Dare to Dream: The Maxwell Series (17 page)

K
ody
and I sat on my tailgate down by the lake watching our friends and family enjoying themselves. My brothers and I had liked the idea of having a party. In my mind, it was a way to let loose and maybe reconnect with Lacey. During the past week of school, it had driven me fucking insane not to be able to sit with her at lunch or talk to her or touch her. Something had changed in her since the night of her first baseball game. She seemed happier. Maybe it was her first win. Maybe she wasn’t mad at me anymore. Or maybe she was moving on with her life. The last thought gutted me. I grilled Hunt for information since he spent nights with her. All he said was that she was happy she was finally getting to know about her father’s past.
Please let it be that and nothing more.

Not surprisingly, news of the party had zipped through the school halls like a damn rocket. Anytime anyone was having a party, the entire school seemed to show up. I hadn’t gone to many. At the ones I had, people had been packed in like sardines in the kitchen and open areas of the house. Not my scene. The lake—and the breathing room that came with it— was the perfect venue for me.

The night air was fresh and crisp as the campfire crackled and threw the occasional spark. “Chasing Cars” by Snow Patrol blared from speakers that Kelton set up on the deck of the boathouse my father had renovated into a game room. Lacey had dubbed it the funhouse. Tents dotted the landscape. Anytime we had parties, we set up our tents and told others to bring theirs. Battery-powered lanterns hung from tree branches, giving the lake area a dim glow. Guys were snuggled up with their girlfriends around the fire, including Kross and Becca. I’d give anything to have Lacey cozied up to me by the fire. Instead, I hung with Kody, drinking a beer. I didn’t drink all that often, and I was hoping the alcohol would ease my nerves. I was mainly waiting for my baseball beauty to arrive. My plan was to play it cool. Not suffocate her. Keep it casual. Hunt texted me and said she was on her way.

“Your girl might want my help doing some fancy Google searching. Her dad has a couple of names of people his mom knew. They might be able to shed some light on uncovering her or the ledger.”

I growled.
I
should be helping her, although Kody was the computer mastermind. He could find a needle in the haystack that was the net.

“Are you ever going to talk to her?” He also had a cup of beer in his hand.

“And say what? I already apologized. That’s not enough.”

“Grovel then. You’re brooding.” He finished off his beer and burped.

“Says the brooder.”

He nudged me, flicking his chin toward the path leading down from the garage. Lacey glided down it dressed in tight jeans and knee-high boots, her hair flowing behind her and a smile on her gorgeous face. Heat unfurled inside me, sliding down to my groin as I pictured her on the stairs in nothing but her thong as she caressed her naked breasts. That seductive image vanished in an instant when Tyler trotted down the path.

“Lacey,” he said. “Wait up.”

I tightened every muscle in me.
If he so much as touches her, the cold lake has his name written all over it.

Kody held out his arm. “You can’t let him bother you. She’ll always have guys checking her out or vying for her attention. Trust her. Trust what you guys have together.”

I wasn’t sure we had anything at the moment.

Tyler planted his hand on the small of her back as they found their way to the campfire.

I cussed under my breath, and every one of my muscles vibrated.

“Easy, tiger.” Kody slowly lowered his arm.

I gulped a large mouthful of beer, my eyes glued to Lacey and Tyler.

Becca and Kross scooted closer to Shaun, who was the only guy in the circle without a girl. Lacey sat cross-legged next to Becca. Tyler scanned the grounds. When he found me, I tipped my cup to him. Restraint burned a path through me. Fighting wasn’t the way back into Lacey’s good graces. I had to be the bigger man. I had to show her I was in control, even though I envisioned throwing Tyler into the lake. He said something to her, and she nodded. I tracked his movements to the cooler then back to Lacey. He handed her a can of soda.

She swept her hair over her shoulder as her eyes met mine. I waved casually. She set down her soda and pushed upright as my phone buzzed.

