Page 75 of Touchdowns and Temptations

Noah comes back and sets a glass of water down for Daisy. He got himself a beer, which probably means that they are actually going home together.

“Thank you,” Daisy says, stroking his forearm.

I purse my lips and look at Noah. He looks back at me and sips his beer.

“Hey, Cara!” Harry smiles at me. “You said you know your way around fast cars, right?”

“Yes,” I reply. “I do.”

“Cool,” he replies. “Have you ever driven a Bugatti Chiron?”

I shake my head and smile at him.

“Unfortunately not,” I say. “I'd love to. It's definitely on my list.”

Noah's eyes flicker to me for a split second and I give him a smile, but he immediately looks away.

“Where do you usually drive the cars?” asks Harry.

“On the road?” I answer questioningly. “They're mine.”

“Sure,” he counters. “They're yours. It was funny about the Ferrari, but...”

“My God, you're so stupid,” Daisy groans. “Her father is Michael Corse, NFL legend of the Boston Foxes. She’s going to inherit Corse Sports Management and her parents' personal fortune of at least fifty million dollars. Of course she can afford a Ferrari.”

My head spins around and I stare at her angrily. Daisy gets on my nerves so much. She should mind her own business and not get confused about which of the McCarter twins is screwing her.

“What's your problem?” I hiss.

“My problem?” she repeats. “That you act like you're this sweet, sweet girl who wants to experience life in the country, when in fact you're as far removed from life here as Harry is from those cars he keeps talking about.”

Daisy and I have an eye duel that neither of us wants to lose.

“Stop it, Daisy!” hisses Emily. “You don't even know her.”

“And you know her?” she shoots back. “You've always been naive, Em.” She points at me. “Her T-shirt alone costs more than we made in a month as teenagers, and the bag - Chanel - more than double our monthly salaries, and...”

“Enough!” Noah spins around and looks at Daisy angrily. “Shut up, Daisy. Why do you think Cara never told you who her parents were and where she got the money? Because she hates that kind of prejudice. Leave her alone.”

I am more than surprised by his outburst and my heart starts beating faster when I realize that he defended me. Is that a step in the right direction?

“That her clothes cost so much is a fact!” Daisy looks at him challengingly. “And you said yourself she's a spoiled brat who gets everything handed to her on a silver platter.”

Jamie spits out his beer and the others gasp. I stare at Noah with big eyes. Why does he talk about me like that? Especially in front of Daisy, who obviously thinks I'm pretty shitty.

“You said that about me?” I ask sadly, trying to pull myself together. “To her?” I nod and point at Daisy.

“No!” Noah shakes his head. “Yes... I don't know. Not exactly ... not in those words.”

“In what words then?” I want to know.

“Do we have to settle this now?” he asks.

“I don't know,” I answer. “At least you're talking to me again. But I don't know if I want to. I have to get out of here.”

I jump up from my chair and reach for my purse. I pull out a ten-dollar bill and slam it down on the table. It's way too much for a drink, but I don't feel like waiting any longer.

“Cara,” Emily says, trying to stop me, but I slap her hand away.

---