In My Father's Shadow (14 page)

He covered the phone to chuckle. “I’ll have her call
you as soon as she gets out.”

He hung up and grinned. “She’s afraid we’ll take
matters into our own hands.”

“I gathered that,” Cole said as he fell back into his
seat. “She’s right, though.”

“Definitely,” RJ said as he jumped from his seat to
pace. “Most definitely.”

***

Ally was released from the hospital after it was
determined that she’d broken a bone in her ankle but none in her
face. Cole helped her back into RJ’s truck and drove her and Dean
Freeman back to the school.

The boys helped her get settled in her room and
fussed over her until she bit her lip and ordered them to stop.
“Thanks, guys, really, but I’m fine now,” she told them, her voice
a little watery due to the pain meds swimming in her system.

Cole grinned at her loopy expression although a sick
feeling still remained in his gut. A deep purple bruise had
sprawled out across her nose and under each eye and it tore him up
to know that it was done purposely.

The heavy dose of pain meds was making her eyes
droopy and Cole figured it wouldn’t take long for her to fall
asleep. He helped her prop her clumsy cast with extra pillows and
handed her the remote control. She’d been excused from classes on
Friday and told to keep her ankle elevated at least until
Monday.

Seeing her struggles to stay awake, the boys bid her
a goodnight. Cole kissed her cheek, made sure her cell phone was in
easy reach, and told her to call him if she needed anything at all,
even if it was the middle of the night.

“I do have a roommate,” she protested, pointing at
Jeana’s empty bed.

Cole rolled his eyes and kissed her forehead. “Call
me if you need me, princess.”

“Don’t call me that,” she protested as her eyes
drifted shut.

Although curfew was approaching, they walked over to
the picnic tables outside of the Student Center, anyway. Parker sat
there with three other guys and they immediately inquired about
Ally’s health. Cole lit a cigarette and assured Parker and his
friends that Ally was okay – in a bit of pain but she would
mend.

“Kelsey told me that Jennifer and Ally had a few
words before the game,” Parker informed them in a low voice.
“Kelsey also said that Jennifer blames Ally for Cole dumping
her.”

“Damn it,” Cole muttered.

“It’s not your fault, man,” Jamie shaking his head
and filching a cigarette from RJ.

Cole ran his hands through his hair. “I should have
never told that psycho Jennifer that I’d take her to the dance in
the first place.”

“Wouldn’t have mattered, dude,” RJ said. “She’s been
telling anyone who’ll listen that she was going to get you back
this year, no matter what.”

“There’s no chance of that ever happening now, not
that there was to begin with,” Cole said angrily.

“I doubt they’ll kick her off the team since they
need her now that Ally can’t play. Plus, I don’t know how’d they’d
ever be able to prove she did it on purpose,” Jamie told them. “All
she has to do is say she slipped or something.”

“I can’t believe some chick would get this psycho
over a dance,” Ren said from beside his brother.

Cole tossed his cigarette into a bucket of sand.
“Well, she got her wish. Ally’s not going to be able to go to the
dance with me now.”

***

The next afternoon, Jamie found Cole crossing the
campus on his way to the girls’ dorms.

“Cole, can you take this to Ally?” Jamie asked as he
thrust a green folder at him. “It has all of Ally’s assignments
from her classes. I’d take it to her but I have to get to the
locker room.”

“No problem, bro,” Cole said. “Good luck
tonight.”

“Thanks,” Jamie grinned, a little green. “And if you
want to hang out with Ally tonight – keep her company, I’ll
understand.”

“I don’t know what the plan is yet,” Cole said. “But
we’ll see.”

Jamie grinned and dashed off toward the football
field. Cole resumed his trek to the girls’ dorms and convinced a
sophomore to open the door for him. He knocked softly on Ally’s
door and hoped it was unlocked so she wouldn’t have to hobble
across the room and answer it.

“It’s open,” she shouted and her face lit up as he
stepped through the door. “Hi.”

“You look a lot better today,” he said, placing her
homework on her desk. “Jamie got your assignments from all your
classes.”

“Thanks,” she muttered. She looked at him, unsure
what to say next. He dropped to her desk chair and grinned. “So,
anything interesting happen today?”

“Not at all,” he said as he leaned forward and
studied his hands. “I’m sorry this happened to you, Al.”

