Saving Thomas Read online

  ***

  The next morning, Katy slept in. She didn’t get the luxury at home. I finished breakfast and met Grayson at the pen. He was my newest riding recruit. At ten years old, he’d never stepped foot near a horse. He lived in Baltimore with his parents and was down for the summer visiting his grandparents. They’d paid for lessons for his birthday. I’d never given lessons to a boy, and I wasn’t used to hyper. The girls were shy, at least the ones I’d dealt with. Grayson leapt on Allendale before I’d finished my instructions. His papa and I watched as they trotted the length of the pen. At the end of the hour, I felt like all I’d done was supervise him while he rode in circles, but his papa seemed satisfied when he handed over the check. I took Allendale back to the barn and retrieved Addy. We rode out to where Daddy was working on the irrigation line. Sweat beaded on his forehead and the skin beneath the thinning hair on top of his head was a painful shade of red.

  “Daddy, where’s your hat?” I pulled the reins tight as the trees swayed heavily in the distance.

  “Wind caught it,” he said, cursing the cracked tube in his hand.

  “I tried to get him to wear mine,” Thomas spoke up, glancing up from the shovel in his hands long enough to wipe the sweat from his brow.

  “Do you want a burnt head, too?” Daddy asked, shooting Thomas an annoyed glare.

  Thomas grinned under his hat. “I’ve got a little more up top than…”

  “You like working here,” Daddy interrupted him.

  “You should take him up on it, Daddy,” I encouraged. “It’s not every day that Thomas loans his hat.” The smile on Thomas’s lips grew a little as he peered up at me. My heart fluttered as our eyes met for the briefest moment.

  “It’s about to fall apart,” he said, his hands busy at work again, “but it still does the job.”

  Directing Addy around, I couldn’t help but admire the way the muscles worked in Thomas’s deeply tanned arms. He was so different than the boy I remembered, yet so much the same at times. “Don’t stay out too long,” I said to Daddy before turning Addy back to the barn.

  “Listen, Breelynn,” Daddy stopped me before I got Addy into a full trot. He was on his feet peering at me from beneath his hand. “I won’t be here when you leave for your date tonight, but that don’t mean that boy’s off the hook. You pass that along.” I nodded, catching sight of Thomas watching me intently from where he kneeled on the ground before starting forward again. “There won’t be a second date without a sit down,” Daddy called after me.

  Chapter 11

  The red dress hung alone in the empty closet. Everything else was strewn across my bed and floor where Katy'd left it. It was like she hadn’t seen Drew just last night. She’d spent the last two hours curling both of our hair with a curling iron. My ear had the painful red mark to prove it. The next hour she spent redoing my makeup, because "it didn’t look like I was wearing any." I’d given in on the heels she'd insisted upon, strapping on three more inches of height beneath the skinny jeans that didn’t meet her approval. Katy had settled on my blue skirt for herself, rolling it up twice at the waist. Even had I opted for something dressier, I wouldn’t have gotten an outfit like that beyond the living room, nineteen or not. I blotted my red lips in the mirror and tossed the tissue back on the dresser.

  “Are you sure that’s what you’re wearing?” Katy practically whined, adjusting the strap on my black tank top. I gave her a hard stare. “You look good," she backtracked. "It’s just…do you want me to change? I want the guy to like you.”

  “I’ll try to manage,” I sighed. Katy had never been one for subtly.

  She assessed me again from head to toe, her lips ending in a tight frown. “Don’t worry, girl,” she assured me, sticking her lip gloss and a compact into my purse. “I’ll be sure he knows I’m with Drew.

  I was only going out with this guy as a favor to her anyway. She'd claimed it would make things less awkward between her and Drew if there was another couple there on their official reconciliation date. I didn't see the reconciliation lasting all that long considering her admission this morning that my date had actually been into her at first, which was why she'd pawned him off on me in the first place.

