Changing Hearts Read online

I should have guessed he had his hand in my upgraded status.

  “I prefer to earn my position.”

  “Stop being a child. You didn’t get that boy hurt. From what I understand, you are the best qualified. Besides, it should have been you as starting quarterback instead of Kelley Moore if you’d fought for it.”

  I hadn’t wanted it then. I didn’t want it now.

  “I’m quitting.” My voice didn’t exactly crack, but standing up to him was new.

  His tone turned low and dangerous. “If you quit, you can forget school, the house, and your allowance.”

  “I have my trust fund.”

  It was a weak attempt to usurp his ultimatum.

  “You can’t get it if you’re not truly an heir. Even if you managed to keep it, you can’t get your hands on it until you graduate from college or turn thirty, whichever happens first. Good luck graduating if you can’t pay the bill.” In the silence, I thought he might have hung up on me. “And one more thing. I’ll be in town next week talking to potential campaign donors. I expect you to attend and mind yourself as someone worthy of my name. Bring a date and someone who won’t embarrass me.”

  A girl, that much was clear. My brother’s recent announcement of his engagement to his boyfriend wasn’t something Dad wanted to advertise. I was surprised dear old Dad hadn’t stroked out.

  I longed for freedom. But everything I had was tied to my family. I could weather being penniless and homeless in the blink of an eye. However, Chance needed a room. It was probably way too late for him to get alternative housing. Still, it was time I had a contingency plan. Dad had me by the balls now. I didn’t intend to always be so helpless to his will.

  TWELVE

  SHELLY

  Angry tears clawed their way down my face as I drove with no place to go. My makeup was ruined, but so was my senior year. I called Brie several times to no avail. Most likely she was with Chance at his place, lucky bitch. She didn’t need campus housing since she practically lived with her boyfriend.

  Nowhere else to go, I drove there. I hoped Sawyer wouldn’t be around, but his BMW was in its usual spot. I schooled my features after I found a parking space. Air left my lungs before I knocked on the door. No sound came from the other side. I had my phone in my hand when a shirtless Sawyer opened the door.

  We stood there, glaring at each other. After I let my gaze dip to his amazing chest, I met his eyes and held them, not wanting to be the first person to look away.

  “Has anyone ever told you, you look like a Barbie doll?”

  I thought I could rein it in, but at that moment I wanted to strangle him. Not bothering to wait for an invitation, I pushed past him, heading for the kitchen island straight ahead. What I should have done was gone right into the living room and banged his head or mine on the exposed brick wall.

  “Is Brie here?”

  He didn’t answer, forcing me to spin on my heel to face him. The door was still open with him standing there.

  “No, she’s not here.” Under his breath, he muttered, “She doesn’t live here, not that it matters.”

  I didn’t leave. I wasn’t sure why. Sawyer finally got it and closed the door.

  “Have a seat. Do whatever.”

  He started to walk away and I lost it. The tears I’d been holding back rained down my face in a downpour.

  “Fuck,” he said.

  Next thing I knew, I was tucked in his warm embrace. His hand rested lightly on my back.

  “What’s wrong?”

  I didn’t know what was worse—being embarrassed that I was crying in front of him, of all people, or the fact that being that close to him did funny things to my insides. It was like I could remember how he’d touched me that one night so many years ago.

  In defense of my heart, I quickly stepped away, gave him my back, and covered my face. Then he was there again, moving my hands and wiping away my tears with his thumbs.

  “Did I ever tell you I almost minored in psychology?”

  Okay, random. But when I thought about it, he hadn’t. It wasn’t like we had conversations about anything. I didn’t know much more about him than what I’d heard.

  “No,” I eked out.

  “You can talk to me. No judgment, I swear.”

  Sawyer, who joked about everything, appeared completely serious. It had to be that my period was due any day as to why I started to blab on about my day.

  “My housing got screwed up. They don’t have a room assignment for me. And the only spot available is in the first-year dorms of all places and it’s a double I would split with a freshman. That leaves me two options. My brother’s place, which is a one bedroom. He’s a cop and hardly home. Only he’s dating this girl who doesn’t live alone. Which means…his place is their…” I shuddered at the thought.

  “Fuck pad,” Sawyer supplied.

  “Yeah, that. And the idea of moving back home my senior year and commuting to school sucks.”

  “So move in here.” His statement was so matter-of-fact it took a minute to sink in.

  “What?”

  “Kelley’s gone, Ash is gone. I have more than enough room. But…”

  Of course there was a but.

  “But what?” I couldn’t help the cynicism that dripped from my words.

  “There’s only one condition.”

  “What’s that?” I waited for it. I knew some sexual innuendo was coming.

  “You have to go out with me.”

  “Wait. Hold up. What?”

  “My dad is coming into town and I have to bring a date to this dinner. I just thought…You know what? Never mind. Fuck him. We’ll all be homeless.”

  His word vomit left me spinning. I took a second to process. Somehow I pieced it all together.

  “You need a date for a function with your father. He told you he would cut you off if you didn’t.”

  “In a nutshell.”

  “I’ll do it. But you should know I have a boyfriend.”

  His face screwed up in confusion.

