Page 46 of Kickoff

I killed the past memory as new images formed in my mind.

Me, Melinda Shepard, and a tent.

The idea brought a fresh wave of hope. A deadline. An endgame.

Could I make the girl fall in love with me by the end of the school year? I wasn’t a guy usually fearing dares. Except this one was in my head and not for anybody else’s sake but mine.

Yeah, I could be the guy she needed me to be by then.

“Okay, we have a deal, babe,” I told Paige.

She stretched her arm over the table, and we shook on it.

When her smile split her face in two, I knew that no matter what happened, she would never let me get away with it down the road.

The challenge was on.

“Hey you,” I greeted Melinda once she exited her car. I had just made it home and noticed her headlights from down the street and decided to wait for her.

I adjusted the strap of the bag slipping from my shoulder and neared her.

Her car keys dangled from her fingers. “What are you doing here?”

“I had dinner at Space Burger with the team. Some of your friends were there too.”

“I had a meeting with Coach. To go over my training program.” Her lips tilted up. “I’ve been cleared to train and compete again.” Her turquoise eyes sparkled.

“You have?” Before I could register my own movements, I pulled her into my arms. The smell of her orange blossom shampoo assaulted my nostrils. After a few seconds, Melinda relaxed against me. Her small hands rested on the dip of my hipbones, and time stopped. My heart was thrashing in my chest. As if someone had electrocuted us, we both jumped back, keeping a safe distance between our bodies. The air was charged with something galvanic.

She adjusted the navy-blue varsity school sweater she was wearing over a pair of jeans and white running shoes. The semi-athletic style—very similar to the one I was sporting right now—looked good on her.

“I wanted to come and see you after dinner,” she said, breaking the awkward face-off.

“You did? Missed me too much already?”

“Not yet. I was wondering if you were still up for helping me train. I gotta get back in shape and shed a few pounds.”

I snorted. “You? Lose weight?”

“Yeah, well, I have to get in the best shape of my life. Maybe not shed pounds but increase my muscle mass. These next few meets are important, and I can’t afford to slack off right now or be slow.”

“We could go for a run in the morning.”

“Don’t you have a big game tomorrow night?”

“Yes, but I would go for a run anyway. We’ll go slow and see how you feel. Six thirty?”

“Huh…yes?”

I cocked one brow. “Yes? Or yes. Are you scared I’ll beat your ass, Shepard?”

“Haha, real funny. We both know I can’t beat you at running, Pierce. But yeah, six thirty is fine with me.”

“Awesome. I’ll meet you right here when you’re ready.”

“Deal. Night.”

We both turned to leave when I stopped and spun around. “And, Mel? If it’s hard at first, don’t let it discourage you. I’ll be right there to help you, okay?”