  Katy was ready to go until we heard the loud muffler on a car outside. It sounded like it was on its last leg. Katy dashed back to the mirror at the racket, fussing with her hair for the umpteenth time. Thomas was already at the front door, blocking the view of my date by the time I pulled Katy away from the mirror. He turned around when he heard us approach, giving Katy a once over that I tried to ignore. Then his eyes found me and stayed there. I felt my face heat at his inspection. By the time his eyes reached my own, I was in desperate need of a drink of water. When Thomas finally stepped out of the way, I drew a sigh of relief. Catching sight of Drew and his friend, I actually looked like I'd dressed-up for the occasion. Poor Katy stood out like a sore thumb. My date, Lucas, who looked like he could captain a basketball team, was dressed in dark jeans, tennis shoes and a beach themed t-shirt. He was cute...very cute. I could see why Katy had spent three times as long getting ready for this particular date. He had riveting blue eyes that matched the waves on his t-shirt and thick dark lashes. Drew looked like he could audition for a part in the Lollipop League next to Lucas. Lucas was even taller than Thomas, but glancing between the two, he still looked like a kid in comparison. I hadn’t realized just how much older Thomas looked until I saw him next to my friends. There were only a few years age difference, but my-oh-my what a difference they made. It went far beyond the physical aspect, even though Thomas was broader and sporting a five o’clock shadow that would probably take Drew a week to grow. No, it was more in the way Thomas carried himself, his strong arms crossed over his chest, giving warning he was not to be messed with. He exuded a sensuality that he hadn’t before, a constant reminder that he’d seen and done things while he was away that I didn’t want to think about. Thomas's demeanor was in complete contrast to the excited, youthful eyes and laid-back smiles of Drew and Lucas. The age difference could’ve been ten years.

  “Sup, Thomas,” Drew said, modeling a high-five as if he and Thomas were friends from way back.

  “Not too much,” Thomas started, leaving Drew's hand hanging awkwardly in the air as Katy and I came up behind him.

  “Drew,” Drew spoke up, reminding Thomas of his name.

  “Sure, right, Drew. My mistake, man.” Thomas said awkwardly, stepping to the side to allow Katy to pass. "Where y'all going?"

  "I'm not sure," Drew admitted, taking in the entirety of Katy's legs. Lucas was looking at her in the same appraising way, and it wasn't going unnoticed by Katy.

  Her face matched her red lipstick, and I wondered if it were Drew or Lucas who had her face lit up like a Christmas tree. Whichever, she bypassed Lucas and took Drew's hand. Drew gave Thomas a small wave and they started for the white, four-door Chrysler that I assumed belonged to Lucas.

  Standing nearly side by side with Thomas in the doorway, I pretended this wasn't the most awkward moment in the history of the world and said, "You must be Lucas.” I looked longingly after Katy. An introduction would’ve been nice. Taking a step forward, I took Lucas’s outstretched hand.

  "Breelynn, right?" Lucas smiled, shaking my hand and not letting go.

  I nodded and reached back for the door. My hand missed the door entirely. Looking up, I found my palm resting on Thomas’s hard stomach instead. I snatched it back like I was on fire, which wasn't far from the truth. I quickly looked to Thomas in apology to find his eyes solely on Lucas.

  "For once, Katy didn't exaggerate," Lucas said, drawing my attention from Thomas.

  "Excuse me?" I asked, turning back to him, my head barely clearing his shoulder.

  "She said you looked good," he grinned, gesturing for me to take the lead. I blushed even deeper at the compliment. Lucas was much more at ease than I was. Clearly, he'd dated a lot.

  "Katy said that?" I asked stunned, glancing to the car. Usually K
aty didn't stop talking about herself long enough to say much about anyone else.

  Lucas gave Thomas a friendly nod as we turned, hand in hand and started down the walkway. Drew and Katy were already involved in some serous lip-lock in the backseat. "You sure you don’t want to take separate cars," I suggested when Lucas opened the door.

  "Then what happens when we want to make-out?" His boyish smile had me laughing as Katy adjusted her shirt and Drew dabbed at the corners of his mouth. I hated to think what we might’ve witnessed had we been a few minutes longer on the porch.

  "What time will you be back, Bree?" I had to turn around to be sure who'd asked. The words were my daddy's, but the voice belonged to Thomas. Arms still crossed tightly over his chest, he stepped out onto the porch giving the car a disapproving once over.