  “What? You don’t think I can get a boyfriend?”

  He shook himself and cleverly explained himself.

  “No, fuck, I’m just surprised Brie hasn’t mentioned it.”

  “It’s pretty new. He and I interned together. It took me a while before I green lighted a date.”

  And why had I told him all of that? His mouth closed and I thought for once I stunned the guy into silence. I wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing.

  “This is just dinner. Dad will only be in town a few days at most. I just need you for one night. Then you’re off the hook.”

  “I can do that. We don’t have to…” I moved my head side to side, unable to say it.

  “No!” he said emphatically. “It’s just a fake date.” He grinned. “Though, I may hold your hand. I can’t help what that might do for you.”

  His jokes actually made the conversation, which had gotten a little weird, get back on track.

  “I’m not sure I want to hold your hand considering all the places it’s been.”

  His smirk was cocky and sexy as hell. “You know hand sanitizer works in a pinch.”

  I rattled my head, trying to clear the visual. “That’s just all kinds of wrong.”

  His laugh only made him more gorgeous, damn him.

  “I should get my things if you still think it’s okay.”

  “Yeah. No problem. You have your pick of Kelley’s old room or Ash’s.” Then he held up a finger. “Or the room Lenora used. I haven’t moved out the bed.”

  “I’ll take that.”

  If I remembered correctly, there was a bathroom next to it. The likelihood I’d run into Sawyer and his fuck buddies would be smaller.

  “Okay, just know that I may have company. That won’t bother you, will it?”

  No way did I want to see the slut parade. But how could I complain when he was doing me a favor?

  “No problem at all, assuming I can have company?”

  “Ahh�
�”

  I thought he was about to deny me.

  “Sure.”

  Then I remembered something important. As awkward as it was already, I had to ask the question.

  “How much rent would I owe you every month?”

  He didn’t even take time to think about it.

  “Nothing.”

  That I hadn’t expected. “I couldn’t. I can’t.”

  “It’s fine. If you want to do something, you can buy groceries. We don’t need much since we mostly eat in the café. But we usually buy takeout most weekends.”

  “Agreed. But I’ll cook too. On the weekends, that is.”

  “You don’t have to cook.”

  “I will as often as I can.”

  “Agreed.”

  “Agreed,” I said.

  And just like that, I was Sawyer’s newest roommate.

  Only one problem. Though I had a boyfriend, it didn’t mean I was dead. Seeing Sawyer half naked on a daily basis was going to be hard to ignore.

  The door opened and Brie walked in with Chance. I felt like a science project as they stared at us.

  “Shelly?” Brie used that one word as if it were a question.

  “I’m moving in,” I announced.

  Everyone turned their eyes to Sawyer, who lifted two fingers in the air in the universal sign of peace. “I’ll let her explain,” Sawyer said, leaving me to give them the rundown.

  “What’s going on?” Brie began.

  Chance pointed to the stairs. “I’m going to talk to Sawyer.”

  I nodded, then gave Brie my full attention.

  “They screwed up my housing and I came over to talk to you,” I began. Then I gave her the full story.

  When I finished, she asked, “And you’re going to live with Sawyer?”

  “Yeah, why is that weird or something?”

  “It’s weird when the two of you are at each other’s throats at times. Is this some kind of elementary school playground, I like you, so I’ll act like I hate you kind of thing?”

  I laughed because it was ridiculous. “I don’t like Sawyer.”

  She crossed her arms over her chest and quirked an eyebrow.

  Then I remembered that one hot and sweaty night with him and I knew I was so wrong.

  “He and Ashton need to work their shit out,” I declared instead. “Besides, I have a boyfriend.”

  “Oh yeah, you didn’t tell me much about David. What’s the story?”

  Thinking back, I smiled. “We interned together over the summer. I thought he was just trying to get in my pants, but there were nights we spent together just talking.”

  “Sounds nice.”

  “It was. He kept at me, taking me out on romantic dates until I finally gave in.” Her lips formed an O. “Not that. We haven’t gone there. I agreed that we were a couple.”

  “What does Sawyer think about your boyfriend?”

  “Why would he think anything?”

  She shook her head. “It’s like the Fourth of July when you two get in the same room.”

  “It’s not fireworks so much as unfriendly fire.”

  She didn’t seem convinced as I tried to convince myself.

  THIRTEEN

  Sawyer

  Had I lost my mind? What universe did it make sense to have Shelly living under my roof? I sat on the edge of my bed and pushed hands through my hair.

  “Hey.”

  I glanced up to find Chance standing in my doorway. Tired, I blew air from my lungs.

  “What?” I asked because I knew why he’d come.

  He crossed his arms over his chest. “Did you fix things with Ashton?”

  I closed my eyes. “Not unless you count him calling me a pussy and me walking away.”

  “So, that’s it. You’re not going to play football and you’re turning your back on him.”

  I jumped to my feet and pointed a finger at the guy. “He fucking walked away, not the other way around.”

  He tossed his hands in the air. “What is going on with you two?”

  I wanted to tell him. It would be a fucking release to get everything off my chest. But so much of it was Ash’s story. No matter what, I wouldn’t ever betray his trust like that. “It’s complicated.”

