Page 25 of The Scout

“That’s adorable. You’ve been together this entire time?”

“No, Cash left to play baseball,” Brian explained.

That comment sobered me up. “If you’ll excuse me for a minute.” I stood, as did Cash and Brian.

“Where are you going?”

“Ladies’ room.”

“I’ll go with you.”

“To the ladies’ room?”

He chuckled. “I’ll walk with you.”

I didn’t actually need to go. All I wanted was some fresh air. But I refused to admit that, so instead, I nodded. Like he did last night at his place, he placed his hand on the small of my back. This time I could feel the heat of it through the thin material of my dress. He directed me toward the opposite side of the gym, where the locker rooms were.

“Where are we going?”

“Do you really need the restroom?” When I shook my head, he nodded. “Yeah, I didn’t think so. Follow me.”

That was difficult to do since he was by my side. Sensing my hesitation, he took my hand in his and led me through the boys’ locker room and out the back door, dumping us out into the parking lot.

I couldn’t stop inhaling the fresh nighttime air. My lungs begged for it. I almost felt as though I’d been holding my breath since he’d walked into the room. And the party had yet to truly get into full swing, yet I wanted to leave. It was too weird being there with all the nostalgia around us. Maybe it was anxiety, but it felt as though everyone had pieced together my secret. That thought caused me to shiver and for tiny goose bumps to pepper my arms.

“Here.” In an instant, Cash’s suit jacket was draped over my shoulders. His manly cologne replaced the springtime air. It wasn’t a scent I could pinpoint, but nonetheless, it had me wanting to sniff the lapel.

“Thank you.”

After a long pause, Cash broke the silence. “I’ve barely slept. I couldn’t stop thinking about you, Hannah. All last night, I lay in bed thinking about all that I missed. Thinking about you and Jimmy. I’m sorry, but I was going out of my mind, so I told my buddy Cal.”

My eyes widened in fear that people would find out before Jimmy. Thankfully I knew Cal was in Utah, but that didn’t stop my skin from prickling with nerves. “Who else did you tell?”

“No one. I wouldn’t do that. But I needed to talk to someone. He’s my best friend.”

“What did he say?” I could only imagine what he thought of me. He had to hate me for keeping this from Cash. It forced me to add, “Did you tell him I tried telling you?”

“Of course I did. He’s pretty pissed off at my dad and equally confused about your letters and attempts to contact me. And when I told him about Tina ...” He chuckled. “He groaned.”

“Groaned?”

“The thought of me with Tina would send him into orbit. We had a pact. Not that she was my type, but brothers rarely want their sisters with their buddies. They know too much about them.”

“I’m sure you have quite the reputation.”

He ran his hand along the back of his neck. “Not as bad as you probably think.”

Jealousy wasn’t an emotion I enjoyed. Oddly, the only time that emotion had sparked to life, Cash had been at the center of it. “You don’t need to explain anything to me.”

“I want to.”

He shifted his position so he stood in front of me, and I looked up into his mesmerizing eyes. A soft breeze brushed against my skin, gently tousling my hair. Cash reached forward and tucked the errant strands behind my ear. Once again, his touch sent shivers down my spine.

“I’ve never stopped thinking about you, Hannah. Now, knowing everything I missed, I hate myself for letting my ego stand in the way of coming to see you. I’ve missed you so much.”

Tears filled with vulnerability pricked the back of my eyes. “I’ve missed you, too, but I couldn’t let myself miss you for anything other than for Jimmy.”

He leaned forward, resting his forehead on mine. When he did that yesterday, it had taken everything not to wrap my arms around him. Tonight, as dusk took over the evening sky, something in the air shifted, forcing us to move closer. It felt as if time had mended itself, merging the past and the present into a single moment of pure connection.

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