“Didn’t expect to see all of you here,” I say as I pass Lucas.
“What do you mean? This was on the team calendar.”
“Oh, I know the event was, I’m talking aboutallofyou. Because you’re shirtless.”
Lucas grins. “When you have a body this good, it’s a crime to hide it. Don’t you think, Scottie?”
Scottie rolls her eyes. “Get a shirt, Lukie.”
“Nah. You protest, but I saw you sneaking a peek at all this,” he says, running his hands over his abs.
They really are nice abs. But that’s the thing about owning a professional sports team. Everyone has nice abs. The men are all tall and buff and a weird number of them are handsome. I’m convinced sports teams were made so romance writers would have a plausible excuse to make all their leading men fit and attractive.
There’s probably some athletic reason for their height and physique, too, but that’s secondary.
Loretta pats Fletch’s arm, her hand lingering on his bicep like she’s checking for ripeness. Scottie catches my eye, then calls sweetly, “Ladies? This is embarrassing, but poor Lucas lost his shirt. Do you think you could help him find one?”
Eunice perks up immediately. “Oh, we’d be delighted.”
“Wait, no, I’m good—” Lucas starts, but it’s too late. Loretta is already on the hunt, her hands around his bare arms, dragging him toward a donation bin marked LOST & FOUND.
Ahead, I spot Sean’s old teammate, Red, and his girlfriend, Delia. They’re wearing matching Blue Collars hats.
“Glad to see you, Kayla,” Red says. “You didn’t need to come.”
“Of course she needed to come,” Delia adds. “She’s a part of the community, ain’t she?”
“It says a lot about her, is all I’m saying.”
“Why doesn’t it say a lot about us that we’re here?” Delia asks, holding a grabber and garbage bag of her own.“It’s not like her and Sean are better than everyone else. Where is he, anyway?”
I glance at Red, wondering if this will hurt or help. “He’s at an evaluation camp in Augusta.”
Delia’s eyes tense, but Red smiles. “Good for him! They’ll sign him. No question.”
“What’s he need to go to Augusta for?” Delia asks. “Why can’t Mullet Ridge be enough for him?”
She says it like it’s an accusation, like Sean’s dreams are a personal affront to her.
“He’s allowed to want something more,” Red says, taking Delia’s hand. “It doesn’t mean anything about the rest of us.”
Delia lowers her grabber, and I look away.
I don’t know Delia’s story beyond what she mentioned at the church potluck all those weeks ago.
But her distrust of outsiders runs so deep, it has roots.
“Delia, I know I’m not from here, but I’ve come to love this town. You’re right that I should be here. No matter what happens with Sean’s career, Mullet Ridge will always be his home. This is where we want to raise our family.”
If she notices my cheeks redden, she at least has the manners not to call me on it. “Well, then.”
She turns to start trash pickup again, and I fall in line next to her. “Your family owned a big hardware store years ago, didn’t they? Can I ask what happened?”
“Why do you want to know?”
“Because I care,” I say. “About Mullet Ridge. I don’t want to be part of the problem.”
Delia looks at Red, and he gives her a nod.
