Read Online Stay: Changing Tides, Book 1 by Candi Wall - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Candi Wall
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time, he really didn’t have one particular girl in mind.” She noticed the tiny smirk that turned the corner of his mouth. Men . Pride came in such simple fashions for them. “Lynette’s just recently decided she’s tired of waiting. Girl doesn’t have a shy bone in her body.”
His easy glance turned on her, and she forgot to breathe. “A lot like her coach.”
“I never had the opportunity to be shy.” She shrugged, not sure if the trepidation she used to experience when she entered yet another new school would qualify as shyness. “When Dad left, my mother and I started moving. She liked adventure and new places. We never stopped.”
“So you get it from her?”
“What?”
“Your penchant for breaking the rules?”
It was the only thing she’d gotten from her mother—so far. She flashed him a smile to hide her discomfort with the topic. “You’re judging again. But yes. She did things her own way. It wasn’t until later, in my teens, when I realized there was more to her bizarre behavior than just a flighty personality.”
Genuine interest sparked in his gaze. “What do you mean?”
The words just wouldn’t come. Any number of descriptions could fit, but she didn’t want to think about her mother right now. Not when she could enjoy Brack’s presence and the easy conversation they shared. “Nothing. She just did things differently.”
He seemed ready to ask more, but to his credit, he held silent on the matter. “So Lynette and Jonathon are a—thing?”
Fastening on the change in topic, she let thoughts of her mother melt away. “I’d say it’s headed that way.”
“Smart kid.”
“Girls aren’t the only reason he’s helping me.” She’d wondered how to broach this subject. Brack’s eyebrows rose expectantly, and she rushed on, “He’s interested in trying out for the baseball team next season. Thought maybe he’d pick up some time on the field.”
“I didn’t know.” Rapping his knuckles on the truck hood, he stared at his son. “That’s great.”
“I told him I’d work with him, you know, teach him some of the basics.”
His body stiffened. “I can do that.”
Good, she’d hoped for that reaction. “That’s great. I know he’d much rather have you than me, anyway. He was just worried about your schedule.”
“He told you that?”
The anger in his voice surprised her. “Yes. He said you were busy with work and calls. Didn’t want to add to your schedule.”
“He’s not a damn job.” His hands fisted. “I can always find time for my son. I spend as much time with him as I can.”
Placing a hand on his shoulder, she squeezed. “Brack, I didn’t mean anything by offering. And I think it’s nice that he tried to consider the things in your life. Most kids his age could care less if they inconvenience their parents.”
“Sorry, long day,” he muttered. “I didn’t mean to bite your head off. I just wonder if I’m doing what’s right for him.”
Her hand fell away, not sure how the simple contact created so much heat through her arm or how his sharing those inner thoughts tugged at her heart. “You’ll both be fine.”
“You sound very certain.”
“Of course I am.” Pulling the elastic from her ponytail, she laughed when her hair stayed up. The mud caked around it wouldn’t budge. “I’d better grab a shower.”
His fingertips moved along her temple. “You are covered.”
She turned to walk away from the temptation of his touch when another thought struck. Turning back, she poked a finger into his chest. “Oh, by the way?”
His eyes widened at her scowl. “What?”
“Why didn’t you tell me that I’d be the one auctioned at the fundraiser?”
“More fun that way.”
“Fun?” She’d wondered if he knew the meaning of the word. Even after his semi-playfulness at the meeting the other night. “You’d have to know how to have fun before you could claim that reason. You have the sense of humor of a
His easy glance turned on her, and she forgot to breathe. “A lot like her coach.”
“I never had the opportunity to be shy.” She shrugged, not sure if the trepidation she used to experience when she entered yet another new school would qualify as shyness. “When Dad left, my mother and I started moving. She liked adventure and new places. We never stopped.”
“So you get it from her?”
“What?”
“Your penchant for breaking the rules?”
It was the only thing she’d gotten from her mother—so far. She flashed him a smile to hide her discomfort with the topic. “You’re judging again. But yes. She did things her own way. It wasn’t until later, in my teens, when I realized there was more to her bizarre behavior than just a flighty personality.”
Genuine interest sparked in his gaze. “What do you mean?”
The words just wouldn’t come. Any number of descriptions could fit, but she didn’t want to think about her mother right now. Not when she could enjoy Brack’s presence and the easy conversation they shared. “Nothing. She just did things differently.”
He seemed ready to ask more, but to his credit, he held silent on the matter. “So Lynette and Jonathon are a—thing?”
Fastening on the change in topic, she let thoughts of her mother melt away. “I’d say it’s headed that way.”
“Smart kid.”
“Girls aren’t the only reason he’s helping me.” She’d wondered how to broach this subject. Brack’s eyebrows rose expectantly, and she rushed on, “He’s interested in trying out for the baseball team next season. Thought maybe he’d pick up some time on the field.”
“I didn’t know.” Rapping his knuckles on the truck hood, he stared at his son. “That’s great.”
“I told him I’d work with him, you know, teach him some of the basics.”
His body stiffened. “I can do that.”
Good, she’d hoped for that reaction. “That’s great. I know he’d much rather have you than me, anyway. He was just worried about your schedule.”
“He told you that?”
The anger in his voice surprised her. “Yes. He said you were busy with work and calls. Didn’t want to add to your schedule.”
“He’s not a damn job.” His hands fisted. “I can always find time for my son. I spend as much time with him as I can.”
Placing a hand on his shoulder, she squeezed. “Brack, I didn’t mean anything by offering. And I think it’s nice that he tried to consider the things in your life. Most kids his age could care less if they inconvenience their parents.”
“Sorry, long day,” he muttered. “I didn’t mean to bite your head off. I just wonder if I’m doing what’s right for him.”
Her hand fell away, not sure how the simple contact created so much heat through her arm or how his sharing those inner thoughts tugged at her heart. “You’ll both be fine.”
“You sound very certain.”
“Of course I am.” Pulling the elastic from her ponytail, she laughed when her hair stayed up. The mud caked around it wouldn’t budge. “I’d better grab a shower.”
His fingertips moved along her temple. “You are covered.”
She turned to walk away from the temptation of his touch when another thought struck. Turning back, she poked a finger into his chest. “Oh, by the way?”
His eyes widened at her scowl. “What?”
“Why didn’t you tell me that I’d be the one auctioned at the fundraiser?”
“More fun that way.”
“Fun?” She’d wondered if he knew the meaning of the word. Even after his semi-playfulness at the meeting the other night. “You’d have to know how to have fun before you could claim that reason. You have the sense of humor of a
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