Page 14 of Starting Over in Cedarwood

“Guys like that do,” she said. “So then, you’re happy?”

“I am.” He sat up. “What about you? Things are settling down?”

“For the most part. I got Giorgio to commit and we’re talking about a July wedding,” she said. “But we’ll see. I haven’t gotten a ring yet.”

“Don’t push him. That’ll only make him dig in deeper.” Shaun laughed. He appreciated their chats. She knew how to ground him in ways only a friend could, plus, there wasn’t the undercurrent of sexual tension. They took each other at face value.

“You’ll come down to Columbus soon, won’t you? We miss you.” She sighed. “Bring that boy of yours. He sounds yummy.”

“If I can get Kevin to forgive me, then I’ll try,” he said. “Thanks for checking in on me.”

“Of course. We have to make sure each other is okay,” she said. “Now, give that boy of yours a kiss and tell him a date is in order. Sex him up, too.”

“Cheryl.” He laughed. “We’ll set up something to come visit.”

“Deal. I want to meet this guy who has you all twisted up. Sounds like a keeper,” she said. “Love you.”

“Love you.” He hung up and closed his eyes. She’d cheered him out of his funk, at least.

His thoughts turned to Kevin. Shaun had to look at the situation differently. Kevin was shy and needed to feel safe. Shaun could do that. He’d try anything to get Kevin to open up again—even if it meant they were only meant to be friends. But the spark came to mind. There was a crackle between him and Kevin. This wasn’t a friends-only thing.

He’d work to convince Kevin to give him a try. With his heart on the line, he had no other choice.

* * * *

Saturday afternoon, Shaun checked the team calendar one more time. The game today was going along according to the schedule—no big delays.Good.The matchup between Cedarwood and Ridgeville was probably the reason Kevin hadn’t returned any of Shaun’s texts, too. Being busy and working tended to impede on texting time. Then again, Kevin could still be pissed, too.

Shaun stared at his closet and debated his choices. He could keep trying to text Kevin and possibly give up, or he could go to the stadium and see him.

A surprise seemed in order.

Shaun showered, then dressed in one of his favorite college T-shirts, the garment that showcased his biceps. He selected a pair of butter-soft jeans. Once he’d styled his hair and donned a pair of socks, he located his favorite pair of cowboy boots. The footwear might be a bit much, but if he was going to go for sexy, he might as well play to his strengths.

He checked his look in the mirror—sexy, but not desperate.Good.He tucked his phone into his pocket, grabbed his keys and wallet, then left. If nothing else, he’d get answers.

Shaun drove to the stadium, listening to Mozart. He needed grounding today like no other. Once he reached the lot, he wondered where Kevin would park and what kind of car he drove.Fuck.Who would know this stuff?

Cara might. He dialed her number and turned the music down. After two rings, she answered.

“Hi,” she said. “What do you need?”

“You know Kevin, right? What kind of car does he drive? I want to surprise him.”

“A Subaru. A boring four-door car.” She paused. “What’s the surprise?”

“I wanted to see him when he got off work.”

“You’re coming on a bit strong. You might freak him out.”

“I know, but I need to do something big to fix my mistake,” Shaun said. He located the staff lot and the lone Subaru. “I think I found it.”

“What mistake?” she asked.

“Just trust me and I’ll tell you Monday, but it was a big one.”

“Okay, but look for a blue four-door,” she said. “Tell me what you’re going to do, so if I have to put the brakes on, I can.”

“I’m going to do the best I can.” He parked next to Kevin’s car and turned his engine off. “Thanks, and I’ll talk to you Monday. Wish me luck and I promise to tell you everything then, okay?”

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