Secrets in the Lyrics (22 page)

Chapter One

Twelve Years Later

Raegan

Hurrying back into the house from my morning routine on the Lowery farm, I check the
clock. 
Crap
.  Thirty minutes to get to school.  I run to my room, throw on my cheerleading uniform,
slap on my makeup that people swear takes me hours, and pull my long, chocolate colored
hair into a high ponytail and attach a bow the size of Texas.  I double check my Vera
Bradley backpack and hustle downstairs to eat breakfast with Grandaddy.

Sitting at the table are fresh scrambled farm eggs, sausage, and toast with homemade
pear preserves.

“Raegan, do you want coffee or tea this mornin’?”  Grandaddy asks as he pours his
coffee that is black as tar.

“Coffee would be great!”  I say, already eating.

He makes his way to the table in his pointer overalls, paired with a short-sleeved
t-shirt.  He sets down my cup and takes his seat.  This has been our morning routine
since I can remember, well, minus the coffee.

“How were the chickens this mornin’?”

“Same as usual.  They pecked the crap outta me!”

“Ah, they’re just showin’ their love to ya.  Was Cole already down by the barn?” Cole
is my grandaddy’s great-nephew.

“Yeah, he was.” 

“I’ve got a lot to get done around here today, but I plan on going to the game tonight. 
You think you’ll be home after school?”

“Of course, aren’t I always? Do you care if I spend the night with Jordyn tonight?”

“I don’t see why not.  You deserve a night off from the farm, and don’t worry about
this afternoon.   Jake and I will take care of it.  It’s a big game tonight.  Now,
you better take that toast to go, or you’re gonna be late.  I can’t have that!”

“Yes, sir.”  Standing, I straighten my cheer skirt, and Grandaddy gives me
the look
.

“Hey, I didn’t pick the length.”

“Well, make sure you walk close to the wall when you come down those stairs in the
cross hall.”

I laugh.  “I can’t believe we still call it that, too.  Some things never change around
Pleasant Hill.”

Dropping my plate into the sink, I turn off the stovetop, kiss him on the forehead,
pick up my backpack, and walk to the truck.  It’s sticky hot in mid-September, so
I crank up the air conditioner and the local country station. 
Crap! Ten minutes!

Putting the pedal to the metal, I make it to school with a few minutes to spare. 
Everyone is still in the parking lot, taking their time getting to class.  I glance
in the rearview mirror for any spare sausage floating around, walk toward the building,
and straight for my locker.

Staring into my locker, I try to pull myself together for another day at Cleveland
High.  Thank goodness it’s Friday. I’m exhausted.  I just need to make it through
the game tonight, and maybe I can catch a break.

As I grab my physics textbook, my train of thought is put to a halt.

“Hey, Rae!  Are you ready for the game tonight?”  Jordyn says bubbly.

“Yeah, Jordyn, I am.”

“Are you all right?  You seem a little spacey.”

“Yeah, I’m just tired.  You know I had to get up with the cows this mornin’.”

“Gah, I’m so glad I don’t live on a farm.”

“Oh, and what do you call yourself, a ‘city slicker’?”  I ask with a laugh.

Pleasant Hill is exactly what it says.  The size of a hill, okay, maybe I’m exaggerating
just a little, but there are five thousand people in this town, tops.  Most people
live outside the city limits, produce their own means of food, and live like good
old country folk.

When the bell rings for the end of first block, I make my way into the hall and notice
that Jace is waiting on me. 
Great!  He can’t take the hint.  I have no time for him and his cocky-jock-self.

“Hey, Raegan, I heard there’s a party at the Phillips’ farm tonight after the game. 
Are you goin’?” he asks.

“I’m not sure.  I’m stayin’ at Jordyn’s tonight, so it’s whatever she wants to do.”

“Oh, y’all will be there,” he says too confidently.

“What makes you so sure?” 

He smirks and glances down the hallway to find Jordyn getting a little close to Ridge
Parker in the hallway.

