Page 16 of Fourth Wheel
“Hi kids! You all look so good! I love seeing your smiling faces like this,” my mom croons. “How are things at home, Maddie?”
“Things are good. Quiet, mostly. It was hot today, so I had a few friends over and we used the pool. Other than that, nothing to report.”
“Are you just going to lay out by the pool all summer, Maddie girl?” Rhett teases. “Why don’t you go get a job?”
I scoff at his comment but hold my tongue. Tori play-punches him, and my mom starts in on him right away.
“Maddie worked hard all school year to maintain her grades and make the dean’s list, Everhett. She has her whole life ahead of her to work. She’s allowed to just relax and hang out at home this summer.”
“Yeah, Rhett,” I pile on. “Not everyone wants to grow up and be a workaholic.”
My brother rolls his eyes but doesn’t back down. “I’m just saying. We don’t have any plans to come up that way until Labor Day, and even then, we’ll probably just go to the cabin. You’re gonna be bored sitting around Hampton all summer, and boredom usually meanstroublefor you.”
The way he says “trouble” makes the hairs on the back of my damp neck stand at attention.
I glare at my brother through the screen, searching his face for some sort of tell. There’s no way he knows I was at The Oak on Friday night, right?
I wouldn’t put it past Jake to call Rhett and tattle. But my brother’s direct, and he doesn’t bullshit with me. It’s not his style to make off-handed comments just to see if he can get a rise out of someone. If he knows something, he’d call me out privately. Wouldn’t he?
I stare at the screen for a few more seconds as my mom yammers on about the river boat cruise they booked for later this summer. My brother’s listening intently, smiling and rubbing his wife’s leg.
No, I decide. He doesn’t know. And I intend to keep it that way.
I slip my phone under the vanity and send off a text.
Maddie: Jakey! Do you have any days off this week? I’m working on a surprise for Tori and Rhett’s anniversary, and I need your help.
My phone vibrates in my hand, and I have to fight back a grin. That was almost too easy.
Tori’s telling us all about the new location site for Camp New Hope-Norfolk, so I smile and nod every few seconds like I’m listening.
I glance down at my phone between all the smiling and nodding.
Jake: I’m off Wednesday and Thursday. Just let me know what you need.
I can’t help but smirk this time.Sucker.
I make a mental note to stop at the drugstore and pick out a cheesy card about true love to send to my brother and sister-in-law. That’s the extent of my anniversary celebration plans for those two, but Jake doesn’t need to know that.
And now I know which nights hewon’tbe at The Oak this week.
I have every intention of persuading Dempsey Haas to jump into bed with me. In fact, it’s my new personal mission. I’m even more optimistic now that I know Jake won’t be there to interfere with my plan.
Rhett thinks I’ll be bored sitting around all summer. Little does he know that I’ve just set an audacious goal and kicked off a massive project for myself.
Operation: Hot Haas Summer is officially a go.
Chapter 10
Dempsey
Theshittalkingonthe courts has already begun when I swipe into the rec. I peek over the ledge and grin.
Our court reservation doesn’t start for twenty minutes. But since most of the guys in my league are retired or work for themselves, they’re always here early, staking it out and “warming up,” as they like to say, sweatbands and knee braces securely in place as they heckle the college-age players.
I hit the locker room and change quickly, stashing my phone, towel, and water bottle in the bag I’ll take to the bench.
My brother’s already sent me two selfies in full gear. One of the reasons I still participate in these basketball games with my dad’s old buddies is because I can usually convince Field to come up to Holt with me. I drop him off at the ice rink where he shows off during open skate or joins a pickup hockey game, then I spend two hours sweating it out and not worrying about anything except what’s happening on the court.