  "I'll have her back before midnight, sir" Lucas said as he closed the door behind me and jogged around to the driver’s side. "Your big brother looks like he wants to pound me.”

  "He's not her brother," Katy giggled, leaning up between us. "He's her ex." I felt Lucas’s eyes on me, but I fastened my seatbelt and stared straight ahead. Katy had such a big mouth.

  We ended up going to Glow Bowl. I hadn’t been since middle school, but I used to love it. The bowling alley transformed into a plethora of blacklights, illuminating anything light colored. Katy and I never missed a weekend back then. If I’d known we were coming here, I’d have worn white instead of black. As it turned out, the boys hadn’t put too much thought into the night’s festivities. Bowling had been Drew’s idea after we’d driven through the movie theater parking lot to find all the movies had already started. Not that Drew cared what we did. He'd bowled one game before disappearing with Katy to the parking lot, leaving me alone with Lucas.

  Thankfully, Lucas was a talker, mostly about himself, as most boys who resemble a magazine spread are. His broad smile glowed after each frame, showing a set of perfect, white teeth. So far, I’d found out that, like I suspected from his height, he had played basketball in high school, but he wasn’t the captain. Though, he seemed to enjoy hearing that I thought he was. He had actually been awarded a scholarship to play ball at UNC in the fall. He had a girlfriend, but she was at the beach on vacation with her family. Apparently, they weren’t exclusive. I wondered if she knew that, but I thought it rude to ask. Surprisingly, despite the play-by-play of his life up until now, I was actually having a good time. There was something about Lucas that put me at ease. I didn’t feel the need to impress him. It was refreshing to be around a guy who didn’t make me feel anxious and jittery for a change. He was a fair bowler too, beating me two out of four games. If I still bowled as much as I used to, I would’ve crushed him, and I told him so. We played until they shut-off the lights at nearly two in the morning.

  “Your parents must be really cool,” he said, as he reached above my head to push the heavy, double door open that lead to the parking lot.

  “Not really,” I said confused, taking the lead. Not that I didn’t love my parents, but cool was not the first word that came to mind when I pictured them. Wholesome, over-protective maybe, but not cool. “Why would you say that?”

  “They’re just letting that dude stay at your house…and you like dated him. That’s cool in my book.”

  Of course, a guy would think that. I nodded, not prepared to open up that can of worms and scanned the parking lot for the car. The pavement was darker than when we’d gone in. Thankfully, we'd missed the rain, though its sweet fragrance still saturated the warm air. Too bad it did little to cool things off. The air was as hot and sticky as ever. It was going to be one of those sweltering nights that usually signaled a bad storm in the near future. “Where are they?” I said to myself, hoping Lucas didn’t reach for my hand again. He was cool and all, but I just wasn’t feeling him in that way.

  “They’ll be back,” he said, taking my hand, and starting back to the front of the Bowling Alley. It was just like Katy to get wrapped up with Drew and forget about me. “Drew said they might go for a ride.” He hopped up on the short, bricked wall that outlined the entrance to the building and sat down. “Your ex,” he started, his long legs nearly reaching the pavement. “Do your parents know you dated him?”

  “Yes.” I nodded, watching the few cars on the highway that ran alongside the building.

  “And they just let him sleep in the house with you?”

  “Like I said, it was a long time ago.” I was not having this conversation and if he didn’t have his mind in the gutter, he wouldn’t want to hear it anyway. Kicking the heels off, I rubbed my sore toes. “Things aren’t like that between us anymore.”

  “I find that hard to believe,” he said with the tilt of his head as he leaned infinitely closer. “All the locks in the world wouldn’t keep me out of your room.”

  “I don’t have a lock,” I deadpanned, watching his beautifully sculptured face, that I felt nothing for, inch closer. “My daddy has a shotgun.” I barely finished my sentence before his lips were on mine.

  I hadn’t kissed anyone since Thomas, nearly four years ago. I hadn’t kissed anyone ever but Thomas. Lucas’s mouth was cool from the ice he’d been snacking on, and given the current temperature, was a huge bonus. As it turned out, Lucas was good at more than bowling. The mechanics came back on instinct and for once, I didn’t think; I just enjoyed the feel of his lips moving with mine. Lucas pulled back slowly, watching me as if I should be in a trance as his loud car came to a halt in front of us. Had circumstances been different, that kiss would have gone down in the record books, but my heart just wasn’t into it. We walked hand in hand to the car. Katy didn’t look as put together as she had when they’d left, and I knew I’d have to hear about why for the rest of the night. It made me miss her insecure days with Rusty. Rusty. I hadn’t thought his name in forever.

