I hold my hand out to Eric first. He takes it with a competitive grip and hard set to his jaw. He likes Jane. He’s never admitted that to her, or maybe even to himself, but I knew that the first time I saw them together.
“Nice to meet you.”
“You too,” he says, but he doesn’t mean it.
“Hendrick Holland,” Lennon says as he stares at me wide-eyed. “You played for the Rams.”
An uncomfortable laugh rumbles lightly in my chest. I was not expecting any of them to recognize me.
“Yep, he sure did,” Jane says proudly, shooting me a questioning gaze. Maybe it was an asshole thing to do, claiming her like I did, but I don’t know these people as well as she does and I’m not sure I want them knowing the real reason I’m with her. And to be fair, the real reason is muddied as hell at this point.
“I’m a huge Rams fan.” He extends a hand. “I was pissed when they cut you. You’ve got a hell of an arm.”
“Uhh, thanks,” I say.
Ted shakes my hand last. Mackenzie gives me a shy wave.
“You sounded so good,” Jane tells them. “Is that one of your new songs?”
I fade into the background and take a seat on a couch pushed against the far wall while Jane catches up with them.
Mackenzie talks a mile a minute. The girl obviously idolizes Jane and wants her opinion on every little thing.
Eventually Eric interrupts. “Are we ready to go again?”
Jane comes over to sit next to me while they play. She’s on the edge of her seat, eyes continually scanning over each member like she’s memorizing every single part of the song. The guitar, the drums, the vocals. She’s all lit up.
They play two or three songs, stopping between each to let Jane gush over how good they are. And they are. I’m enjoying listening to them almost as much as watching Jane listen to them.
When they’re done, Jane stands. “The set list is so good. I love the original songs.”
“None of them are quite right to end the show on though,” Eric says.
Jane nods thoughtfully. “What if you did one of the cover songs for the final song? Something that will have everyone singing along.”
“Not a bad idea,” Lennon says, looking around at his other band members.
Ted approves with a simple nod and Mackenzie’s smile is so big that her agreement is obvious. She’ll go along with anything Jane says.
“Which one is the question.” Jane paces in front of them with one finger pressed to her lips.
“Mac kills on ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love.’” Ted taps out the beginning of the song.
“The ending is kind of blah though,” Eric says.
“What about ‘Teenage Dirtbag’?” Mackenzie suggests.
It looks like her bandmates are about to argue, but then she says, “Let’s just try it.”
“All right.” Eric pushes his hair off his forehead.
“Jane, sing it with me once?” Mac asks her.
“Oh no. You should do it like you’re going to that night.”
“Please?” The girl begs. She places both hands out in front of her like she’s praying. “One time?!”
“Okay, okay.” Jane reluctantly steps up next to Mackenzie.
She looks nervous as the guitar and drums start, but when she opens her mouth to sing, all that hesitation is gone.
Her voice gets to me every time. It’s sweet but hard, soft at times but still fills the room. I’m mesmerized and caught off guard when the song ends. A beat of silence hangs in the air as the music drifts off.
Mackenzie is the first to break the silence. “Holy shit, that was amazing! You have to perform it with us at the Spring Fling.”
Jane’s immediately on the defensive. She backs away and shakes her head. “I can’t. And you don’t need me. It will be just as amazing without me.”
“No. It won’t.” Mackenzie places both hands on her hips and faces the guys. “Back me up here. What better way to close the show than performing that song with Jane? People will lose their minds!”
“She’s not wrong. It’s pretty fucking great and people will be surprised since you’re not listed with the band.” Eric rests both hands on the strap of his guitar.
Lennon strums softly, nodding.
They all look to Ted. Even Jane seems to be hanging on his response, giving away how much she wants them all to be in agreement.
Ted turns his attention to his girlfriend. “Are you sure this is what you want?”
She nods so adamantly her red hair shakes around her head.
“Fine, I agree,” he says, not all that excited for his girlfriend to share the spotlight.
Mac returns her eager stare to Jane. “What do you say?”
She glances over her shoulder at me. She doesn’t need my approval, but I understand why she’s seeking it. I’ll figure out what we need for security at the event. Keeping that look on her face is all I care about right now. I smile at her. “I think it’s a great idea. You two will kill it together.”
“The barista hates me,” Jane says as she hands me a to-go cup of coffee.
“She doesn’t hate you.” I take a sip and grimace. “She hates that you order complicated drinks. Apple?”
“Apple crisp macchiato.” She gives me a rueful smile.
