Chasing You (Love Wanted in Texas 5)

“How are things now?” Grayson asked. Mitchell seemed to be so at ease with Gray. I was stunned at how openly he was talking about all of this to him. I had to practically pull it out of Mitchell and that was after hours of working to gain his trust.

“It’s better. Once I actually got on the team and started playing. Casey helps though.”

With a smile, Grayson asked, “And who might Casey be?”

“Casey is Mitchell’s girlfriend. Things going okay with y’all?”

Mitchell laughed. “Dude, I’m still not used to you saying y’all. But to answer your question, things are going good. Casey’s been a big help with me getting settled in and feeling accepted.”

Grayson frowned. “I’m sure you’d fit in just fine though without Casey.”

Mitchell shrugged. “Yeah, probably.”

The rest of lunch was spent mostly with Grayson and Mitchell talking football.

After paying the waitress, I grinned and said, “You ready for my surprise?”

Mitchell chuckled. “Surprise? I thought we were going on a field trip.”

“It’s both!” I said as I slid out of the booth while Grayson held onto my hand. Lifting the back of my hand to his lips, Grayson kissed me softly and winked before turning to Mitchell and reaching for his hand to shake it.

“I’ll meet you both over at the station.”

Mitchell looked between Grayson and me confused. “O-okay see you at the . . . station?”

As we walked out to my car, Mitchell laughed. “So what station are we going to? Like the police station?”

Hitting the button to unlock my car, I glanced over to Mitchell. “That’s exactly where we’re going.”

Grayson

I’D NEVER MET a kid like Mitchell before. He seemed sure of himself, yet so unsure of himself. I couldn’t really read him. Meagan had already filled me in about Mitchell’s father and all the bullying he had gone through when he first moved here.

“When did you know you wanted to be in law enforcement?” Mitchell asked me as we headed back to where Meagan had set up shop with her laptop and worked while I showed Mitchell around.

Taking in a deep breath, I blew it out and thought for a moment. “I’d have to say when I saw a woman being robbed. God it pissed me off so much. I ran after the asshole and knocked him to the ground and buried my knee into his back until the police showed up. The woman kept thanking me over and over. When the cop shook my hand and told me they needed more people like me, it just kind of clicked. I grew up with a single mom, so I was used to keeping her safe.”

Mitchell nodded his head as he stared down at the floor while we walked. “What about you?”

In a nonchalant kind of way, he grinned. “I guess it’s just always been something I wanted to do. My father was a cop and I remember him coming home at night and the way my mother looked relieved at first to see him . . . and then proud as hell. He used to sit me on his lap and tell me how I was going to follow in his footsteps, so that’s what I’m going to do. Make both him and my mother proud.”

I could see it in Mitchell’s face. As much as he wanted to believe this was his calling, I had a feeling it was far from what he wanted to do.

“There hasn’t been anything else you’d like to do?” I asked as we

stopped outside the vacant office Meagan was working in.

“Oh I don’t know. I guess I’ve tossed around a few ideas. I’ve always loved football. Before we left California I used to coach a fifth grade football team. I loved it. I mentioned once to my mother about playing college football and if I’m lucky, pro. Then after that I’d love to coach.”

Mitchell let out a gruff laugh and shook his head as he combed his hand through his short blond hair. “That didn’t go over so well. She was pissed and said that was no way to make a living.”

I raised my eyebrows, surprised at his mother’s response. “Coaching huh? I did that for a bit while volunteering at an outreach place for boys from abused and neglected homes.”

Mitchell’s curiosity peeked. “Really? Wow, that’s really cool of you.”

Placing my hand on his shoulder, I gave it a light squeeze. “I get wanting to make your parents proud, Mitchell, but in the long run it’s your life and you have to do what makes you happy.”

With a forced smile, Mitchell nodded his head. “Yeah, tell that to my mother.”