A text from Hunt.
Sullivan is here on crutches. You want me to stop him?

I showed Kody my screen.

“What the fuck?”

I typed my response.
Is he alone?

Seever and his girl, Tammy, are with him.

Nah. Let him walk among the wolves.

“You sure, bro? This can’t end well, and it’s not a way to win your girl back. Although I’d love to have a go at Sullivan again.”

“He’s not here to fight if he’s on crutches.” I was curious why he was here.

We hadn’t seen or heard from Sullivan since he’d been shot. It had only been a few weeks since the ordeal. He had to be recovering still. I texted Kelton, who was in the funhouse playing poker, and copied Kross on the message. The music died. Kelton flew out of the funhouse. Kross stretched to his full height, keeping his sights on the path down from the garage.

Lacey began her trek toward me. At the same time, Sullivan emerged. Seever and Tammy were by his side. Kody hopped down, meeting Kross and Kelton as they converged on Sullivan. The kids around the campfire scrambled to their feet. Others at the water’s edge did the same. Shaun and Becca sidled up to Tyler, who swung his gaze from my brothers to me. He angled his head and opened his palms.

I shrugged. I wasn’t moving. My brothers could handle the situation. I’d intervene if need be.

A light scent of citrus floated in the air as Lacey propped her hip against the edge of the tailgate. “Hi.”

Her sugary tone sparked goosebumps on my entire body. “Thanks for coming.”

“A party, huh? When I first moved here, I remember some kid at school bragging about how off the hook the Maxwell parties were. Seems tame to me.”

“Well, give it an hour or two. The brave and drunken ones will be throwing themselves in the lake.” I searched her face, my gaze landing on those glossy lips that I was dying to capture between mine. Hell, I wanted to devour them, slide my tongue into the warm cavern of her mouth, and taste her.

“You’re not going to read Sullivan the riot act?” Her eyebrows knitted.

“Nah. My brothers can handle it,” I said easily.

“Are you sure you’re really Kade Maxwell?”

I stretched out my hand. “I am.” I wanted to touch her so bad. “You must be Lacey Robinson. The school is abuzz about this great pitcher who pitched two more winning games this week.”

She placed her hand in mine. “Nice to meet you, Kade Maxwell.”

When her fingers landed in my palm, tingles shot up my arm. I lowered my head and planted a soft kiss on the back of her hand. “It’s my pleasure.”

She blinked, her long lashes fanning out over her silky skin as a slow ball-squeezing smile materialized.

Our quiet, pleasurable moment died when the bane of my existence hobbled toward us with Seever and Tammy flanking him. The triplets had wry smirks plastered on their faces as they stalked up behind them.

“It seems they need your help,” she said.

“Will you stay? I need backup.”
Give her the choice.

She lifted a shoulder. “Sure. I’ve been known to kick butt.” She climbed into Kody’s spot on the tailgate.

Tammy, Seever, and Sullivan settled in front of Lacey and me. I felt as though we were the king and queen of the land. My brothers crossed their arms over their chests, never losing their annoyed expressions. Tyler wormed his way up to stand next to Lacey, and Shaun and Becca ponied up to Tyler. Our other guests clambered closer, and hushed whispers buzzed around us. Sullivan hunched over his crutches as his dark and insolent gaze fixated on Lacey and me.

Tammy Reese waved at me with a flirtatious smile. In spite of her sweet façade, the girl was downright trouble. Before Lacey, she’d been the only girl I’d dated at Kensington. Tammy and I had had dinner once, and one time was all I fucking needed with her. She babbled non-stop over a dinner she didn’t eat about wanting marriage and babies as soon as she graduated. That wasn’t for me. Sure, a family was definitely in my future, but not when I graduated high school and not with her.

Lacey scowled and mumbled under her breath.

Seever shoved his hands into his Kensington letter jacket. “Hear my cousin out before you go ape shit.”

“I need your help,” Sullivan said. His beady eyes narrowed.