“No,” she protested “Don’t you dare apologize. It
wasn’t your fault.”

“She did it on purpose, didn’t she?”

Ally bit her lip and nodded, looking away. “But don’t
even think about retaliating. I’ll take care of it and I mean it,
Cole.”

“For now,” he said firmly.

Her head snapped around and she sighed. “You are
impossible.”

A tiny smile curled the corners of his mouth. “So you
keep telling me.” He gestured at the floral arrangements crowding
her dresser. “Hmm, I thought about bringing you flowers but it
looks like someone beat me to it.”

She pointed to a huge arrangement of red carnations.
“That’s from my parents.” She pointed at another assortment of what
Cole guessed to be wildflowers. “That’s from your dad. And those
and those are from Richie and Uncle Mark.” She rolled her eyes,
smiling. “Oh, there’s some in the bathroom from my grandparents and
Uncle Ethan.”

“You must be very loved, princess,” he said, his eyes
shining.

“Good thing I’m not allergic,” she said. “And don’t
call me that.”

“So, Al, I’m really sorry I can’t take you to the
dance Saturday.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Who says you can’t?” she
asked.

“You’re supposed to keep that ankle elevated all
weekend.”

She snorted. “I’m not staying in this room like a
prisoner! My cousin is playing in his first Varsity game tonight.
At quarterback! I’m not going to miss that.”

He got up from the chair and sat next to her on her
bed. “Al, don’t you want it to get better? You need to do as the
doctor says so you’ll be fine for basketball.”

She turned her head away from him. “Basketball season
is most likely shot, too. Doctor said probably eight weeks in a
cast and then at least another two weeks of rehab before I can play
any sports. Conditioning for basketball starts after Thanksgiving
break.”

He touched her cheek and she turned to him,
disappointment in her eyes. She was as passionate about sports as
he was about music and it had to be a big blow to her. He cupped
her face and rubbed his thumbs over her cheeks, avoiding the
bruises under her eyes. He leaned in and brushed his lips over hers
softly at first but gradually applying more pressure.

She deepened the kiss and relaxed into him, releasing
a quiet little sigh. His fingers brushed through her soft tresses
as he broke the kiss and rested his forehead against hers.

“I’ll figure out a way to take you to the game
tonight, Al. But just for the first half,” he promised.

She smiled and planted a chaste kiss on his lips. “Or
we could stay here and do this all night.”

He grinned and kissed her quickly. “Yeah, we could do
that. But wouldn’t Jamie be disappointed?”

“Mmm, who cares,” she said as he kissed her over and
over again. “Ally wouldn’t be disappointed.”

He pulled away to laugh at her. “I have a better
idea. How about if I take you to the first half of the game and
then I bring you back here and we can…umm…continue this
conversation?”

“I always knew you were smart, Cole, I just never
realized you were brilliant,” she said, her eyes sparkling.

He smirked and winked. “I’m full of surprises,
princess.”

She glared at him, puffing out her chest, preparing
to verbally assault him. “Don’t call me…”

He grabbed her face and kissed her before she could
say another word. She melted into him as the words she’d been about
to say evaporated. She edged back briefly. “One of these days I’m
going to kick your ass, Cole,” she warned.

“I know,” he told her earnestly.

“I mean it.”

He leaned forward and kissed her, smiling against her
lips. “I know. Until then, shut up.”

She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him toward
her when the door banged open, startling them both.

“Oh, come on,” Jeana groaned as she dropped to her
bed. “Is this what I’m going to see for the next eight weeks?”

Ally grinned and laced her fingers through Cole’s. “I
certainly hope so!”

Cole shook his head in amusement and squeezed her
fingers before rising from the bed. “Al, you’re terrible.”

“No, just honest.” She frowned. “Where are you
going?”

“I have to go get ready. I’ll come back for you in
about an hour or so.”

He flashed Ally a quick wink and smile and left the
room, Jeana’s high-pitched squeal piercing his ear. He laughed,
knowing Ally was about to endure a very long, draining
interrogation session. He sighed as he bundled his jacket against
the cool wind. He’d go back and rescue her soon.

