The XOXO New Adult Collection: 16 Full Length New Adult Stories (80 page)

Damn... The smell that hit me when I opened this door was nothing like Mrs. P’s – it smelled like straight-up ass. What seemed to be a mixture of B.O., stale beer, molding food, and cigarettes melded together in a horrendous odor that had me gagging a bit as I rushed over to open the windows.

I looked around in disgust. My dad had done a lot of damage since the last time I’d been by. I’d straightened the place up then, but you wouldn’t know it to look around the space now.

After I got the windows open, I walked through the house looking for my dad.

I found him in the back bedroom, the one he used as the T.V. room. My mom didn’t believe in having a T.V. in the living room; she’d said the living room was for socializing and spending time with the people who were important to you. It was one of the few things my dad still adhered to, even all these years after her death.

The television was on mute, but the pictures flashed across the screen, lighting up the room like a strobe light. Dad was passed out in his recliner, last night’s T.V. dinner on the table next to him, surrounded by a twelve pack of empty beer cans.

I walked over and touched him lightly on the shoulder.

“Hey, Dad, why don’t you go lay down in your bed?”

He jerked and snored a little louder, but didn’t wake up.

I looked over at the picture of my mom on the wall. My lips turned up at the sight of her long dark hair spilling over her shoulders, and the big smile that had always seemed to be on her face.

I missed that smile.

I straightened up and pulled my hair back, deciding it may be best to just leave Dad as he was as I went into the kitchen to grab a trash bag.

An hour and three trash bags later, my dad was still asleep in his chair, but the television was off and he was covered up with one of my mother’s quilts. I shut the windows and locked up behind me, breathing a sigh of relief as I got on my bike and drove back toward campus.

Chapter 7

Samantha

––––––––

A
s I took the time to double check my mascara and try to tame the fly-aways that were sprouting out of my hair, I assured myself that I wasn’t making an extra effort to look good when I saw Judd at the coffee shop. I mean, he may not even show up so it would be stupid to worry whether or not my eyes pop.

But deep down I knew he would show up. I think I’d left him intrigued enough to want to see me again. At least I hoped so.

I scooped up Karebear along with my purse, my backpack, her backpack, and her blankie, and locked up behind us before heading to Molly’s.

On Mondays and Wednesdays my first class was later in the morning, so I liked to go to the coffee shop to grab a drink and do some studying. I always seemed to get a lot more accomplished there rather than at home, where Karrie wanted my full, undivided attention.

I really looked forward to those quiet moments.

After kissing Karrie goodbye, I walked the few short blocks to the coffee house. When I opened the door I scanned the room, but Judd wasn’t there yet. I walked up to the counter and ordered my usual, then grabbed a table in the back and began to study.

I tried to concentrate, but found myself checking the door every time it opened. I pushed my hair back behind my ears and looked down, trying to focus on the text before me.

I heard the sound of a motorcycle and looked out the window. It started to slow down in front of the shop and I realized it was Judd. His head was covered with a helmet, but there was no mistaking those arms – flexed, toned, and covered with tattoos.

My body started to hum at the sight of him swinging his leg over the bike. He paused to take off the helmet, and his hair tumbled out. I watched as he pulled it back into a ponytail and put the helmet down. He started to walk toward the door and I glanced down quickly.

I wanted it to look like I didn’t care whether he came by or not.

I heard the door open and willed myself not to look up. I heard his footsteps as his boots hit the ground, and it felt like every nerve ending in my body was standing at attention.

After seeming to take forever to cross the room, Judd stopped in front of my table. I let him pull out the chair, scraping the legs against the floor, and sit down before I looked up from my textbook.

He looked a little distracted, maybe even sad, until his eyes met mine. I noticed for the first time that they were green. A glittering deep green that met my gaze and caused me to shudder.

His gaze was so intense that I lost my breath, but then he blinked and smiled, the intensity was gone.

“Hey, Sam, it’s good to see you again.”

It was a smile that beckoned me to smile back, so I did.