  Lucas kissed me again in front of my house, longer even than Drew and Katy. I knew I shouldn’t let him do it, but it had been so long, and even though it wasn’t trance material, it did feel really nice. I regretted it the moment I stepped out the car with Katy though. It was all she could talk about as I maneuvered the key into the front door.

  “All you did was bowl?” she asked skeptically, crossing the threshold into the dark living room. “So, the kiss outside the Alley was his way of patting your butt?”

  “What?” I laughed, closing the door and tossing my shoes beneath the coat rack that sat to the left of the door.

  “You know, like a good-game pat.”

  “Sure,” I said, shushing her when I heard footsteps in the living room. Not that it did any good. Katy’s mouth only had one volume, loud.

  “Then what was the kiss in the car just now?” she grinned, enjoying giving me a hard time for a change. It had been awhile since there’d been a boy for her to rib me about. I was usually the one doing the ribbing.

  Katy started for the stairs as I turned to pull the key from the lock. Stupid thing was jammed. I jiggled the knob and jerked the key with all my might nearly falling backwards.

  “Woah,” Thomas’s voice came from the darkness of the living room. His hands just managed to catch me before I hit my head on the steps.

  “Sorry,” I managed, the heat from his arm burning through my thin tank top. It was strong and sure, like what I’d imagine a man to feel like, nothing at all like when Lucas had hugged me goodnight. “The key was stuck.” I managed to explain as he settled me on my feet, not seeming to notice Katy, though I wasn’t sure how. She hadn’t shut up since we’d gotten out of the car.

  “Was he a good kisser?” Katy asked oblivious to my now pounding heart.

  Thomas reached around me and turned the dead bolt. The familiar scent of soap and sandalwood caused my breath to catch heavily in my chest.

  “I’m dying here, Breelynn,” Katy said impatiently. “I mean, I know that he was, right? You can’t look like Lucas and not be a good kisser.”

  Thomas eyed me as he pulled his arm away from the door. He was so close; I
could clearly see the rise and fall of his bare chest. Hopefully he didn’t notice mine had stopped moving. Producing an apple from his other hand, he took a bite and started up the stairs.

  I wished I had an apple to stuff in Katy’s mouth.

  “On a scale from one to ten,” she droned on excitedly. “Ten being like Leo and one being like John Tyler’s socks.”

  “I’ve never kissed Leo,” I said, my eyes following Thomas’s retreating back.

  “But it was definitely in that league,” she mused. “Why didn’t I kiss him when I had the chance?”

  “Katy, you just got back with Drew.”

  “Don’t give me that look,” she said. “I didn’t see you pushing Lucas away, and I heard him tell you he has a girlfriend.

  “Wait, where are you going?” she asked, reaching for my arm as I started up the creaky stairs. “We’ve got to discuss technique. What did his breath smell like?” Staring at the ceiling, I didn’t acknowledge that question with a response. “Breelynn?”

  “Sprite, I guess,” I whispered, hoping she’d leave me alone. “He was drinking Sprite. Now would you please shut-up before my parents wake up?”

  “Where are you going?” she asked, eyeballing Thomas at the top of the stairs for the first time.

  “To take a shower. Those of us who actually bowled got sweaty.”

  She giggled, “So did those of us who didn’t.” I sighed, dreading the story that colored her cheeks.

  Watching as she made her way to my room, I pushed the bathroom door open. Steam dampened the air and the towel hanging over the shower rod was damp. No hot shower tonight. I wiped the fog from the bathroom mirror and wet my toothbrush instead.

  “Sorry. I just got out,” Thomas said leaning against the opened door.

  Surprised that he was actually going out of his way to speak to me, I twisted the cap back on the toothpaste to give myself a moment of clarity before speaking. “I guess I’ll be taking a cold shower then.”