“Do you want me to put you out of your misery?” I couldn’t help it. My enemy, the one who’d almost killed Kody, wanted my fucking help.

Snickers, snorts, and other derisive sounds echoed through the crowd.

“Ha, ha. Seriously, Maxwell. You know it had to take a lot for me to come to you for help.”

“What do you think, Lace? Should we let him speak?” I didn’t take my eyes off of Sullivan.

“Why not? He is outnumbered.” Her tone dripped with sarcasm. “You have the floor, Mr. Sullivan.”

He regarded Lacey with a cold, clinical expression.

“You heard the lady. Speak,” I said.

“How much do you know about Jeremy Pitt?” Sullivan spoke the words slowly as though he was rethinking his decision to come here.

Dead silence, except for the crackling of the fire.

A smile flirted on Lacey’s lips as our eyes met. She licked them as though she was hungry to tell him the answer to his question. A rush of adrenaline charged through me. Since Pitt had threatened both of them about touching Lacey, I was eager to see Sullivan and Seever’s reaction.

I bowed to Lacey. “You have the floor again, Ms. Robinson.”

S
urprise shimmied along my skin
. Kade hadn’t barked out orders at his brothers or me. He’d given me the choice to stay by his side. He’d asked for my opinion on Greg. He wasn’t throwing his fist into Tyler’s face or Seever’s or Sullivan’s, and he’d allowed me to address Greg’s question.

I squared my shoulders and stared at Greg. “Mr. Sullivan, shouldn’t you know about Jeremy Pitt? After all, you and Aaron are the ones who’ve been conspiring with two of his men to hurt me.”

The partygoers let out a collective gasp.

“We weren’t going to hurt you. We knew Tyler was listening that day at the restaurant. We knew he would bring that back to the Maxwells. It was a way to get under their skin and get them to react.”

He was as crazy as Aaron. “How did you want them to react? By putting you in the hospital?”

Kade’s jaw flexed. “Or maybe kill you? Did you not get enough pain from Kross and Kody?”

“Let me get this straight. You were trying to use me to get to the Maxwells. Is that right?” I asked.

“Something like that,” Sullivan said firmly.

Kade groaned.

I raised my eyebrows. He’d told the truth. First step in the right direction. Okay, this could be fun. Aaron was here. Greg was here. My beef was more with Aaron. Maybe if I caught them off balance, one of them would accidentally reveal something about what had happened to Mandy. It was a long shot.

“So, Aaron, what’s your story then? Are you trying to hurt me or are you trying to use me to get to the Maxwells? And if I were you, I would choose your answer carefully.”

He inclined his head, his green eyes appraising. “I’m not sure what you’re implying.”

“Cut the bullshit,” I said evenly. “When we ran into each other in the hall at school, you told me you wished my plane had crashed on my way back from California. Did you not? Oh, and you threatened to break my arm if I made the team. And let’s not forget about the psychological game you instigated where you had Tammy steal my gear before tryouts then return it, making it appear like I was the one who was crazy.” I had never been interested in the drama club or acting. Yet, I felt like I was on stage as the partygoers were all gathered around watching and listening intently.

“You threatened her again?” Kade asked. “You truly are psychotic.”

The triplets pressed forward. Tyler mashed his lips into a thin line. Shaun had no expression at all, and Becca sent Aaron a death glare. The crowd around us whispered and gasped.

Tammy smirked at her boyfriend. I wanted to smack the amusement from her face.

I held up my hand as though I was a judge presiding over a criminal case. Adrenaline cascaded through me. I was enjoying this way too much. The sounds died. The triplets held their ground. Aaron glowered.

“I came here for help,” Greg said. “I didn’t come here for you to grill my cousin.”

“You should’ve thought about that before you stepped into your enemy’s lair,” I said.

“What’s your deal, bitch?” Tammy asked.

Becca sidled up to the tailgate and said to Tammy, “Shut the hell up. You’re just as bad as your boyfriend.”

