Page 102 of Memories of Me

“You’re in a good mood,” I responded.

“Fight with the girlfriend.”

“That’ll do it.”

We ran silently for a moment and then he stopped. My initial instinct was to keep running with the pack, but I didn’t. I went back to him.

“You okay?” I inquired. He was crouching down.

“I hurt my foot. Must be worse than I thought.” His face was dark red as he stood back up.

“Need help back?”

“I messed up, man. I cheated on Casen.”

I held back the urge to catch up with the guys. I wasn’t a damn therapist, and I certainly didn’t want to get in the middle of this. I’d had enough of my own drama.

“It was stupid, but she’s been so damn difficult lately. And I was wasted.”

I looked ahead where the team was stretching, getting ready for practice, still tempted to keep my mouth shut. I didn’t even know this guy and my few run-ins with Casen weren’t pleasant.

“Have you ever messed up?” he asked as he started limping toward the team.

“Yeah, man. Who hasn’t? Although I’ve never cheated,” I added nonchalantly, only half in the conversation. The other half was distracted by Casen who was marching toward us with fists flaring. What the hell did I get myself into?

Lucas didn’t even see her coming as her fist made contact with his cheek and he stumbled backward. I stifled a chuckle while admiring her form. The chick had fighting skills.

“You asshole!” she yelled as she kneed him in the gut. He went down without a fight. When she went in for another kick, I grabbed her around the waist and pulled her out of range.

“Let me go,” she screeched as she fought against my hold, her nails digging into my arms.

“Not until you calm down,” I whispered into her ear like I had done so many times with Tessa. Somehow the sound of my voice, calm and even, had always settled her rages. And there were a lot of them. It seemed to work for Casen, too, because she stopped fighting me.

“I’m fine, all right? See?” She held up her limp arms.

I dropped my arms and she immediately launched at Lucas, knocking him back to the ground and spitting on him as she stormed off the field. The team had gathered for the show, holding back gasps and pointing fingers.

“Dude, your girlfriend just kicked your ass,” Steven hollered.

Shaking my head at the situation, I held my hand out for Lucas and helped him to his feet. “She really did kick your ass.” His nose was bleeding, his cheek was marked, and he was limping.

“I guess I deserved it,” he mumbled. “Thanks.”

Lucas nursed his wounds on the sidelines of practice while getting an ear full from Coach. As I ran through skills drills, I remembered the multiple fights I had to break up between Tessa and whoever had pissed her off. She was a free spirit with a mean right hook.

I headed home after practice. I had another three missed calls from Baylor. I hated avoiding her, but I needed space. That was what I was telling myself, at least.

“You look like I kicked your ass instead of my boyfriend’s. Ex-boyfriend.”

Casen was leaning over the railing, smoking a cigarette, when I got home. She looked hot in short cut-offs and a tight white tank top with a large middle finger printed on it.

“Nice shirt.” I gave her a small smile as I unlocked my door.

“Like it? I just painted it. Thought it was fitting.”

“You designed that?”

She put out her cigarette on the ground and was about to flick it into the planter below when she glanced to me and thought twice. I watched the rhythmic sway of her hips as she sauntered barefoot to the outdoor trash can and tossed the butt in.

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