Never Get Enough (Enough #1) (19 page)

I meet up with Jace and Hampton by the cars. “Hey, Brayden, do you want to grab something to eat before we watch Carter’s game? Hampton and I were going to go grab something and then come back?” I hesitate because I don’t want to miss any of Carter’s game, but I don’t want to sit in there and distract her when she is warming up. “Can we just go to a drive through so I can be sure not to miss any of it?” Hampton nod
s and agrees sweetly, “Of course, that’s what I wanted to do anyway. I don’t want to miss any of Carter in this game .” We load up in Jace’s older Honda and go through the Burger Shack. Hampton is laughing and giggling with Jace in the front, and I am suddenly happy that they are together. Hampton seems so much lighter and content since she is in a real relationship with Jace instead of the casual thing with Cole. Cole still seems upset and I think he can feel what he’s missed now, but that is his own fault. I think he knew what he had in Hampton, but he thought she would always just be there for him. That’s one mistake I definitely don’t want to do with Carter is ever take her for granted; she has too much to offer for the guy she is not to commit to just her.

We eat and get back to the game twenty minut
es before it starts. I glared at a few sophomores, that were all staring at Carter in worshipful adoration, until they decided to move back to make room for me on the front row. Five minutes before the game there wasn’t an empty seat in the place. This game was a big one for the girls’ volleyball team, but it was also Carter’s last home game. She had become something of an institution herself around here the last few years. Moms of younger girls thought she was a great role model, and all the guys at the school loved to watch her ass bounce and move in her volleyball uniform. That thought had me grinding my teeth in frustration, but I tried to contain it and just be grateful that my girl had so many people out here to support her tonight.

Jace decided I wasn’t tense enough with the game, and the entire population of the guys at school staring at Carter’s ass duri
ng warm up. He starts harassing me on purpose, “Bray, do you think I can get a picture with Carter after the game in her uniform?” I looked around after he said that wondering where the hell Hampton was. If she is here, he doesn’t harass me about how Carter looks because he doesn’t want to give Hampton an inferiority complex by thinking Jace is still into Carter. She was nowhere in sight though so he just continued. “I just thought how it would really be a good memory to have with me from high school. I mean I spent a lot of time thinking about her in that outfit while I was in my shower or bed. I know I am with Hampton now, but I just don’t think those kind of memories should be completely forgotten. Do you?” I punched him hard in the arm then said, “I don’t think you should ever picture my girlfriend like that in your dirty little mind ever again, shithead. I also don’t want you to take another picture of her, and I will make sure that doesn’t happen.” I stared him down then and could tell that he had completely given up on the idea of him and Carter, but I hated that my best friend had ever pictured her as his fantasy to begin with. It just pissed me off.

Just then
, I noticed Lena trying to catch my eye across the court. I looked at her for a second with a question in my eyes, and she suddenly just winked then went back to practicing her serve. That chick is getting so weird and it makes me nervous, shit. I am going to have to tell Carter right after this game about what happened with Lena four years ago. Fuck, that is not going to be a fun conversation. My girl gets jealous and possessive at a drop of a hat, and I know that her thinking that Lena ever had me is going to drive her crazy. At least I’ve been able to wait until the end of her volleyball season. I just didn’t want the thing with Lena to affect the team’s chemistry.

Jace also noticed Lena’s wink and whistled softly, “Man, you are in trouble. That girl is crazy, and she seems to be focusing it all on you at this moment. You better tell Carter what happened with Lena
, years ago, because I know Carter well enough that if she finds out on her own things will not work out well for you. You don’t want to lose someone as amazing as Carter over being scared of her jealousy.”

I nod absently in agreement to what Jace is saying but have to explain, “I just didn’t want to cause problems during Carter
’s volleyball season. That’s it, man, I promise.” “Understandable, Brayden, I just don’t want you to wait too long and have it blow up in your face. The night, I rode with Lena to Cole’s house, all she could talk about was you. And how you and Carter weren’t right for each other and shouldn’t be together, it was intense, man.”

I shook my head at his word
s. They scared me a little cause no guy wants to deal with some crazy demented chick he had slept with. Especially when he has a beautiful girlfriend that will get pissed. I see Carter go to the middle with the other captain and the ref for the coin toss. She calls heads and that’s where it lands so her team gets the serve. She gets in position in the front middle, and Riley serves the first ball over hard. The other team can’t dig it, and they win the first point of the game.

The first two games we win easily, and then the next one Lena starts jumping
in and taking the second ball which is always Carter’s unless she can’t get to it. The whole team looks really confused and loses the third game badly 10-25. The coach puts Kristen in for Lena during the fourth game, and Carter looks like she finally has the game in her hands again. They lose the fourth game too, but it is much closer that the third, 23-25. I can see Lena begging to be put back in for the fifth, and Coach Branton calls a timeout and waves Carter over. I can see Carter shaking her head and disagreeing with whatever her Coach is saying. Finally, Coach Branton seems to relent, Carter goes back out on the court and no substitutions are made. I can tell Lena is beyond pissed, but it looks like she is not getting put back in anytime soon.

Carter is serving first and playing setter. She gets ready and serves it fast down the right side. No one touches it, and then she does the same thing to the left side of the court. She con
tinues to hit all the team’s weak spots around the court until they finally return a ball after she has gained her team a ten point lead. The team never catches up from that point on, and Jefferson is at match point with Kristen serving the ball. A player from White Valley digs Kristen’s serve and it goes back over to us. Kristen bumps it but it is heading to the net and I almost close my eyes. I am so nervous for Carter.