Tammy lunged for Becca. Tyler wedged in between them.

“Cat fight,” someone in the crowd shouted.

Aaron snagged Tammy’s arm and pulled her back to his side.

“Tsk, tsk. Such a pretty face.” I said. “Such a shame you ruin it when you open your mouth. No wonder Kade didn’t want to date you anymore.”

Kade whispered, “Are you sure you’re really Lacey Robinson?”

“New and improved,” I said.

His lips tilted up into one of his famous Maxwell grins. “I like new and improved.”

“Fine, you want to do this here and now? I was fucking with your mind,” Aaron said, holding his head high.

“Like you always do, fucker,” Kelton muttered.

Aaron’s jaw hardened. “You’re a good ballplayer. So good it pissed me off. Is that what you want to hear?”

“No.” I raised my voice. “I want the truth. If we’re going to win games and work as a team this season, I want to get all our cards out on the table.” I waved my hands around to encompass everyone who was watching. “If it has to be in front of the whole school, then so be it.” I didn’t like airing my dirty laundry to strangers. But I had enough to worry about and no time to wonder if and when Aaron would strike. “You want to win. Right?”

He let go of Tammy. “I did my homework on you when you first arrived.”

“You don’t have to do this,” Greg said.

Aaron continued. “I asked Coach about you too. He showed me tapes of your games at your last high school. I’d never seen a girl pitch like you. You’re the best girl I’ve ever seen play. No offense to Mandy. She was good, but not like you.”

Kody mumbled but kept himself in check.

“I was afraid any scouts who showed up this season wouldn’t pay attention to anyone but you. I hated you. I wanted you to go away. Then two things happened. I saw how you helped my sister, Tiffany, with that bully, Ron.” He shrugged. “I knew then you were a team player and not someone who was out for herself.”

Or maybe he’d
learned
a lesson about being a team player.

He scratched his head. “Then after our first game when you pitched your ass off and we won… I don’t know. I didn’t want to start the season with an attitude that would bring down the team. Shit, it’s my senior year, the scouts will be at games, and as captain I need to keep things positive. I know with your pitching that we’ll go to the playoffs. Both you and Shaun”—he gave Shaun a cursory glance—“have been great so far.”

“Thank you,” I said. “Does this mean all your psycho games are over and we can play ball without all the snide comments and threats?”

“My goal is to win games and win State. Plain and simple.” A sheen of sweat coated his face.

The crowd applauded, whistled, and shouted.

A boy in the back yelled, “You got balls, Seever. I admire you for that.”

A girl said, “Way to go, Lacey.”

Aaron sounded sincere, and for him to spill his guts among his peers was better than a simple
I’m sorry
. But I wasn’t going to bask in glory just yet. Words were great. Actions were better. We had more games to play, and he was standing amid the Maxwells, who wanted to let loose their fury not only for his threats against me, but because Aaron was one of Greg’s co-conspirators.

I angled my head at Kade. “What do you think?”

“That was a great speech, Seever,” Kade said. “Time will tell how sincere you are. It’s your turn, Sullivan. Are you willing to come clean like your cousin? Maybe apologize to Kody for putting him in the hospital?”

Kody’s blue gaze was drilling a hole in the back of Greg’s head.

“This was a bad idea on my part,” Greg said. “I’m out of here.”

“You came here to ask for help,” Kelton said. “You’re here now. So talk.”

The triplets still had their arms crossed over their chests and were blocking Greg from leaving. He scratched his black greasy head.

“Just ask the question,” Seever said.

“Why? So we can stand here and go through another round of questioning from a girl who thinks she’s better than us?”

“I hate to break it to you, Sullivan. She is better than you,” Kade said. “Lacey is better than most people I know, including me. She doesn’t go around bullying people. She doesn’t go around calling people bitches. She doesn’t threaten to break someone’s arm just because they might be better than her on the ball field.” Kade glowered at Tammy, Aaron, and Greg.

