Page 121 of The Pass Protection
“Mom,” Grant grumbles as I glance around the thinning crowd. It looks like everyone got the hint and wrapped up their pictures before they melted from the heat. As I’m making a pass back to my brother, my eyes land on someone familiar standing off in the distance.
Our eyes make contact, and I watch as she startles. With tentative steps and shoulders leaning forward, she moves toward our group. Noise fades away, the bickering between Mom and Grant turns tostatic. I can’t peel my eyes away from the girl—the woman—walking toward us.
My eyes scan over her body as my pulse thrums in my ears.
“Bret,” Grant’s voice finally breaks through the static. “What are you staring—”
His words trail off as he turns while Savannah approaches our group.
“Congratulations, Grant.” Her voice is small and shaky.
At her voice, everyone turns toward the petite brunette. The olive-colored dress makes her bronze skin seem even more sun-kissed. A gasp leaves my mother’s lips as I take in Savannah’s smocked dress that hugs her every curve, including the tiny baby bump the dress accentuates.
Time seems to freeze as everyone stares at her arrival. The moment of joyful celebration transforms into the beginning of uncertainty.
The start of a surprising new story.
“Do we have to say goodbye to this view?”
Crew chuckles as he sidles up behind me. His cool skin brushes my bare arm and the familiar waves of electricity spark goose bumps.
“We’ll be back soon,” he mumbles as he trails kisses through my hair and down my neck, where he nibbles the sensitive skin. “Besides, I can think of a better view.”
I hum, nuzzling into his touch. “And what’s that?”
“You, sprawled out begging to come on my cock.”
“Crew,” I scold as heat flames my cheeks, but my eyes never leave the morning glow as the sun rises over Lake Drummond.
For the past three months since we graduated, Sunset Shores has been our home. Much to Crew’s mom’s dismay, we decided to rent a place for the summer rather than stay in his childhood room on the farm.
The pistachio green townhouse in Silo Bay overlooks Lake Drummond and the upper balcony has been my favorite place to drink my morning coffee. Birds fly overhead, their songs wishing us good morning. The mossy, damp, earthy smells intertwine with the tangy algae, and it’s a welcome fragrance to my senses. It’s the scent which brings me back to my first trip to Silo Bay two years ago.
A lot has happened since that visit when the coaches surprised the team with a stop in Crew’s hometown.
In April, Crew and I graduated from Central Texas University and embarked on our twelve-hundred-mile road trip. Leaving campus was hard. It’s wherewebegan. In my time at CTU, I rediscovered myself and learned no matter how hard life gets, I have a support system that loves me and is there for me. I found a family of friends who are more like siblings and even though life has scattered us around the country, our familial bonds will keep us together.
In the weeks leading up to graduation, Crew received a phone call from a video game developer. It turns out his college professor did know someone in the industry, and after months of indecision, the developer finally reached out. After a long conversation with the rest of Crew’s group and through some negotiations, the video game concept for precision agriculture was acquired for one hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars and came with a royalty share. It was an incredible opportunity and one the group couldn’t pass up. Crew’s concept will be a nationwide game and will be featured in retail stores across the country. The hope is to inspire the next generation of farmers.
Toward the end of April, we boarded a flight to Green Bay, where we met my dad and Crew’s mom, brother, and sister because Crew decided to enter the NFL draft. For months during our senior year, Crew struggled with the decision of pursuing professional football or coming home to Silo Bay. After many conversations with his brother, Jett assured Crew he had things handled on the farm for a few years. Besides, the NFL only comes knocking once. The Indianapolis Blues selected Crew in the fourth round. Luckily for us, Indy is only two and a half hours away from Silo Bay.
Preseason games start in one week, so our time in our little slice of heaven has officially ended. Crew has been spending time at our new house during the week while he has to report for practices, and I’ve been soaking in the last few weeks of Silo Bay before our next adventure begins. While Crew is busy with football, I’ll start as an assistant athletic director at a local high school near Indianapolis.
It seems everything is falling into place for us. Our future is looking bright, and I couldn’t be more excited to look ahead. Long gone are the days of looking over my shoulder and waiting for the other shoe to drop.
“Where’d you go, Rebel?” His deep, raspy voice interrupts my thoughts as I bring my mug of coffee to my lip, savoring the rich, full-flavored coffee.
“I was thinking about how crazy the last few months have been and how excited I am to build a future with you.”
“I can’t believe this is our life.”
“I can’t either.”
Silence falls over us as we watch the golden glow of the morning transition into shades of orange and pink as the sun fully rises over the blue-green lake.
“Come with me?”
“To the end of the earth.”
