Page 60 of Saving the Halfback

“I’m coming to understand that. And tomorrow, when we go stargazing, who will I get? Nolan or Nick?”

There was another pause, and in his silence, I mentally cursed myself. I was talking about his dead brother so carelessly. Had I gone too far?

“Nolan. You’ll get Nolan, if you don’t mind the awkwardness.”

I smiled into the dark. “I don’t mind.”

“Good, because Nick can be a little forward, and he definitely wouldn’t have cared about your parents’ rules. He would’ve likely taken you behind a tree and—”

“Nolan!” I cut him off.

“What? It’s the truth. He, uh, got around. He was a good guy, though.” Nolan cleared his throat. “We should probably get some sleep, it’s nearly midnight.”

“Okay.” My eyes darted around my room for a bit, scanning for someone. “Nolan?”

“Yeah.” He yawned one more time.

“Strictly platonic and all, could you…stay on the phone for a bit longer? I just, well, I can’t, I mean—”

“You don’t have to explain yourself. I’ll stay on. But don’t go complaining that I snore in my sleep, because that will be difficult to explain to Lachlan.”

I laughed. “I won’t. He’s a good friend, Lachlan.”

“He is. I don’t mean anything against him. He’s probably the truest friend I’ve ever had.”

“Yeah…same.” At least, one of the truest friends I’d ever had.

22

Bailey

Sunday

“Interesting, isn’t it, Shelly, all that I can see when sitting here on this porch.” My dad took a sip of his tea as he sat in his chair. Mom sat next to him, smiling and shaking her head slowly while she read her book.

I grumbled. “He’s a friend, Dad.”

“Yes. I know that. Doesheknow that?”

“Oh, John, would you leave your daughter alone?” Mom said, without looking up from her book.

“I send her to town for a load of feed, and she comes back and tells me a boy is spending the night,” Dad defended himself. “That’s the last time I send you to the store. You’ve been grinning all day.”

I nearly rolled my eyes. He hadn’t seen me all day. I’d been on the combine, working.

Last night, Nolan and I talked about mundane things until our voices became so quiet and rough with sleep that we both fell asleep. I wasn’t sure how long he stayed on the line, but my phone was dead this morning. After I charged it, I checked to see a text from Nolan saying he would see me tonight at ten.

“Locked up, she will be,” Dad whispered loud enough for me to hear.

Mom’s smile grew as she flipped the page.

I saw the headlights of the car coming down the road far before it hit our drive. I bundled up like Nolan had said, wearing my coveralls over my sweats and hoodie. This was a platonic hangout with a friend, not a date. Plus, I could already feel the temperature outside dropping.

Dad stood up on the porch as Nolan’s car pulled up next to my truck. Nolan got out and was taking large bins out of the back. I went to go meet him, but Dad stopped me. “Let him come here.”

I shook my head in disbelief. “This isn’t the nineties! Please don’t threaten him with a stupid gun.” Dad grinned, and I tried to hide behind my hand.

Nolan walked up to the house, his blue eyes on me and a grin on his face. Then he nodded. “Mr. McCormick.” He held his hand out to my dad.

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