Before Hadley (6 page)

The here and now was the extent of my baseball career. So why bother talking about how well I played. It meant nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

Deep down, I wanted to believe my father was a good guy. Because if I allowed myself to believe otherwise, if I saw him for what he really was, I had no one else in this world I could rely on. Then I would’ve truly been alone. He wanted me to finish high school, even if it had to be under a bogus identity. He just got us wrapped up in the wrong business. He knew, as well as I, that we couldn’t just up and quit. We relied on the income. And at times, we relied on bigger jobs from the kinds of people who didn’t just let you quit working for them.

At one time, I believed my dad could do it on his own. But once his eyes starting failing him, and I was faster with a safe, he became expendable and I became essential.

Yup. Life sucked.

And while I could’ve bitched about how I never signed up for it, how I never asked to be involved with the shit we did, how I’d never been given a choice, what good would it have done me? It was my future. And my father had made it perfectly clear on more than one occasion that if I took off, I was on my own. And even if he wasn’t the ideal father, he was all I had.
Take care of your father…You’re all each other have.

Those words would be the fucking death of me.

CHAPTER FIVE

Hadley

“Go out with me.”

Cass stopped midsentence and we both looked up at Caynan, staring down at us from the aisle in English class.

“Cass has a man,” I explained. “I don’t think he’d take too kindly to you asking her out.”

Caynan smirked. “You know I wasn’t asking out your friend.”

“How would I know that? My guess is you’ve already made it through all the single seniors. Why wouldn’t you move on to the taken ones?”

He laughed as he slid into his seat. “Why wouldn’t I just try the juniors?”

I rolled my eyes, not wanting to admit he had a point.

He leaned out into the aisle, trying to get closer to me. “I’m serious. I want you to go out with me.”

My forehead scrunched. “What’s the point?”

“The point is…you’re beautiful. And I’m hot.”

I scoffed. Was he for real?

That just made his smile grow. “And haven’t you noticed how we just can’t seem to stay away from each other?”

I crossed my arms. “Oh, I can stay away from you. You just keep showing up everywhere I am.”

“It’s gotta mean something.”

“You’re a stalker?”

His mouth opened, then snapped shut. “I think we should give it a go.”

I leveled him with my best ‘don’t mess with me’ glare. “When hell freezes over.”

His head shot back, though his smile never wavered. “Seriously? Because with global warming screwing everything up, I hear anything’s possible.”

* * *

All week Caynan continued his quest to get me to go out with him. On Wednesday he slipped a package of licorice on my desk with a post-it note on it:
We have more than candy in common.
On Thursday he held up a small sign when I walked into class with a guinea pig on it with the words:
Go Out With Him!
To both I’d rolled my eyes and proceeded like they’d never happened.

I did have to give him props for remembering what I’d told him on the playground. Most guys wouldn’t have.

Don’t get me wrong. He was a good looking guy and amusing to be around. But I wasn’t someone who wanted to be used. And that’s exactly what would’ve happened if I gave in to him. We’d have fun together. I’d develop feelings for him. And then he’d move on. Why put myself through that? And while it would’ve appeared as though he’d made it his mission in life to pursue me relentlessly, I’d seen him with plenty of other girls. In the cafeteria. In the halls. Even after school before his games.

On Friday, the only day he hadn’t asked me out, I hurried out of school, eager to get home. I had lots to do over the weekend and needed a power nap like no one’s business.

“Feisty?”

I cringed at the British accent that beckoned me. I stopped in the middle of the busy parking lot and turned around.

Caynan jogged toward me. “Where you heading?”

My brows furrowed. “Home?”

He stopped once he reached me, burying his hands in the pockets of his jeans. “Was that a question?”

“I don’t know. Why are you asking?”

“Are you always so paranoid about people or is it just me?”

“It’s just you.” I didn’t crack a smile, though I wanted to.

Caynan’s shoulders shook with laughter. “Good to know.”

“Well, have a good weekend.” I turned toward my car, attempting a quick escape.

“Wait.”