Chapter Twelve

Jeana helped Ally to wash, drawing a bath so she
could sit in the tub and hang her aching leg out of it. Jeana
washed Ally’s hair and helped her to dry it, leaving it hang down
her back.

Jeana propped Ally up at the desk and opened what
looked like a toolbox but was actually a makeup case. Ally didn’t
dare peer inside – she was too scared. Sure, she dabbled a bit with
makeup but she wasn’t very good with the stuff. But she sat
patiently still and inserted the proper response as Jeana described
what she was doing. When she finished, Jeana stepped back and
beamed. She rushed off to the bathroom and returned with a hand
mirror.

“You look great, Ally,” she exclaimed, shoving the
mirror in Ally’s hand.

Ally peered cautiously but was surprised at the
outcome. “Wow,” she said. The purple bruises that had marred her
nose and under her eyes were barely visible - the blue in her eyes
seemed brighter and her cheeks rosy.

“Is it okay?” Jeana asked.

“It’s perfect,” Ally said, setting the mirror on the
desk. “Thanks so much, Jeana, for all your help.”

Jeana hugged her carefully then bounced away to get
dressed.

Ally frowned as she pulled on a boring pair of white
sweatpants, jealous that she couldn’t wear jeans. But sweats were
the only things that fit over the pesky cast, unless she wanted to
wear a skirt and it was too cold for that. She topped off her
outfit with a navy Woodsedge Academy sweatshirt and waited
patiently for Cole to arrive.

Jeana left just as Cole walked through the door and
Ally’s heart rate tripled. He was dressed as usual, jeans and a
hooded sweatshirt, but he looked better than ever to Ally.

He eyed her outfit, trying to hide his smirk. “Ready,
princess?”

She picked up a crutch and shook it at him. “I have a
weapon now. I’d watch it if I was you.”

He rolled his eyes, holding the door for her so she
could hobble out of the room. “I’ll try to keep that in mind.” He
pressed a quick kiss to her temple as she brushed past him. “You
look beautiful, by the way.”

She blushed, pleased, and made a mental note to send
Jeana flowers.

They walked quietly together to the football field,
the weather cool but not as frightful as it had been. A true Indian
summer was approaching – nature’s last gift of warm weather before
the cold, blustery winter began.

Off to the side, by the gates, stood a pickup truck
with a trailer full of wood they’d use after the game for the Fall
Festival bonfire. Ally slowed her pace on the uneven ground; afraid
she’d stumble and fall flat on her face. Cole walked beside her,
ready to steady her if she should trip.

They made it to the flat, even concrete surface
without incident and Cole next worried that the mass of people
would bump her or knock into her injured ankle. He began to doubt
his plan for bringing her to the game as he searched frantically
for the others. He spotted RJ and Ren up near the top of the stands
and groaned at the thought of her hopping up the concrete
steps.

“I see RJ,” she said as she reached the steps. She
handed him one crutch and grabbed the railing to help pull her body
up the stands. He walked right behind her in case she should
fall.

“Aren’t you supposed to be resting your ankle?” Ren
asked as Cole helped Ally settle on the bleachers.

“I’m not missing Jamie’s first game,” she said as she
dropped her crutches and winced.

“He won’t be happy,” RJ warned.

“He’ll get over it,” Ally said between clenched
teeth. She tried to position herself on the bleachers as
comfortably as possible, but nothing seemed to work. She screwed
her face up in concentration as she tried to figure a way to prop
her throbbing ankle. If she sat sideways and propped it on the
bleachers next to her, her back would be aching by kickoff. She
couldn’t prop it in front of her because it would be lower than the
rest of her body and she was afraid someone would bump it.

Cole sighed and straddled the bleachers next to her.
“Lean into me and put your foot up on the bench,” he ordered. She
did as he asked and wiggled into his chest, his body supporting and
warming hers.

RJ sat on her other side, near her ankle. “Lift the
ankle, Ally, and rest it in my lap.”

She did, biting the inside of her cheek, the pain
flaring until she settled it in RJ’s lap and it began to fade. She
smiled at him.

“I love you guys,” she gushed.

RJ rolled his eyes a bit of pink touching his cheeks.
“We know.”

Ren sat behind them and was soon joined by Parker and
a friend of his. Right before kickoff, Ally spotted Alec climbing
the steps with a few of his friends. He glared at her as he sat
down.