Page 20 of The Way We Score

I walk briskly, but he keeps pace. The awkwardness has fallen away, but I think we’re on the same page about this not being a good idea.

It doesn’t take long to be back at the screen door leading into the large dining area. The crowd has died down, almost like they know when it’s time to start settling down. It’s a Thursday night, after all, and Cooters & Shooters is a family restaurant, not a bar. It only has these moments of madness once a week.

Garrett catches my forearm before I step through the screen door, into the open room where our family stands around in a smiling, laughing circle. Rachel’s brother is there, and they’re all so easy and comfortable. So familiar and homey.

Hesitating, I turn to face him, and he puts a finger under my chin, lifting my eyes to his. “Chin up, Cherry. When you’re at the bottom, there’s only one way to go.”

“Unless there’s a shovel.”

Shaking his head, he chuckles. He’s happy, and excitement tingles low in my stomach.

He’s touching me, getting angry at anyone who would hurt me… fanning the smolder still hiding deep in my heart for him. The painful flickers of a fire that never went out.

I’m afraid of this feeling, but I can’t fight it. It’s lingering in the air around us, and I know it’ll only take one weak moment to let go.

4

Garrett

“Here you are. I thought we were going to have to send a search party.” My little brother Hendrix weaves through the crowd of family, grabbing my hand and pulling me into a hug.

I say little brother, but it’s only because he’s almost three years younger than me. Hendrix is a six-foot-two rockstar tight end in Los Angeles, and trust me, he knows how to use it to get all the girls.

If my little brother’s head gets any bigger, I’ll be searching for a pin to prick him. The good news is, he’s got a shit-load of our dad in him, which is why he’s the best player out of all of us. The even better news is he’s got enough of our mom in him to keep his feet on the ground and give him some heart.

“Hendrix finally got here!” Dylan rushes forward, grabbing him around the waist in a hug.

He only laughs and noogies her head, which makes her squeal and pull away. These two are eighteen months apart, andI swear, if our mom hadn’t been so determined to have a baby girl, they’d have stopped with me.

I’m glad she didn’t, but it was pretty crazy having two little babies in the house.

“Can my honeymoon be staying right here in Newhope all week with my family all together?” Dylan holds onto Hendrix like she hasn’t seen him in years, which I guess is almost true.

It’s his first visit home since last Christmas.

“No.” I glance over to where my best friend looks like he just swallowed a Trinidad scorpion pepper. “Bruh, you nearly gave Logan an aneurysm. He’s finally taking some time off from the radio station.”

Logan walks to where we’re standing and pulls his girl into his arms. “All thanks to Zane. I’m finally getting to where I’m comfortable being gone.”

Our tall, quiet older brother stands on the periphery watching us with a satisfied smile like he always does. Rachel’s younger brother Edward stands beside him holding a gray cat. Miss Gina gave it to Dylan as a kitten, and now it lives at the restaurant eating scraps and mousing.

“I need to find my mom.” Liv’s voice is quiet, and she turns as if she’ll leave.

“Wait!” Dylan catches her hand before I can. “Will you come to my bachelorette party tomorrow night? It’s going to be here, and it’s going to be so fun. Just Rachel, Allie, me, you, and—Oh, come meet Raven! Raven, this is practically my sister Liv Bankston.”

“Hi, practical sister!” A girl a little taller than Dylan, but not as tall as Olivia steps forward. She has nice curves, and her brown hair has pretty golden highlights in the front. “I’m Raven Gale.”

Liv laughs. “Nice to meet you, Raven.”

The two shake hands. “You can call me Rave if you want. I’m testing out nicknames.”

“That’s fun—how do you two know each other?”

“Dylan and I chaperoned the senior cruise a few years back,and we just hit it off. We’ve been swapping pepper recipes ever since.”

“I haven’t met the new addition.” I walk over to where they’re chatting.

Raven holds the back of her neck squinting up at me with a grin. “Dude, how tall are you? Dang, I’ve never met someone so big.”

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