Page 4 of Charger

“Sweetheart, everything okay? How did the first day go?”

“Will you let me drop out?”

“Uh-oh.” She takes off her apron then guides me to the coffee bar chair. “What happened?”

I slouch down with my chin in my hand. “Just some jerk at school.”

“Is everything okay, Jules?” She places a motherly hand on top of mine.

“Yeah, Zach took care of it, so I don’t think he’ll be bothering me again.”

Her face goes from an angry “no one messes with my child look” to a smile. “I’m glad you have Zach and your brother to look out for you.” The way she says Zach’s name is odd. “You wanna help me with dinner?”

“Do I have a choice?”

“You always have a choice, Julianna, remember that.” She gets up and reties her apron. “Just not in this case. Grab those potatoes over there and start peeling them, please.” Without protest, I get up, grab a potato, and start peeling.

“Julianna Taccarelli, you’re going to make a good housewife someday.” Zach leans against the doorway. A sly grin creeps up his perfectly handsome face. My mom is smiling, pretending to not pay attention.

“I’ll have you know, Zachary.” I give him a stern sounding voice. “I’m going to be a successful business woman one day, not a housewife. No offense, mom.” It’s not that I don’t look up to my mom. She’s incredibly strong—raising a family and taking care of a home is no joke. But it’s just not in my cards.

“None taken.” She continues prepping dinner.

“I don’t doubt that. I don’t doubt that for one second.” His words run through me. He always holds me on this pedestal. Higher than anyone else.

After dinner is ready, we all sit around the table, including Zach. He spends more time at our house than his own. He never talks about his home life and we don’t ask much. His dad is never home and his mom is always drinking from what Garrett tells me. It has to be sad to live in a household like that. Growing up, I guess we were lucky to have a family like this one.

“Wanna pass those mashed potatoes, Specs?” Zach’s hand hovers out, waiting for me to deliver them. “I’m curious if your housewife skills are actually any good.” My dad gives him a raised eyebrow and I try with all my might to throw my napkin at Zach, but fail. Zach laughs and all I can do is smile.

TWO

Jules

While waiting for the boys’ practice to end, I sit on the bleachers sketching the football field in front of me, since we all car pool together. Garrett’s my ride home and Zach is his, so on the days they have practice, I wait for them.

The hot Ohio sun is beating down on me; it’ll likely be one of the last eighty-degree days for the year, considering it’s September. I close my eyes for a second, soaking in the sun. I already feel the sweat trickling down from my neck to my chest where my tank top doesn’t cover. I lean back, placing my elbows on the bleacher seat behind me—just letting my mind drift and wander about after graduation. I like where we are all at right now, being best friends, being together all the time. But it’s sad, knowing that we’re probably going our separate ways. Knowing that my brother is going to become some star football player one day. Hopefully I’ll get to open up a restaurant or some kind of business. Zach, I’m not sure exactly what he wants to do after graduation. It’s funny, for someone I’m so close to, he’s so guarded with his life.

I open my eyes, falling right into Zach’s line of sight. He’s standing on the sidelines, watching me. His eyes trail down my chest, then back up, holding my stare for a second before turning away. The way he eyes my body like that has my stomach all fluttery. I want more of it. Was it crazy to think there was something seductive in his eyes? Something desirable even.

I have to admit Zach in his uniform is not a terrible sight either. He definitely knows how to wear a pair of football pants. Why are sports uniforms so damn sexy anyway?

“Look out!” Someone shouts from the right, but it’s too late to brace for what’s coming. A quick thud of pain bounces off my head.

“Ow, what the hell?” The ball hits me right on the side of my head. Luckily, I catch myself before toppling off the side of the bleacher seats.

“Shit, sorry. Are you okay?”

There’s a dull sting from being smacked with a soccer ball lingering on my forehead, but I guess I’m fine. “Yeah, I think so.” I look up to one of my senior classmen, Tommy Stevenson. He’s part of the soccer team and apparently has one hell of a kick.

“My bad. I tried to warn you, but obviously not in time.” He flashes me an apologetic smile.

“It’s okay. I’ve been told I have a hard head,” I joke as I run my finger over my right temple.

He chuckles. “I’m Tommy. I feel like an ass because I don’t know your name.”

I’m not surprised he doesn’t know my name. I’m not exactly “Miss Popular” and I don’t see guys looking my way very often. So, I’ll give him a pass, even if I did sit next to him in homeroom all of last year.

“I’m Jules. You know, the girl who ripped her pants last year.”

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