“It’s terrible.”
She passes over her regular coffee with a splash of cream and sugar. I take a drink to get rid of the apple flavor, then pass it back. She wraps her fingers around the cup. It’s cold out this morning, sun hidden behind the clouds. A last bit of winter before hot weather takes over the desert.
“I got you something too.”
She scans me, finally spotting the campus bookstore bag in my left hand. I hold it up to her and she eagerly passes the coffee back to me before she grabs the bag and dives into it. Her reaction makes me want to buy her things a whole hell of a lot more often.
Smiling up at me, she pulls the pink sweatshirt out and holds it up against her chest. “You remembered.”
“Of course.” I remember all things where Jane is concerned.
She pulls it on over her T-shirt and then attaches herself to my side. “Thank you. I love it.”
“It’s just a sweatshirt.”
“No. It’s my new favorite sweatshirt.”
I’ve seen her wardrobe. It’s far more lavish and expensive than this cheap thing. I do a quick scan of our surroundings, then drop my lips to hers for a brief moment. It would be easy to forget I’m supposed to looking out for her and just enjoy being with her. Too easy.
My phone vibrates in my pocket. I pull it out, hoping it’s Logan with an update, but am surprised when it’s my agent’s name on the screen.
I stare at the phone, warring on whether or not to answer it. But when Jane spots Violet and her boyfriend, I excuse myself to take the call while she goes to say hello.
“Hey, John,” I answer, watching Jane as she talks to her friends.
“Hendrick. Hey. How’s vacation treating you?” His voice is loud and boisterous.
I hold the phone away from my ear a fraction. “Everything’s good. What’s the news?”
“Congratulations, man. The Rams want to see you on the field next month.”
“On the field?” I can’t hide the surprise in my voice. “Why?”
He laughs. “Coach Maxwell is inviting you to try out. He saw your hard work on the practice squad last season, and he wants to give you another shot. Smith accepted a trade to New York and Daughtry is injured. They need someone, and I convinced them that someone might be you.”
I thought maybe they’d offer me a contract for the practice squad, but a tryout? It never crossed my mind.
“I told you I would get it done. This year is your shot to show them what you’re capable of.” He prattles on, but I stop listening.
Jane throws her head back and laughs at something Violet says. I can’t hear her, but I know that sound by heart. A second later, she turns to find me. It’s such a simple thing to do, but it causes my chest to tighten.
“Hendrick?” John calls my name like it isn’t the first time.
“Yeah. I’m here. That’s great news.”
“You’re damn right it is. I hope you’ve been keeping up with your workouts. Can you swing by the office sometime this week and we come up with a game plan?”
“I’m in Arizona visiting my brothers.”
“Still? Okay. Well, call me as soon as you’re back, and in the meantime let me know what you need. We gotta get you in top shape.”
Jane parts with her friends and starts back toward me. “Thanks, John. I’ll let you know as soon as I’m back.”
I end the call as soon as he says goodbye, and Jane flashes me a tentative smile as she approaches. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah.”
She stares back at me, disbelieving. “Did Logan find something?”
Too many thoughts swim through my head. I can’t seem to figure out the right words. She takes my silence as a reason to worry.
“You’re freaking me out. Just tell me. I can handle it,” she insists, stepping closer to me and wrapping me in that coconut and vanilla scent.
“It wasn’t Logan. It was my agent. The Rams are offering me a tryout.”
Her smile is slow, but spreads across her face with so much joy that it intensifies the tightening in my chest two-fold. “Hendrick! Congratulations!”
Jane wraps herself around me and bounces in place. I stand there frozen. Should I be excited? Maybe. I can’t seem to feel anything but shock. I made my peace with my career as a football player being over. I’ve made plans. Not officially, but for months I’ve thought of Valley being my home, at least a temporary one until I make sure my brothers have everything they need. Now I don’t know.
As soon as her classes are over for the day, Jane goes to Eric’s house so she can practice with the band for Spring Fling and I go for a drive. I go by the high school, Mom’s old bar, and a dozen other places I use to frequent when I was growing up.
Things have changed, but they’re the same too.
When I get back to the house, Jane’s still gone, so I change and head out to the garage to hit the bag.
It doesn’t do anything to clear my head, but I keep at it until my muscles burn. I’m taking off the hand wraps when Jane steps out into the garage. She’s all lit up like she always is when she sings. Some relief loosens the tightness that’s grown since she’s been gone. I don’t have answers right now, but I know that being near her feels good.