I start to laugh and shake Jace off before heading to my next class.  I’m so ready
for a break, a weekend with my best friend, and just acting like a teenager instead
of Miss Perfect all the time.

Glancing at the clock, I know lunch is next on the agenda.  I’ve got to see what the
plans are for this weekend.  Jordyn knows how I feel about Jace.  If she’s gonna be
shacked up with Ridge, then I need a new game plan.  I will not look like Jace’s arm
candy all night.  With the buzz of the bell, I make my way to my locker, exchange
books, and wait for Jordyn.  When I see her walking down the hall, I join her.

“Hey, girl!  Are you ready for tonight?  Ridge wants me to go to the Phillips’ farm
tonight.  You game?” Taking a cleansing breath, I look at her, and she already knows
what I’m thinking.  “I swear, Rae.  I won’t leave you with him all night.  I pinky
promise!”  She’s practically begging.

“Fine, but I swear, if you disappear for more than thirty seconds, I’m out!”

“Yes, Mama.”  She giggles.

We make our way to the cafeteria and get in line.  This is the best meal all week—
school pizza!  As Jordyn talks about her attire for tonight, I’m thinking that I really
need to help Grandaddy this afternoon, even if he told me I didn’t have to.

“I think I’m going to help Grandaddy and Cole this afternoon.  I know they both wanna
go to the game, and it will be faster if I help, too.”

“Seriously?  Why are you so damn responsible?  I mean, you make it hard for girls
like me to function in this town.”

I twist my head toward her in confusion. “Huh?”

“Rae, you don’t realize how much people look at you.  You are the All-American Southern
Belle, minus the blonde hair.  You are smart, great looking, and a hard worker, no
matter if it’s on the farm, school, field, or whatever.  The fact that you almost
seem out of reach by guys doesn’t help either.  I swear, why won’t you go out with
Jace?  He’s hot, and he’s been begging for, what, like three years now?”

I stop mid-stride as she finishes her sentences.  I’m speechless.  I’m not that girl
that she’s talking about.  Yeah, I might look like I have it all together, but I do
what has to be done in life.  I will not let down my Grandaddy.  He’s all I have left
in this world.

“Jordyn, that’s so not true.  I’m far from that.  You know an All-American girl has
both parents to make an All-American family, and I don’t.”

“I didn’t mean it like that.  I just mean, at some point, you’ve got to have some
fun.  Ya know, hook up with a guy, go out on a date, live a little besides a few beers
every now and then.”

“I just can’t.”

We make our way to the table.  Ridge, Jace, and a few other football players are sitting
together and waiting on us.  Jordyn snickers as we walk over, but when my eyes land
on the new guy sitting there, I want to turn and run the other way.

His aqua eyes look up from his plate and meet mine. 
Ohmygosh, it’s Emmett Bridges.  When did he move back to Pleasant Hill?
  A smile widens across my face, and I’m glad he’s back.  He used to always love to
kiss us girls on the playground growing up, and that’s one thing I’ve never forgotten. 
What I remember most is when my parents passed away, he brought me a stuffed bunny
that looked like Thumper, our class pet.  That was the day I realized everything would
be okay, because I knew people cared about me.  A grin escapes my lips, and he does
the same.  Maybe a night at the Phillips’ farm might be fun after all.

Jordyn and I make our way to the table and park our trays between Ridge and Jace,
like we are expected to do.  Jace wastes no time introducing us to Emmett.  I think
he’s pretty clueless to assume we don’t recognize Emmett.

“Hey, Emmett, long time no see,” I say sweetly.

“How are you, Raegan?” he asks with tenderness in his voice.

“Really good.  How ’bout you?”

“I’m better, now,” he replies.  I can’t help but wonder exactly what he means by that.

Jordyn and I finish our food quickly before she asks the question I already knew was
coming, and of course, it has to be in front of Jace.

“Rae, did you decide what you’re going to do after school?”  Jordyn questions, and
for some reason, I think she’s up to something.

Nodding, I fill her in.  “I’m gonna go help Grandaddy and Cole.  I’ll just meet you
at your house before the game.  That a’ight?”