Again, surprise wound through me. Kade wasn’t the type of person to brag about anyone or anything, and definitely not in public. Part of me wondered if the change in him tonight was a one-time occurrence designed to help us resolve our differences.

“You don’t have to defend me to them,” I said to Kade.

“You’re right. But if I don’t, I’ll put Sullivan in the hospital along with Seever.” He turned to Greg. “I’ve heard enough tonight. Say what you came here to say, then get the fuck off my property. We’re trying to have a party.”

Everyone clapped again.

“My father doesn’t believe Pitt’s men shot me,” Greg said. “I thought I could ask for your testimony as to what went down that night. If you recall, the police didn’t question you or Kelton or Hunt. There is no police report, and Pitt won’t take my father’s calls.”

“That’s not our problem,” Kelton said.

“I’m confused.” Kade hopped off the tailgate and got in Greg’s face. “You want us to tell your father what? That you and Seever ambushed Kelton, tried to beat the shit out of him, and pulled a knife on me? Is that what you want? I’d be more than happy to do that.”

Greg straightened, adjusting his crutches. “And how Pitt’s men shot me.”

“Why?” I asked, climbing down to stand next to Kade.

“Without a police report, I can’t prove anything, and I want Pitt to go down for what he did to me.”

“Aaron isn’t the only one with balls,” Kross said. “How dare you ask us for help when all you’ve ever done is cause us trouble? Unless you’re willing to spill the truth about your involvement in Mandy’s accident, then I suggest you leave before I break your good leg.”

Kody’s chest rose, and his nostrils flared.

“Or,” I said, “I could ask my Uncle Jeremy for a meeting in exchange for your testimony about your involvement in Mandy’s accident.”

“Come again?” Greg said. “Are you telling me that
the
Jeremy Pitt is your uncle?” His seedy features were scrunched up in ten different ways.

“That’s what the lady said.” Kade grinned smugly, as did the triplets. “Do you still want to bargain?”

The buzz in the crowd grew louder.

At my back, Tyler said, “I didn’t see that one coming.”

Aaron said, “Shit.”

The others also spouted words in surprise, but my attention was on Greg.

He considered his options, then he said, “I’m out of here. I’ve told the police and you a million times I had nothing to do with Mandy’s accident.”

“Didn’t you see her at the same gas station just before she died?” I asked. I remembered Kody telling me Mandy called him when she’d seen Greg at the gas station.

“I told the police that,” Greg said.

Kody was riveted to his spot. Kelton and Kross were on either side of him.

“What did you say to her?” I asked.

The light went out in Greg’s eyes as though he knew he’d never leave unless he came clean. “You would never believe me if I told you. So why bother? You already have me down as guilty regardless of what I say.”

“If you know more, just tell them so we can all move on,” Aaron said.

If it weren’t for the rustling of the tree branches, we could have heard a pin drop. I held my breath. Kelton and Kross drew closer to Kody. Kade watched his brothers.

Greg blew out all the air in his lungs. “I was getting gas. Mandy pulled in to fill her tank. All I said to her was that it was a great day for a bike ride. She hurried to get gas. She called someone on her phone, then she peeled out of the gas station.”

Kody flew at Greg, knocking him to the ground, and drove a right hook into Greg’s face. Then another right hook. Left jab. Then another round. “I don’t believe you,” he yelled.

Greg tried to cover his face. “I swear to God,” Greg shouted. “I swear.”

Tyler, Aaron, Kross, and Kelton peeled Kody off Greg. Then Aaron helped his cousin to his feet.

Kody was breathing heavy. “Get the fuck off our property. And no, you don’t get our help, ever. Whatever your beef is with Pitt, handle it yourself. If I ever find out you aren’t telling the truth—whether it’s next week or ten years from now—I’m hunting you down like an animal and killing you.”

“One last thing,” Kade said as he stalked closer to Greg. In a blur, