Sweet Hill Homecoming (Sweet Hill 1)

“Yeah, he’s an amazing kid,” she said.

She didn’t know if Kyle saw her wave but when he turned back to finish his trip toward the locker room, she saw one of his teammates knock his shoulder as he ran by. A second teammate did it.

She instantly frowned. That didn’t look like an accident.

But what shocked her was when she turned to Tate to ask if he saw the same thing, he was frowning too. His eyes glued to where she was looking.

“Did you just see what I saw?” she asked.

Tate slowly nodded. “Tough to say,” he said. “But I’ll keep my eyes open.”

She nodded. He actually sounded like he was on her side. On Kyle’s side. Maybe they were making progress, because whatever was going on with Kyle, he wasn’t saying. But something was definitely up.

Mia didn’t want to fear the worst—that he was getting flak from kids at school, but he was so tight-lipped about it. At least tonight she’d get to meet some of his friends since they were coming over for a postgame hang out.

“Well, I better go meet Kyle by the car,” she looked at Tate and he moved so she could get past.

“It was nice seeing you, Mia,” he said.

His hand brushed her thigh and she didn’t know if it was because they were in such a tight space or he meant to do that, but either way, it affected her.

“Nice seeing you too,” she said back and hated that her voice trembled a little.

Hustling down the bleachers, she made her way to the parking lot to wait for Kyle by the car. It was still going to be a long night ahead with a house full of boys and the last thing she needed was a mental distraction by the one man that made her feel anything but ordinary.

~

“I’m sure they’re just running late,”

Mia said loudly from the kitchen, stirring her dessert concoction together.

Kyle mumbled something from the living room but she couldn’t hear him. It was nine-thirty and still none of Kyle’s friends had shown up.

“Do you want to have some dessert?” she asked, balancing the bowl between her forearm and stomach while she continued to mix the three ingredients.

Kyle sat on the couch, just staring at the TV and Mia’s heart broke a little. Then as if the universe heard her, a knock came at the door and Kyle jolted up a little and smiled.

“Oh thank god,” she muttered and rushed to open the door.

“Oh…Hi…”

Tatum West stood on her stoop and frowned at her greeting.

“Sorry, I’m surprised, I was expecting a pack of seventeen-year-old boys.”

“Yeah, I didn’t mean to interrupt, but these fell out of your pocket,” he held up her gloves.

“Oh, thanks.”

“You’re not interrupting,” Kyle called form the living room and even Mia heard the disappointment in his voice.

Tate leaned in and whispered to Mia. “I thought he was having friends over?”

“No one has shown up,” she whispered back and glanced over her shoulder. “I don’t know what’s going on with him and his friends.”

Tate nodded then looked at the bowl she was holding and raised a brow. “Is that the famous dessert?”

She smiled. “Yeah, cut up apples, snickers bars and whip cream.”