Page 2 of When We Were Reckless
Was it because of his ex-girlfriend? Had she loved him? Had she loved him the way I loved him? Was that possible? I thought not.
I sighed as I stood with my classmates and watched the other graduates walk across the stage. When they called Ridge McCallister’s name, I watched him climb the stairs. His golden-brown hair touched his collar, his cap was askew, and his gown flapped behind him. Despite the predictions that he’d end up in juvie or flunk out, Cypress Springs High’s resident bad boy was not only graduating but going on to college where he’d be playing football. I didn’t even know Ridge, not really, but I cheered for him and laughed when he turned his back to the crowd, lifted his gown, and mooned the entire audience, eliciting catcalls and shouts, and anI love you, Ridge McCallisterfrom the cheering squad.
“That will be enough, Mr. McCallister,” Principal Bradley said sternly. But even he was fighting a smile as he shook his head at Ridge’s antics. Good for Ridge. He’d turned his life around.
Miracles do happen. I was living proof.
Chapter Two
Quinn
It had beenfour days since my graduation, and I still hadn’t seen Jesse. I didn’t even know where he was. I’d driven past his house a few times, low-key stalker that I was, but he wasn’t home.
I parked my VW Beetle in the designated employees’ parking area—a patch of gravel and grass next to the brewery and grabbed my bag from the passenger seat. According to my brother Declan, I was the world’s worst waitress, but since they were family, my brothers had no choice but to hire me for the summer.
Cavanaugh Brothers Brewing Company was the brainchild of my three brothers and sat on twenty acres of prime Texas Hill Country land. They grew fruits and vegetables for Declan’s farm-to-table restaurant and the fruit they used in their craft beers.
A timber and stone barn had been converted into the brewery, and a renovated stone farmhouse housed the taproom and the kitchen—all open and airy with soaring ceilings and wide plank wood floors.
I walked into the taproom, twenty minutes before they opened, and I heardhisvoice. Low and kind of raspy. I’d know it anywhere.
“Holy shit,” Mason said. He and Holden were standing in front of a laptop on the oak bar.
“What’s going on?”
Neither of them answered, their eyes glued to the screen.
“After months of soul searching,” I heard Jesse say as I hurried around to the other side of the bar and squeezed in between Mason and Holden, two walls of muscle, both of them well over six feet tall. At five foot three, I was the family runt. They stepped aside to make room for me, and there on the screen was Jesse.
“I’ve made the decision to retire.”
I stared at the screen in shock.Retire? What the hell was he doing? He did not just say that. I must have misheard. No way would Jesse retire. He was only twenty-seven.
Was this because of this past season? It hadn’t beenthatbad.
I’d watched all his Supercross races this season and had seen him struggling to get back to the top where he belonged. For anyone else, finishing eighth after coming back from a severe injury would have been admirable. But for someone at Jesse’s level--a motocross legend who had won four Supercross championships in a row, not to mention thirty-nine National wins, five AMA moto titles, and three gold medals at the X Game--this past season had been a massive blow.
And yes, I could recite all his stats off the top of my head. I knew every win and every loss, every podium finish, and every injury he’d sustained in his career.
But why was he retiring?
I stared at his gorgeous face. He was wearing a blue button-up that brought out the blue in his eyes. Behind him was the factory team’s green and black racing colors and logo. He was standing behind a lectern, speaking into the mic.
There was no smile on his face, but I heard his emotions in every word.
“I want to thank the team and my sponsors for all the support you’ve given me over the years and for allowing me the opportunity to make a career in the sport I love. My heartfelt thanks go out to my fans. Thank you for sticking with me through all the ups and downs, the serious injuries, and the great successes. I’m grateful to my family, who has always believed in me and encouraged me to give one hundred percent in everything I do. I’ve been so fortunate to have had so much support throughout my career. This sport has given so much back to me. It has been an honor and a privilege to race against the very best in the world.”
He bowed his head and put his hand over his heart. “It has been an amazing ride.”
And that was it. When Jesse finished making his announcement, he walked away, not even hanging around to answer any questions.
Mason shut down his laptop, and for a few seconds, we stood in stunned silence.
“Did you guys know about this?” I asked them. “Did he say anything to you?” I looked from Holden to Mason. They were only a year apart, with the same chestnut brown hair. I was the only one who had inherited Mom’s blonde hair.
They both shook their heads.
“I just know he was going through a bad time,” Holden said. “He went through so much shit in the past year.”