I exhaled a long breath before turning back to him.

“There’s somewhere I want to take you.”

My face scrunched in confusion. “I thought I made it clear—”

“Yeah, I got it. No date. But this isn’t a date. I just want you to go somewhere with me.”

My eyes narrowed. “What’s the difference?”

He lifted his face to the cloudless sky. I wondered if he was praying for strength to deal with me. Good luck with that. “I don’t really know.” He met my gaze. “I guess I won’t try to hold your hand or kiss you at the end of it.”

Slightly amused, I grabbed onto my backpack’s straps, needing something to do with my hands. “Where?”

His eyes rounded. “Does that mean you’re in?”

“Tell me where first.”

He shook his head. “I don’t want to ruin the surprise.”

“Surprise?” I considered it for a minute. I liked surprises. But could I really trust him? Player or not, he definitely worked the whole charming British thing. And forget his body. It wasn’t terrible to look at. “Have you taken other girls to this place?”

Bewilderment lined his features. “Other girls? No.”

“Because they turned you down or because they knew your true intentions?”

He looked down at the pavement as he shook his head. “Has anyone ever told you that you’re challenging?”

I shrugged as Cass’ words bombarded my mind.
No one said you have to date him…Just go out with him and have a little fun. You’re entitled you know.

Damn her. I pulled my phone from my pocket and typed out a quick text.

“What are you doing?”

“Texting Cass.”

“In the middle of our conversation?”

I nodded, though my eyes remained on my phone. “I’m letting her know I’m with you in case I go missing.”

He howled with laughter. “That’s fucking hilarious.”

“Well? Do you blame me?” I sent the text and lifted my gaze.

“Does this mean you’re in?”

I stared into his hopeful eyes. What harm could come from seeing where he wanted to take me? It wasn’t like I’d fall for his ways. I was too smart for that.

Caynan

I liked having Feisty in my Jeep. Even with the top off and the wind whipping her hair all around her head, she still smelled flowery and sweet. Most girls would’ve pulled their hair back in a ponytail or asked me to put on the top. But not her. She didn’t even push her hair away from her face. I liked that about her. She didn’t give a damn.

And while I liked having her next to me in such close quarters, I couldn’t wait to get to our destination. I wasn’t sure if she’d been there before or if she’d even like it. I’d made the appointment, hoping I could get her to go. That deep need for her to like me remained present, eating away at me with each passing day.

Once we crossed the county line, her eyes shot around, taking in the surrounding buildings. “Give me a clue.”

“No.”

Her head whirled my way. “What if I hate it?”

My eyes jumped between the road and her. “Then you hate it.”

“You’re not worried?”

“Why would I be worried? Even if you hate it, I get to spend time with you.”

I watched as she suppressed a grin.

Oh, I’m definitely wearing on her.

The GPS announced our destination five hundred feet ahead on our right. Hadley’s head whipped to the right, her eyes searching the storefronts lining the street. I pulled along the sidewalk, parallel parking a couple blocks away. No way I’d let her in on the surprise without being able to see her reaction.

“Wow. For someone who’s used to driving on the opposite side of the road, nice parking job.”

“Thanks,” I mumbled as I switched off the engine. Why the hell did her references to England make me so damn uneasy? Oh, that’s right. Because I was a fucking liar.

I jumped out of my Jeep and hurried to her side. She’d already pushed open her door, but I offered my hand. She smiled down at it, but ignored it and hopped out on her own. Damn independent girl.

Her eyes moved around, taking in the people strolling by us in different directions. “Glad to see there are witnesses.”

I laughed, loving the way her sarcasm came so easily. “You really think I’d commit the crime in broad daylight?” My thumb hitched to the right. “I’d take you down one of these alleys where there’d be no witnesses.”

She smiled, and I actually felt her enjoying our banter.

Instead of reaching for her hand—like a player would have, I reached for her door and closed it, heading down the sidewalk with her by my side. I spotted the sign a few shops down, loving that she still had no idea where we were headed.

“So, why is it you think I’ll like this place?” she asked.

