Xander comes into my room at the moment Cade yells up the stairs for us.
“Are you guys ready yet? I mean, seriously, how long does it take to shower? Did you drown in there?”
“We’re almost ready,”
I call back. I snicker as a thought runs through my mind. “You know, when we moved in here I was worried about having to listen to those two have sex all the time. Never thought it would be us.”
He places one hand on either side of my hips and leans down so his nose brushes mine. “I don’t know about you, but I’m glad.”
I laugh. “Oh, I am.” I waggle my brows.
He chuckles huskily, and I want nothing more than to pull him down into the bed with me and start all over again, but I know we need to go, so instead, I press a quick kiss to his lips and stand.
I take his hand, and say, “Let’s go.”
I park my truck behind Cade’s Jeep—Rae and him went ahead of us since we were taking too long. Music blasts from the backyard and a few neighbors stand in the front yard chatting. The Montgomery’s yearly Fourth of July party is always a neighborhood affair.
Thea hops from the truck, and I follow her around the side to the gate that leads into the backyard.
I hear a splash and some yelling when someone jumps into the above-ground pool they always have set up for this occasion.
Thea and I make our way around the yard, saying hi when people greet us, but for the most part we try to keep to ourselves.
“Hey!” her dad yells cheerily from the grill, waving a pair of tongs back and forth. “Are you hungry? These just came off.” He then points to a plate full of hot dogs.
“Starving, actually. Thanks.” Everything is laid out like a buffet so you can grab what you want, but before I can head to the table, he grabs my arm.
“Haven’t had a chance to congratulate you on making the team. I’m proud of you. Wish I could say the same for my piece of shit son,” his voice grows dark.
Mr. Montgomery has always been intensely into football, and followed Cade and me closely, especially Cade since he’s his son. I can remember once, when we were little and our team lost, he drove us home and went off about how one loss leads to another and to always, always win no matter the cost.
I very carefully maneuver out of his hold. “Thanks,” I say, giving him a tight-lipped smile.
He claps his hand on my shoulder. “I’m going to be at every home game. I promise you that.”
I nod. “Cool.”
This might be the most awkward moment of my life. But if I’m being honest, there’s something about Mr. Montgomery that’s always been … off. He has this intense, off-putting way about him that instantly puts me on edge. Like he’s someone that’s dangling precariously from a cliff and one wrong word will send him off. I mean, I’ve never seen him lose his shit, but there’s something in his eyes—something that’s not quite right.
I’m finally able to get away from him and I join Thea at the table where she’s finishing her plate.
“What was that about?” she asks, her eyes shifting nervously from me to her dad behind me.
I shrug and pick up a plate. “He just wanted to congratulate me on making the team.”
“Ah, of course.” She rolls her eyes. “Football, the only thing he thinks about.” She then gives me a small smile. “Thank God you’re not that football obsessed. You love it, but it’s not an obsession.”
I glance back at her dad. “He’s really pissed about Cade not going pro, isn’t he?”
She snorts. “Oh, yeah. He would’ve been thrilled if Cade would’ve dropped out his junior year and gone pro. Like, I’m not kidding, I’m pretty sure the man would’ve done a dance and he doesn’t dance. Like ever.” She sighs and her eyes grow sad. “I wish he could accept Cade for the man he is, and not the man he wants him to be. But he has this idea built up in his head—” she waves her hand near her head to drive home her point “—of what Cade should be and Cade’s never going to measure up to that. I don’t think anyone can. It’s really sad.”
I finish fixing my hotdog and the two of us go over to the table Cade and Rae occupy. Cade rubs his hands on his shorts and his eyes shift around uneasily. Something tells me I wasn’t the first one to get cornered by his dad.
“We’re here,” Thea sing-songs unnecessarily since it’s pretty obvious that we are, in fact, here.
Cade chuckles and forces a smile. “Glad you could make it and no longer smell like swamp water.”
“Hey,” Thea scolds. Her anger is short-lived, however, when she takes a bite of her hotdog and moans. “Oh, that’s good. I’m starving.” She shoves some chips in her mouth.