Page 46 of Tattered (Lark Cove 1)

Jackson and I had always agreed that the Lark Cove Bar wouldn’t be a gossip mill. If our patrons wanted to talk about their neighbors, they sure could. But they wouldn’t get any information from us. We’d always been tight-lipped and we were staying that way.

Especially when it came to our personal lives.

“Here’s good.” I stopped Logan as we reached the sidelines at the far end of the field.

“You don’t want to sit closer to the middle?”

“No, Charlie will be on this end.” That, and I didn’t want to have to dodge questions tonight.

I took the blanket from his arm and laid it out on the grass. Then I kicked off my own shoes and took a seat, hoping that a little sunshine would fight off the lingering headache from my hangover.

“Is it normal?” Logan asked as he sank down onto the blanket at my side.

“Is what normal?”

“To feel this nervous for her.” He nodded to Charlie, who was taking her position in front of the net.

“Yes.” I smiled and leaned over to bump his shoulder with mine. “She really wants to win because you’re here.”

His jaw went slack. “Really?”

“Really.”

“Thank you.” His hand came to my knee as he looked back to the field. His thumb stroked my bare skin once before he lifted it away.

Sweat beaded at my temple. Logan’s touch had spread across my skin like fire, settling right in my center.

Damn it, Jackson.

His warning was ruining my evening.

I wanted to savor the tingles on my skin. I wanted to delight in the heat coming off Logan’s shoulder that was just an inch away from mine. But I couldn’t. Not until Logan had proved this wasn’t about me or sex. I needed to back away from Logan until he proved his loyalty to the little girl standing on the soccer field.

The little girl who was about to make her father proud.

“Yes!” I clapped as one of the kids on Charlie’s team stole the soccer ball and kicked it down the field.

A few feet behind me, Thea was lying on the blanket. My hands were on my knees and my eyes glued to Charlie as she stood stoically in front of the net.

“Will you sit down?”

I looked over my shoulder at Thea. She looked so beautiful, stretched out on the blanket. The tendrils of her hair were floating in the breeze. Her skin was glowing under the sun. It was tempting to sit down, to cozy up to her, but I was too into the game.

“I can’t sit.” We were up by one goal and the game was almost over. I was practically coming out of my skin, wanting Charlie’s team to win. I couldn’t remember a time when I’d been this keyed up for a game. Any game.

Thea huffed. “Then will you move out of the way so I can see?”

I shuffled down a foot, not taking my eyes off the game. Just then, the opposing team stole the ball and kicked it down the field toward Charlie’s goal.

“No! Where’s the defense? This whole team is a bunch of ball watchers. The coaches need to start getting these kids to play their positions. The only one sticking to her zone is Charlie.”

Thea laughed behind me. “After the game, I’m sure Susan and Melinda would appreciate your input. Volunteer moms who coach peewee soccer really love getting tips from other parents on how to run the game.”

I shot her a glare. “You’re teasing me? For taking an interest in Charlie’s team?”

“Someone should. You look ridiculous pacing along the sideline and barking soccer terms.”

“You know, not many people tease me.” Except for Nolan and my assistant at the foundation.