Page 38 of Tangled Up In You
Seeing my face on TV, in magazines, and sometimes on billboards was still kind of weird, but the glamor of it had mostly washed away. I’d never wanted to be famous; I’d just wanted to play football. I liked the attention and being in the spotlight when it pertained to my abilities on the field, but the prying into my private life thing got old.
I went down the aisles and grabbed anything I thought I’d like to eat, trying to keep the ingredients kind of simple since I couldn’t really cook that well. My cooking skills included grilled chicken and steamed vegetables. That was about it.
I was nearly done with my shopping before someone recognized me.
“Hey, you’re that quarterback, aren’t ya?” an older man asked, pointing at me. “The one all over the tellie.”
“Yes, sir,” I said. He looked sort of familiar, but I’d met so many people over the years that it was hard to place them all. “I grew up here.”
“Yeah, I know who ya are now,” he said, narrowing his eyes. “You and that Walsh boy used to break into my back yard and steal apples from my tree. That one time when I caught ya, y’all threw ‘em at my back window.”
I smirked.
Fuck, me and Hunter used to be hellions.
We used to be every adult’s worst nightmare, especially if we’d been hyped up on sugar. We’d been a packaged deal. Wherever he went, so did I, and vice versa. Most of the hooligan type behavior had been my idea, basically making me a bad influence on the quiet and shy kid Hunter used to be. His parents had loved me, though, and his dad had often thanked me for being such a great friend to his son.
ButIhad been the grateful one. Hunter had made me a better person.
“I apologize for that, Mr. Burton,” I replied as I attempted to force the smile from my face, knowing exactly who he was now.
“You were lucky I was friends with your grandpa,” he said. “Otherwise I woulda called the law on ya.” His face fell, causing the wrinkles around his eyes to become more pronounced. “It’s a shame ‘bout what happened to old Bill. He was a good man.”
“Yes, he was,” I responded as my throat got a bit tight. “Well, uh, it was nice seeing you again, Mr. Burton.”
Continuing to the checkout, my mood had drastically changed. I was no longer irritated at the pesky journalists and ridiculous media. My mind was going down memory lane, remembering shopping at that same store as a teenager and even as a young kid. It had changed a little, but not by much.
After paying for the groceries, I loaded them in the car before driving back home. As I drove past a narrow dirt road, my vision blurred, and I had to wipe my eyes on my jacket sleeve.
Hunter and I’d gone exploring down that road too many times to remember.
As kids, we’d walked that path, threw rocks at those trees, and challenged the other in racing games. We’d imagined our own little world and pretended we were Frodo and Sam on our way to destroy the one ring of power. We’d pretended we were pirates searching for lost treasure—and usually that treasure was a weird shaped rock or a dirty nickel someone had dropped out there.
As we’d gotten older, it’d been the road we’d driven down, pulled off to the side, and explored each other’s bodies. Where we’d said our firstl love you.
Where we promised to spend forever together.
I’d give anything to go back in time and do it all over: to refuse the USC offer and take the University of Arkansas one instead. I was certain I could’ve still made it to the pros no matter what college I’d attended. USC had only made it a little less difficult by providing me with better tools to build my future.
If I could go back…I’d choose him.
***
Thursday afternoon, I’d just come back in from a quick run when I decided it was finally time to go through Grandpa’s things. I’d put it off for too long. Over the last few days, I had decided to stay in Willow just a bit longer to fix up some areas of the house that needed repair, and then I intended on listing it for sale.
The decision hadn’t been an easy one to make, but if going back there had taught me anything it was that staying in the past was dangerous. I wouldn’t be living in Grandpa’s house, and no matter how many good memories I had there, none of them would bring him back.
It was time I let go. Let go of the house, my regrets, and of Hunter.
I’d just gone into the kitchen to pour a glass of water when there was a knock at the door. The house wasn’t visible from the main road, so not many uninvited people ever showed up. With the exception of a few Jehovah’s witnesses that didn’t seem to have any kind of limit to the lengths they’d go to spread the word.
I was already practicing myhail Satanspeech as I got to the door and opened it. But when I saw who was on the other side, I froze.
“Hey,” Hunter said, putting his hands in his hoodie pocket and looking awkward as ever. “Can I come in?”
Chapter 13
Hunter
