Page 26 of Saving the Halfback

Dad put on a forced smile. “Not quite. Bailey here needs some football cleats. She’s joined the team. Got anything that might fit her?” He was blunt with his words and somewhat challenging, like he was seeing if Mr. O’Riley would argue with him on it.

Mr. O’Riley put down the clipboard he was holding and looked at me. “Stop my heart, that’s wee Bailey McCormick? John, she's grown nearly two feet since I last saw her.” I felt a blush creep up my cheeks. “She’s joined the team? You don’t say. We have cleats, they all be men’s sizes, but we just convert the size. There’ll be something that fits her.”

Dad seemed to take a breath. “You know, I thought I should've come here first. I just had a run in with Lenny—”

“Hold on.” Mr. O’Riley turned to a door behind him and called, “Lachlan! Come out ’ere a minute.” He turned back to us. “Lach can take care of you, girly, and I can catch up with your da'.” Lachlan appeared a moment later, a lazy look in his eyes.

“Talk about kids growing on us.” My dad chuckled. “Lachlan O’Riley, is that you under the mop of hair?” Dad held out his hand, though. I didn’t think he noticed Lach’s hesitation before accepting the handshake. “I haven’t seen you at the farm in a while, son.”

“Yes, sir,” Lachlan mumbled as he pulled his hand back quickly, brushing his hair away from his face. He shot me a wink, and I fought to keep a blush away, not wanting Dad to see.

“We keep him busy here at the store. He’s been working for a couple years now. Lachly, can you get Bailey fitted with what she needs for football?” Mr. O’Riley asked.

“Sure.” Lachlan grinned at me while waving his hand down an aisle. “Come with me.”

While our dads started gossiping, I followed him to the back of the store. Where the other store was massive, large racks of stuff with space in between, the O’Riley store had small racks and crowded aisles, but it was welcoming instead of sterile.

“So, you’re joining for sure?” Lachlan asked. “We didn’t scare you away yet?”

“Yet?” I smiled. “Nope, I’m definitely in now. I let Coach know after practice, forms are signed, I’m good to go.”

Lachlan led me to a rack that had the shoulder pads and pulled a clipboard with a fabric measuring tape off the shelf. “I might as well get you set up with the rest of your gear, then. We supply the school for football.”

“Really?”

“Yep, they buy the gear from us at cost, instead of the inflated prices Finnagens offers.” He began writing something down on the clipboard.

I chewed on the corner of my lip nervously as I looked around the store, no signs of Ed. “You think…I’ll be okay joining? I mean, is this a mistake?”

Lachlan looked at me, his eyes soft and his body relaxed. He always seemed on edge at school. “You’re saving us. We may not have been playing this season; our team was short players.”

I nodded to him and took a deep breath, trying to release some of the tension in my chest.

“Are you having second thoughts?” he asked.

I shook my head. “Some people just think a girl shouldn’t play on a guys’ team.”

Lachlan shrugged. “So? Since when have you cared about what other people think?” He stared at me for a second, and when I didn’t answer, he turned around, shuffling through shoulder pads on a rack. “Listen, the team won’t care. We aren’tthe best team around, but we do well for our size. This year, the seniors just want to get to the playoffs. I saw you at practice, and you’ll fit in. Trust me.”

There was something in his sweet blue eyes that had my heart easing, a weight being lifted. It was easy to feel at home with Lachlan. I could trust Lachlan. I did trust him. “Okay.”

He nodded. “I need to measure you to get the proper fit, is that okay?” He didn’t approach me, didn’t make a move until I nodded. His lips tipped ever so slightly. “I need you to say it out loud.”

I was a bit confused, but all the same, I did as he asked. “Yes, you can measure me.”

Lachlan stepped forward into my space, and right away, his scent drifted to me. The sandalwood mixed with something earthy. I couldn’t help the small smile playing at my lips as I fought the urge to lean into him. “Turn around and hold your arms out like this. I may need to touch your shoulders and hands.” Everything about him was so different than at school. His eyes were gentle, his voice calm and relaxed.

I did as I was told. Lachlan’s touch was light, yet electrifying, all at the same time. He brought the measuring tape to the tip of my fingers, along my arm and to my shoulder. His long fingers gently touched and probed as he felt for the top of my shoulder. I had pulled my ponytail out after school, so my hair was hanging loose down my back. Slowly, Lachlan swept my hair to the side, his fingers brushing the back of my neck. The movement caused goose bumps to spread and a shiver to race down my spine.

Lachlan froze. “Sorry.” He sounded worried, like he had done something wrong.

I cleared my throat. “It’s okay.”

He finished measuring across my shoulders and down to the other hand before pulling away. “Done.”

I turned around as he wrote on the clipboard, his gaze avoiding me.

“So…what position do you play?” I asked, wanting to fill the silence.

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