“Hi,” I said simply, tucking my hair behind my ear and nodding. “It’s good to see you too.”

Judd’s grin spread and he leaned back in his chair a bit, looking down at my books before back up at me.

“Whatcha reading?”

“Hmmm?” I hummed absently. “Oh, just studying a bit before my class.”

He leaned in until he was inches away from me. He tapped his finger on the book in front of me and said seriously, “You might learn more if you turn it around.”

“Huh?” I asked cluelessly. I could feel my face heat up when I looked down and realized that my book was upside down.

I looked up at him sheepishly, prepared to be mortified, but was surprised when a giggle escaped my lips. Before I knew it, we were both laughing as I made a show of turning my book around.

When he’d stopped laughing he held his stomach and said, “God that felt good. Thanks, Sam. I really needed a good laugh.”

“I’m happy to help,” I said with a chuckle.

“So...” He leaned in again and looked me in the eyes. My breath caught again as he brought his hand up to my face and tucked the hair behind my ear. “Did you make a decision about Friday night?”

“It depends,” I said softly. “Where are you planning on taking me?”

“I was thinking the old-fashioned dinner and a movie date. Unless there’s something else you’d rather do.”

“No, that sounds great,” I responded. I hadn’t seen a movie that wasn’t a cartoon in
forever
.

“What restaurant?”

Judd grinned at that. “You like to have it all planned out, don’t you?”

“I don’t have a problem with spontaneity. I just need to know where to meet you and when,” I said while looking him in the eye. I wasn’t sure how he was going to react to that, but there was no way I was having him come out to the burbs to pick me up.

He looked surprised for a moment before he brushed it off with a nod.

“Okay, I can appreciate that. I was thinking the Mexican place right off campus. That is, if you like Mexican.” I nodded and he grinned at me. “How’s six o’clock sound?”

“Perfect.”

“Great, I’ll meet you there,” Judd said as he stood up. “See ya, Sam.”

I nodded, appreciating his muscular back and the way his ass looked in his jeans as he walked out of the coffee shop and jumped on his bike.

Once the bike came to life and he took off down the street, I finally remembered to breathe.

Chapter 8

Judd

––––––––

I
was rubbing the side of my neck as I walked across campus, not paying attention to where I was going, so I was startled when I heard a voice say, “Hey.”

I looked up and smiled at James.

“Hey, yourself. I see you decided to go purple,” I said, gesturing to her hair.

“Yup,” she responded as she ran her hand through it.

“It looks cool.”

“Thanks.”

“So, what are you up to?” I asked her.

James shrugged and bit the ring in her lip. “Not much, just heading to class. What about you?”

“Practice,” I responded.

“Cool,” James said and started to walk away.

“Hey,” I said, causing her to turn. “I’m going out with your girl tomorrow night.”

“Sam?” she asked, one eyebrow raised.

“Yup.”

“Don’t be a dick,” she said simply as she turned and walked away, leaving me chuckling behind her.

I realized I was rubbing my neck again as I walked into the locker room, and took a turn toward the Athletic Trainer’s office.

I poked my head in the door and said, “Hey, Ron? I think I pulled something when Tuck and I were working out. You think you could check it out real quick?”

“Sure thing, Judd. Have a seat.”

Ron had been with the team for the past twenty years. He was almost more beloved than the mascot.

I sat down and bit back a moan as he rubbed the kink in my neck.

“Did you do anything different during your workout?” Ron asked as his strong hands worked their magic.

“Don’t think so,” I murmured.

After a few short minutes, Tuck popped in and said, “Hey, brother, we gotta get to the field.”

I never wanted to punch the golden boy as much as I do at this moment
, I thought with a grin.

“Alright,” I said. “Thanks, Ron.”

I stood up and moved my head from side to side, rotating my neck to see how it felt.

“Much better.”

“That’s what I’m here for,” Ron said with a slap on my back.

I joined Tuck in the locker room and we headed out to the ball field.

“Got any hot plans this weekend?” Tuck asked.

“I’m going out tomorrow night.”

