Rae of Sunshine (Light in the Dark 1)

I don’t know why but I lifted my camera and took a picture of the book. It looked so pretty lying there with the grass sticking up around it and a few fallen leaves.

“What’s with the camera?” Cade asked, picking up a bottle of water and taking a sip.

“You know how you like to play with a ball?” I smirked. Waving my camera around a bit, I explained, “This is my toy. My life actually.” I lowered the camera into my lap and stared down at it.

“So…is that what you’re studying?” He picked at a piece of toast.

I nodded and tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. “Yeah. I mean, I know realistically I’ll probably never be able to travel the world and take pictures like I want and I’ll more likely be stuck doing weddings and family portraits, but as long as I have my camera and can use it I’ll be happy.” I let out a breath and looked up for his reaction. He watched me with a calculated gaze, thinking deeply. Before he could say anything, I asked, “What are you studying?”

“Architec

ture.”

“Really?” I reeled back in surprise. I hadn’t expected that. “I thought you’d say like sports medicine or something like that.”

He threw his head back and let out a bellowing laugh. “Is that all you think of me? That I’m some dumb jock that only thinks about football?” I nodded, because it was true. He chuckled lowly and shook his head. “You don’t know me at all, Rae. I’m quite looking forward to getting to know each other better this weekend,” he winked.

I picked at a piece of grass, ignoring his comment about this weekend because frankly I was trying to forget about it.

“Why architecture?” I ventured to ask.

He shrugged, playing with the lid of the water bottle. “You know Xander?” He waited for my nod. “Well, his dad owns a company and we’ve been friends forever. When I was little, and I’d go to his house, I was always fascinated with the blueprints. Cooper, his dad, picked up on my interest and he started taking Xander and me to sites they were working on. It always astounded me how this building would start out as lines on a piece of paper,” he spoke passionately, “and turn into this real place that people used.” He shrugged. “I knew then that’s what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.”

“Where does football come into it?” I asked.

He grunted unintelligibly and looked away. “I like football. I don’t love it. But…but my dad does. He started me young and I just continued with it because that’s what was expected of me and I wanted to make him proud.” His face grew sad and he looked away.

“He wants you to go pro,” I stated. I’d heard enough from Thea to know that Cade was talented enough to make a career out of football.

Cade looked back at me and nodded.

“But you don’t want that.”

“No,” he sighed, running his fingers through his longish hair. “I don’t want that life. I just want to be normal. The spotlight? It’s not my thing.”

“You’re a strange guy.” And he was. I thought most guys in his position would be ecstatic at the prospect of going pro. The money. The women. The lifestyle. But not Cade. He was right when he said I didn’t know him at all and I’d passed too many judgments on him. Maybe…maybe I could be his friend.

“You’re a strange girl,” he countered with a small smile.

“Touché.” I laughed lightly, plucking a piece of grass from the ground and twisting it around my finger.

“You know,” he said, and lay on the ground, crossing his arms behind his head. The movement caused his shirt to ride up exposing the lower muscles of his smooth stomach. A light dusting of hair started at his naval and disappeared beneath the top of his jeans. I looked away hastily, my cheeks heating, and prayed he hadn’t seen me staring. “It really sucks how people judge you by what you do and not by who you are.”

I winced, because that’s exactly what I’d done with Cade, and look how wrong I’d been. And people judged me the same way too.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, surprising us both. “I hate when people judge me that way and it’s exactly what I did to you.”

He turned his head towards me. “I didn’t expect an apology, Rae, but thanks. It’s not just you though. Everyone judges me. Even the professors.” He sighed heavily. “You have no idea how many classes I’ve walked into and they take one look at me and make some smart ass comment, because of what I do. They think that I just want a free ride, and that’s not what I want at all. I want to work hard and get my degree. I want to be an architect and build someone’s dream home or an old fashioned church that will stand the test of time. I don’t want to be that guy they think I am. I’m not that guy.”

“I know.” And I did. I saw it now. I stood up and dusted loose grass off my jeans. “I’m glad we had this conversation and I don’t mean that in a sarcastic way. I’m truly happy we did.” I backed away slowly and he watched me. When I was far enough away that he’d barely be able to hear me, I said, “I’m looking forward to this weekend.”

And I was.

***

Thea dropped down into the seat beside me, her backpack slamming on the table. “Monday’s suck and I need a cupcake. Or a brownie. Or ice cream. Something loaded with sugar, stat.”

“That bad, huh?” I frowned, picking some of the extra bread off my sandwich.