“Really, Raegan?  You’re gonna go work on the farm before the biggest county game
of the season?”  Jace asks with anger in his tone.

“I hate to tell ya, Jace, but the world doesn’t revolve around football.  Some people
have to work hard for a livin’.”

With little else said, Jace makes his way outside.  I swear, I don’t understand him. 
I’ve told him time and time again that I’m not interested.

“So, Emmett, have you seen Cole yet?”  I question.

“He’s supposed to pick me up today.  My truck is in the shop.  We’re goin’ to the
game tonight.”

As the bell rings, I stand to throw away my trash.  “Ya know, I can just take ya if
you want. It will save him a little time, and he might get done on the farm earlier.”

“Are you sure?  I mean, Jace might kick my ass.”  He smirks confidently.

“No worries about Jace.  We’re
not
together.” 
Why did I just say that out loud?  I’m sure he couldn’t care less.

“A’ight, where should I meet ya?”

“Meet me at my truck after the second bell,” I say as I make my way down the hall
to third block.

Emmett

“Hey, Jace, thanks for giving me a ride this mornin’.  The truck should be fixed tomorrow.”

“No problem,” he says with a pat on the shoulder as I walk the halls of Cleveland
High School for the first time.  I can’t believe I’m back in the town I never thought
I’d live in again.  It’s the size of a damn peanut.  “I’ll catch you at the game. 
I think Cole’s gonna get me after school.”

“A’ight, I wish your ass would have moved here two months ago, but then, I might be
on the bench.”  Jace laughs.

Ignoring Jace, I walk into the main office, meet with the counselor, and get a schedule—
calculus, physics, weight training, and AP English. 
You’ve got to be freakin’ kiddin’ me!
  This schedule is no joke.  I thought that transferring would mean new classes, not
the same ones I already had.

Shaking it off, I head down the hall and into calculus.   I find a seat in the back
after I introduce myself and prepare to barely pass.  Who am I kidding? I’ll pass,
but I just want to be here, not actually have to try.  The faster I can get out of
this Podunk town, the better, but it sure is better than living with my dad and his
new wife.

When the teacher begins to speak, I realize I’m ahead of them, so I’ll just listen
and refresh my memory.  Within minutes, my mind is wandering to the clock, the game
tonight, and getting to see Cole, my stepbrother.  Jace is right; I should have moved
here at the beginning of the summer, but I was too busy being stuck up my ex’s ass.

With the sound of the bell, I make my way to physics.  The hallways aren’t near as
crowded as my school in Georgia.  Taking the schedule in my hands, I look at the room
number and start to walk in that direction when I hear the sweetest and most familiar
sound, but I can’t place it.

Shaking it off, I round the corner to the hallway where the science rooms are located,
and I hear the voice that goes with the laugh. 
Who the hell is that?
  Then, I see her dark hair pulled up with an ugly ass bow on her head and one short
as hell uniform, talking to none other than Mr. Superstar, Jace McCoy.  It takes all
of two seconds for me to realize who is standing in front of me… Raegan Lowery.

Trying not to act like I see her, I make my way into physics without being noticed. 
Raegan Lowery is what every guy dreams about, but can’t have, because Jace has told
me over and over.

The teacher asks me to sit up front and introduce myself to the class. 
Damn, I hate being the not-so-new guy.  They all know me. I’ve only been gone for
a few years.
  Once that is over, I take my seat, front and center, and get ready to learn about
static electricity.  The only thing that I can think about is the jolt of electricity
when I saw her.

After class, I meet Jace in the cafeteria.  I swear, school lunchrooms are always
the same.  You have the nerds, outsiders, and popular students all separated.  Once
I grab my tray of food, I take a seat across from Jace.  He’s rambling on and on about
the game.  It sucks to not be playing, but I guess that’s my fault.  That’s when I
glance up mid-bite and see her talking to Jordyn.  Her chocolate brown hair is pulled
back so that her eyes attack you with their sharpness, but she looks upset.  I try
to ignore her, but I can’t.