Read Online My Blue River by Leslie Trammell - Free Book Online Page B

their personalities were similar as well. He was confident and worked the room like he was a celebrity. I had to assume a quarterback in a town this small was probably a big deal.
     
    I braced myself as he approached. I was already dealing with my crush on Jack and knew I couldn’t handle another one.
     
    “So you’re from California,” he said. It was more of a statement than a question, as if he’d done his homework before approaching me to make a strong impression.
     
    He was the type of guy who exuded confidence, but somehow not in the same way Jack did. This guy came across as arrogant. He came so close into my personal space that I had to take one step back.
     
    “I’m Mac. You may have heard of me.” He offered his hand to me in the small space that remained between us.
     
    “Um…actually, no. I haven’t heard of you. I’m Addy.” I took a step back as I shook his hand.
     
    “Well, I’ve heard of you and I’d love to hear about California. I’ve never been there.” He was attractive, but he didn’t make me feel giddy and flustered the way that Jack did.
     
     
    I got the vague impression he didn’t care one thing about California and yet I was glad he asked about one of my favorite topics. I chattered about my life in California until his ears nearly bled. After exhausting all there was to possibly tell him about my world, an uncomfortable silence ensued so I excused myself to the restroom.
     
    I pushed through the restroom door and there stood Claire, crying and trying to catch each tear with a tissue.
     
    “Claire? Are you okay?” I asked.
     
    “Oh, yeah, just the usual. My boyfriend and I are arguing. We’re always on again—off again. Apparently tonight, we’re off.” She continued to dab her eyes with tissue.
     
    “So what’s this boyfriend’s name?”
     
    “Ethan.”
     
    “I’m so sorry. Boys suck.”
     
    She offered a weak laugh. “They sure do. I wish the guys around here acted like men, but they’re stupid little boys.”
     
    I laughed so hard that I snorted, which made her laugh more.
     
    I put my arm around her shoulders. “So what can I do to help?” I asked as we left the restroom.
     
    “Oh, thanks for the offer, but there’s nothing you can do. We go through this all the time. In a week he’ll be asking me to come back to him.” She let out a heavy sigh of resignation. “And like an idiot, I probably will.” She stopped, seeming reluctant to join the crowd.
     
    “So if he doesn’t treat you right, why do you stay with him?”
     
    “I don’t know, lack of options I guess.”
     
    I was about to say something I never dreamed possible. “It’s not that small here.” I couldn’t believe those words escaped my lips, but it was true. There was a larger population than I believed possible in Blue River and frankly, no matter how small a town was and no matter how limited the dating options were, no one deserved to be treated like crap. I looked over at Jack. It hit me that I had gotten to know him enough to realize he was a completely wonderful and beautiful person. For half a second, I wondered why Claire wasn’t dating Jack and just as quickly as I questioned it, I knew I was glad she wasn’t.
     
    “Addy, all I can say is, when you get the chance, run from here. Run as fast as your legs will carry you.”
     
    “Oh, don’t worry. I plan to. Just watch me.” I squeezed her shoulder. “Now let’s go have some fun. There’s a lot of animals in the barnyard tonight!”
     
    She giggled and corrected me, “The Barn, Addy, it’s just The Barn .”
     
    When we returned to the crowd, my eyes scanned the room in search of Aaron. I caught a glimpse of Jack, which momentarily distracted me. I couldn’t help but watch him talking to Zeek. He was smiling and laughing at whatever Zeek was saying. Jack had such an amazing smile. I could swim in his dimples. I let out a sigh then refocused because I needed to find Aaron. I knew it wouldn’t be