  Chance wouldn’t let it be. “I know your dad is a hardass.” He’d been to my house a few times and seen my dad at his worst. “But you can’t let him choose who you’re going to be with, no matter who it is.”

  He was alluding to Ash. But I ignored that. I knew it was just his way of telling me he was okay with whatever I did.

  “Easier said. He basically told me if I wanted to continue to go to school and live in this house, I have to play football. So you’ll get your wish. I’ll play for you guys.”

  He cursed. “You’re family to me. As much as I like living here, if you really don’t want to play, don’t.”

  “And where will you go?”

  His shoulders lifted and fell. “The dorms?”

  “And what about Shelly? She has no place to go.”

  “She’ll understand. If there’s anything I learned coming here and meeting you, Ash, and Kelley, plus the shit with my dad, is that life is short. You can’t waste it. You never know when it will be taken away from you.” He gave me a moment. “You say the word and I’ll talk to Shelly.”

  I held up a hand. “No, don’t tell her anything about that. It will be fine. I can play one more year. And not just for my dad.”

  “Should I be worried about something happening between you and Shelly?”

  “No.” I waved him out. “Fuck no.”

  “Okay, but Brie will bust my balls if you do something to hurt her friend.”

  “Shelly has a boyfriend.”

  “Oh, yeah. I forgot.”

  “Do you know who he is?”

  “Why do you want to know?”

  I shrugged. “Just curious if I know him. I’ve never seen her with anyone.”

  Because I hadn’t totally been seeking her out in crowds, only some of the time.

  “That’s because they only got together this summer.”

  She’d told me that.

  “Would I know him?”

  Our school was big and I didn’t know everybody on campus.

  “Yeah, it’s David Sanders, first baseman for the baseball team.”

  Shit, of all the guys it had to be him.

  Chance left shortly after.

  Sometime in the middle of the night, I woke with a start and lifted halfway off the bed by my arms. I panted as my heart raced. The echoes of my name called out by a voice I could never forget sent me swinging my legs over the edge of the bed. Sleep would be hard to find as a memory threatened to overtake the present.

  Needing to stay grounded in the present, I decided to head downstairs to grab a beer. To my surprise, Shelly stood wide-eyed with a bowl of ice cream in her hand like I’d caught her smoking meth.

  “Sorry,” she said around a mouthful.

  My gaze dropped to her bare legs. She only wore a T-shirt that barely covered her ass.

  “Not a problem.”

  “I know it’s not my ice cream—”

  “Like I said, not a problem. Mi casa es su casa.”

  She stood there for a second. “And you’re not going to say anything about me being half naked?”

  I reached in the refrigerator, grabbed my beer, and lifted my brow in challenge. “Like how your legs look great, but they would look better around my waist?”

  “Yeah, exactly.”

  “Or I could tell you how you look like Goldilocks and you can come sit on my chair and I’ll show you just how big I am.”

  Her jaw dropped. “You are such a pig.”

  Shrugging, I let it be. It was easier to let her think so.

  She turned and stormed away, giving me a view of her ass mostly hidden by her shirt. Fuck, my dick was so on board. If living with her was going to work, I needed to get laid or jerk one off daily.

  I took my beer
and flopped on the couch. Pulling out my phone, I thumbed through my contacts. There weren’t many. My parents, Tomas, Chance, Kelley…Ash and a few others. I placed the phone screen down on the couch, reaching instead for the remote. Lame late night television filled every channel.

  Not finding anything, I settled on a movie I’d already seen just for the white noise when Shelly joined me on the far end of the sofa. She folded her legs like a pretzel and disconcertedly stared at me.

  “What?” I finally asked.

  “Lonely?”

  Sometimes, I didn’t say. “Don’t you have a boyfriend? Shouldn’t you be bothering him?”

  She stared at me with innocent eyes when all I wanted to do was screw her in at no less than sixty ways starting with her mouth.

  “I’m not a clingy person. I don’t need to be around him every moment of the day.”

  “So you’re just going to bother me instead?”

  It was as if I hadn’t spoken when she spoke next.

  “Have you ever been in love?”

  I glared at her. If she thought this was a trick question, I would surprise her.

  “Yes.”

  “Who?” If she thought she could challenge me with her stare down, it didn’t work.

  “Julie.”

  When the name left my lips, initially I smiled. Then it faded as I remembered how things ended.

  “Julie, huh?”

  “Yes, Julie. Don’t sound surprised.”

  I knew what they all thought. And I knew what answer she wanted me to give.

  “Who was she and what happened?”

  “She was the girl who moved next door. I think I was six when I asked her to marry me.”

  The memory brought back the smile. She’d accepted my proposal but had given me her terms.

  “Oh my God, you can’t be serious?”

  The humor in Shelly’s voice only made me grin harder.

  “I am. She told me we couldn’t kiss or hold hands until after the wedding, though.”

  At that point, I wasn’t sure what Shelly heard as she was dying with laughter.

  “You, Mr. Romantic?”

  I shrugged. “I was then.”

  “So don’t keep me in suspense. What happened?”

  “We grew up.”