“Well, I stumbled across some very interesting information about you.” I stopped in front of the shop.

Her eyes expanded when she spotted
Claire’s Art Studio
written in graffiti in the shop window.

“I’ve seen your art, Hadley.” I couldn’t disguise the awe in my voice. “It’s amazing.”

Her gaze shifted. “If we’re at an art studio, I’d think you’re telling me I need practice.”

I laughed as I walked over to the door and held it open for her. “Come on.”

Claire, an older woman in a paint-splattered apron, greeted us as we stepped inside. “You must be Caynan and Hadley.” She held out her paint-covered hand. Hadley didn’t seem to mind, shaking it right away. “I hear you’re quite the artist.”

Hadley’s cheeks pinked. “I dabble a little.”

“She’s going to college to major in art.”

Hadley’s entire body whirled toward me. “How do you know that?”

I looked her dead in the eyes. “When I’m interested in something, I make it my mission to find out everything there is to know about it.”

She raised her brows in question. “Those stalker tendencies rearing their ugly heads again?”

“Apparently when it comes to you, they can’t control themselves.”

She suppressed a smile. I wished she wouldn’t. She had such a pretty smile.

Claire interrupted our exchange. “So, I’ll admit, Caynan’s plan for the two of you didn’t seem like something an art major would be interested in.” Her eyes moved between us. “But now meeting you…I can tell you’ll have some fun with it.” She pointed to a door at the back of her studio. “Everything’s set up for you. Be sure to grab aprons on your way in so you don’t ruin your clothes.”

“Ready?” I asked Hadley.

A huge smile spread across her lips. “Oh, I can’t even begin to imagine what you’ve arranged.”

Her enthusiasm intensified my excitement. “Come see.” I grabbed two aprons and handed one to Hadley. I threw the other over my head and opened the door. Hadley walked inside, tying her apron behind her. She eyed the huge sheets of white paper rolled out across the cement floor. Beside them were vats of red, blue, green, and yellow paints waiting to be used. “We’re finger painting?”

“I figured, if you were gonna give me a lesson, I needed to start small.”

Her eyes cut to mine. Was she angry? Amused? Excited? “You didn’t have to do this.”

“I know.”

She paused for such a long time I wondered if I’d insulted her. “This is awesome.”

My smile spread. “Really?”

She nodded, her eyes carrying a gratitude she wasn’t likely to reveal—at least without a little sass. I was starting to see that was her M.O. “Thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank me for wanting to hang out with you.”

She shook her head. “No. Thank you for taking an interest in me.”

I wasn’t sure how to respond. Her words caught me off guard. Didn’t she have people in her life who took an interest in her? Hadn’t there been guys before me who tried to impress her by using her art? “You ready to get dirty?”

She rolled her eyes. “If you do it right, you won’t get dirty. But I have a feeling, that’s not your style.”

I unleashed a cocky grin. “Got that right.”

Hadley

He’d taken me to an art studio.
A freaking art studio.

This guy who’d known me for two weeks had taken me somewhere he knew I’d love, when guys I dated for months never once even asked me about my art. Caynan clearly understood it was my thing. Understood it was one of the most important things in my life. And now he was taking an interest. And though he didn’t really want a lesson, he wanted to spend time with me.

What I couldn’t fathom was why. He was the new guy. The one with the accent and swagger. He had girls falling all over him. I was work. I was stubborn. I was not one to fall for the player.

Yet there we were.

Maybe he was into the chase. Into the rush of having someone turn him down, knowing he could have them if he just tried harder. But
would
I give in? Would I fall prey to his witty lines and sinfully good looks? Or was I so put-off by the rotation of girls surrounding him that I’d never be able to see past it?

“What do you think?” he asked, halting my internal debate.

I glanced to his finished product. It looked like something a kindergartener would’ve done by blending colors that never should’ve been blended. I glanced to him, squatting behind it. Streaks of color lined his face, liked he’d forgotten his hands were covered in paint and wiped them everywhere. “Well, it’s certainly interesting.”