesn’t help with my anxiety. “Liam, I’ve never had a player like you and I probably never will. Last year you came so close to making the cover of Sports Illustrated that when they called this year I did everything I could to make it happen. Son, let me introduce you to Chris Bailey, he’s a sports writer and he’s here to interview you.”
    I stand and shake his hand, probably a bit too eagerly. This has been a dream of mine since they started profiling high school students.
    “It’s very nice to meet you, Mr. Bailey.”
    “You too, Liam, but please call me Chris. Do you need your parents here while we do the interview?”
    Hell no, I want to yell, but don’t. “No, Sir, Coach can stay.”
    “All right well let’s get started, shall we?”
    The three of us move Mrs. Craft’s chairs into a circle and start talking. I like that coach stayed here with me and made sure I didn’t answer anything I wasn’t supposed to. To be honest, I was nervous the whole time, but when Mr. Bailey said he had everything and would be sending a photographer to take my pictures I think I smiled so big that I stretched the muscles in my face to permanently look like this.
    As soon as I leave the office, the class bell rings. I rush to meet Josie. I’m excited to share the news with her.
    “Guess what?” I say as I wrap my arms around her. I nuzzle her neck, disrupting her attempt at putting her books away.
    “What?”
    “Someone is going to be on the cover of Sports Illustrated .”
    Josie pauses and turns slowly. Her face lights up as her arms come around my neck. “I’m so proud of you.”
    “I couldn’t have done it without my girl,” I say, kissing her full on the lips. She tenses, afraid to get caught, but I’ll take the blame if we do. They can suspend me for all I care. I need to kiss my girl.
    “We should go celebrate,” she says, pulling away.
    “What are you thinking?” I ask, raising my eyebrows. She smacks me in the chest. I can’t help it. She’s sexy and she turns me on. But she wants it too. She shrugs and pushes her fingers into my hair, adding more pressure where my hair was recently shaved. I close my eyes and relish in the massage she’s giving me.
    “Are your parents’ home?” I look into her blue eyes and see the answer before she shakes her head. I don’t say anything as I slam her locker shut and pull her down the hall.
    “W ant to go meet Mason and Katelyn?” Josie plays with the hair on my arm, her fingers rubbing up and down along my skin.
    “I guess we should do something before your parents get home.”
    “You mean like get dressed?” she laughs and rolls over in my arms. “I’m very proud of you, Liam. You set your goals and you’re achieving each one of them.”
    “I couldn’t do it without you, Jojo.” I angle my head so I can kiss her deeply. When our tongues meet I have to control myself from picking up where we left off. Her parents may know we have sex, but getting caught by them isn’t something I’m comfortable with. “We should get dressed,” I say, in between the soft kisses I place on and around her lips. My hand slides down her body and slaps her ass. She smiles against my mouth before moving away.
    “You’re trouble, Liam Westbury.” She stands next to her bed, naked as the day she was born. She watches me watch her and all I can think is what it’s going to be like to wake up to her every day. I need to find the courage to ask her to follow me to college because I