Page 20 of Fall Fake-Out

“I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“I told you. There are a lot of complicated things at play here that you don’t understand. My relationship with my dad is one of them. I absolutely cannot tell my dad what’s happening with Ashtyn. I actually haven’t told anyone besides you.”

This makes me pause. Why did he choose to tell me? My mind wants to linger on that, but I quickly decide it was less about me and more about the fact that I witnessed it. So I move on.

“You’re right. Your dad is kinda scary.” I suck in a deep breath, thinking through Wade’s options. “I still think you should just talk to Ashtyn and be frank that the way she’s behaving is completely out of line and won’t be tolerated.”

“What if she gets mad and goes over my head to the school district and lies and says that I sexually harassed her or something?”

“Why would she do that?”

“I don’t know. It’s hard to be a man these days. People hate single men like me. It’s a whole movement.”

He has a point there.

“Then just get a girlfriend and parade her in front of Ashtyn. If she thinks you’re in love with someone else, her courage will fade, and she’ll back off. No girl is that confident, especially one who’s only eighteen.”

“A girlfriend?” He nods a few times as he thinks it over. “That could work.”

The color returns to his face, probably because I gave him a solution he can handle. Wade Stevenson has never had a problem getting a woman to like him. He’ll have a girlfriend by Monday morning. Problem solved. But something about that solution brings a subtle tenseness to my heart.

The crowd goes wild, and we both glance at the field. A group of football players celebrates in the end zone.

“Thank you for your help.” Sincerity spills out of his eyes. “And for not judging me.”

“Oh, I’m definitely judging you.” Despite my best efforts at being stern, a smile slips. I gesture to the stands. “Landrie and Jaxon have a seat saved for me up by my parents. Do you want to watch the game with us?”

“I wish I could, but I told Nathan I’d come back and watch the game with him.” He nods toward the student in the wheelchair. “Besides, I need to stay down here and keep an eye on things.”

“Okay.” I pause before leaving. “Just do me a favor and stay away from Ashtyn Ellis after the game.”

“Trust me. I’m trying to.”

Laughter puffs out, because for the first time in my life, I actually believe that Wade is trying hard not to be desirable…at least to her.

Ari

Going to church in Autumn Ridge every Sunday is more about speed-dating than it is about religion.

At least for my mother.

An elbow hits my side. “That’s Archer Kade.”

“Ouch.” I rub my skin where my mom just assaulted me.

Her eyebrows waggle as her head nods to the man who just walked through the doors at the back of the chapel. “The stable boy who is ex rodeo.”

Stable boy? Clearly, my mom doesn’t know how to market a man, not that Archer Kade needs much help marketing himself. He’s handsome with brown hair and stubble, so rugged he should consider changing careers to a lumberjack model.

“He’s the one I told you about, remember? Moved here five years ago. Your same age.”

“Good for him.” I turn my eyes forward again, focusing on Sharon Price at the organ, playing prelude music.

It doesn’t matter how good-looking the match she has for me is; I’m not interested.

“Did you see I bought some mums for the front porch?”