There is no reason to be nervous though because Carter handles it like the pro she is. She just jumps up and taps it right into an empty spot in the left front corner of the court. The other team watches it happen
, but nobody can get there in time. The ball hits the ground, and Carter’s team is going to the state championships. Both teams shake hands, and everybody in the crowd is chanting Carter’s name. She takes a little bow, but the crowd is still screaming and chanting. The other girls on her team look at each other and hoist her up high on all their shoulders. The crowd goes even crazier and can hardly contain themselves.

I get a
tight feeling in my chest, and it is love and pride all mixed together. As good as it feels to win football games and see my girl dancing at the beginning to support me. This feeling of the person I love accomplishing her dreams fills me up just as much. Carter has never been one to just accept what she has as her due. She has never been content to just be beautiful and rich, which she already is. She wants to be a great athlete and a good student. She wants to succeed on her own merit and not just her family’s reputation. I fucking love that about her, and it make me chant her name right along with everybody else.

They turn on the music as loud as they did during breaks in the games, and it becomes like a giant club on the court. Carter is in the middle of a ton of people that are trying to talk to her. I want to get to her and just stand proudly beside her when everybody is congrat
ulating her on this win. It takes a while, but I push my way through the crowds and just wrap my girl in my arms. She buries her face in my chest and just holds on to me tight. Finally she looks up and her blue eyes are just lit up with emotions. “Can you believe it, Bray? I am heading to the fucking state championship?” For her to use that kind of language, she must really be feeling some strong emotions. I just squeeze her even tighter and say, “I know, baby, I know. I am so damn proud of you right now. You had complete control of that game, except when Lena was self-sabotaging her own team.” She nodded and looked confused, “I know! I don’t know what that was, but I need to talk to Coach Branton about it. Maybe Lena was just nervous, but she was awful that third game. I think Kristen will be a better choice to start for the state game.” I know I need to tell her as soon as possible that Lena is obsessed with me, and that I slept with her before I had even met Carter. But I didn’t want to ruin her night, and I am a coward when it comes to making her upset.

I keep my arms around her
while she finishes talking to people and accepting everyone’s congratulations and good lucks for state. We head over to where Jace, Hampton, and the guys are after we are done. Jace tries to pull Carter away to lift her up and twirl her around, and I just block him with my body. “What the hell, man?” Jace says. “I’m not going to steal your girl; just want to give her a hug.” “No, Jace! You can tell her how awesome she played, but you will not be spinning and hugging her. I know too well the fantasies that at least used to run through your head. I’m keeping the amount of touching you do to a minimum.”

Jace looks annoyed and reminds me, “I have a girlfriend now you know. Things have changed around here.” Hampton perks up at that comment and turns to Jace, “So I’m your girlfriend now! Wow, that changes everything. You gonna start picking me up in the mornings for school.” Jace gives me a quick grimace that I think is implying, “Look what you made me do.” But to Hampton he just smiles and says, “Of course, I
will pick you up for school, babe! That would be awesome.” I can tell he is cringing on the inside though. Jace has been such a major player for so long that I think it is going to take some time for him to get adjusted to being in an actual relationship. We start walking towards the doors to the gym to head to our cars. I decide to harass Jace just a little more since he is always giving everybody else shit. So while Hampton and Carter are talking about the game, I quietly say to him, “You are pussy whipped now, man. Soon you’re just going to be chauffeuring Hampton around everywhere.” I laugh but he gives me a cocky look and says, “Brayden, I wouldn’t even know what pussy whipped was if I didn’t watch you. “Yes, Carter, please, Carter, baby. No guys I can’t drink tonight cause I’m driving Carter.” You are more whipped than I will ever be.” I smile and look over at him. I can tell he is disappointed that he couldn’t rile me. “I know I want to be exactly where I am with Carter. Hell, I would ask her to marry me right now if I felt it wouldn’t take away from our high school experience. I’ve never been scared to commit myself to her cause she is absolutely everything to me, man!” Jace just shakes his head at that and says, “I’m not going to even try to reason with you, man, because I would feel the same way. You will never find another Carter.” “Don’t I know it!”

                                                                      Chapter 19

Carter

The next week after my volleyball game was great! Bray and I had lots of practices, but we were able to spend a lot of time studying and eating together. We also showered together every day cause Bray claimed that it saved water and was good for the environment. I went with it; I love anytime that we get together too. We got home from school and practice on Thursday night, and there is a Mercedes in the garage. I start to get scared because I know that means our parents are here for a visit.

Bray’s dad is not so bad. He is very self-involved and does not take any interest in what Bray or Keller does. But at least he leaves them alone which sucks but is much better than what my mom does to me. She has always hated me. My father was obsessed with her until she had me. Then she had to share the attention
, and she absolutely despises me for it. When he died, his will had me as his sole beneficiary since he knew my mom had millions of her own. She hates me for that too; she feels like it was a giant slap in the face to her. She said it was like a statement that he loved me more. I think it was just a way to make sure I was taken care of by my dad. He probably sensed that mom didn’t really love me. I hope I take after him in my personality. From everything I have been told, he loved freely and unselfishly. Not like my mother who can’t even hardly stand to converse with me.