“Is there a party or something I don’t know about?”

“I don’t think so,” I said with a shrug. “I’m grabbing dinner and a movie with a girl I met.”

Tuck stopped dead in his tracks.

“
You’re
goin’ on a date?” he asked.

“What of it?” I asked, feeling the need to deck him come over me again.

Tuck grinned and shook his head.

“I don’t think you’ve been on one actual date since I’ve known you, that’s what.”

“It’s no big deal,” I said, trying to brush off his words. But now that he’d said it, I had to admit that my college years hadn’t included a lot of dates.

Hook-ups, yes. Dates, not so much.

Huh.

“Who’s the girl?” Tuck asked, coming back up beside me.

“I met her the other night,” I said, hoping he didn’t remember who I was talking about.

“The one you couldn’t close with?”

No such luck.

“Dude, quit being an ass,” I said as I put on my first base glove. “Let’s warm up.”

“I hope you have better luck tomorrow night,” Tuck said with a shitty grin as he jogged to third.

I tried to just let his words roll off me. We always messed around with each other, the whole team did. I didn’t know why his words were having this effect on me now.

I felt twinges of anger and wanted to lash out, which made me wonder - was I more serious about Sam than the others? There was something about her... She tried to come across as no-nonsense chick, but then her vulnerability would show through, and I found I really liked the contradiction.

When a ball narrowly missed hitting me in the face, I realized that this was something I would have to think about later. I needed to get my head in the game before I ended up with a black eye or something worse.

We warmed up and then spent the rest of practice taking turns batting and fielding the ball. Our pitcher this year had a killer arm, and it looked like we were lined up to kill it this season.

After practice I went back to the locker room to grab a shower.

“Who’s up for a drink?” Tuck yelled from his steam-filled section of the shower.

A chorus of affirmatives was yelled throughout the shower, some even filtering in from the guys getting dressed out front.

A drink with the guys sounded great, so I added my agreement to the rest.

I rubbed the towel over myself quickly and got dressed. A group of us walked out to the lot, telling the others we’d meet them at the bar.

I hopped on my bike and headed out, reveling in the feel of the bike on the open road.

Baseball, a quick ride, and drinks with friends...who could ask for anything better?

Chapter 9

Samantha

––––––––

I
was walking through the grocery store with Karrie, trying to pick up some quick items for her and Thomas, when all hell broke loose.

I had most of the items I needed in the cart when we passed the aisle in the grocery store that had the small crappy toys.

When I realized we were passing it, I prayed that Karrie wouldn’t notice. I tried to push the cart a little faster, but it was no use.

“Mommy, want,” Karrie pleaded in her little voice when she noticed the stupid toys.

I mean, seriously, what kind of sadist puts toys in the grocery store? Probably the same genius who puts the candy by the check-out counter. Don’t they realize that I don’t have extra money to drop on a poorly made toy that will break before we even get it home?

I sped up even more, bypassing the dreaded aisle, turning instead by the diapers and formula. You know...the takers of
all
my money.

“Not today, Karebear. Mommy will get you some cheese puffs,” I said, trying to bribe her with food.

“NO!” Karrie yelled. It was her favorite word these days.

I could see by the way she was pinching her face together that she was about to share her displeasure with everyone in the store.

Then it started...

“I WAN A TOY!” Karrie screamed as loud as she could, banging her hands on the cart as if her screams didn’t attract enough attention.

“Karrie, please calm down,” I whispered, hoping to diffuse the situation before the clerks called Child Protective Services on me.

She wasn’t having it.

Karrie started screaming unintelligible words, and added kicking her feet to her tantrum.

I wheeled her toward the front, forgetting the other items I needed to get. My only goal was to check out and get the hell out of the store before I lost my patience.

As we waited in line to pay for our items, Karrie became aware of the people around us and started to scream louder. I wasn’t sure if it was because she wanted the added attention, or if she was crying because they were looking at her.

I felt the heated stares of the strangers around me. That, coupled with my angry daughter’s screams, was going to drive me out of my mind.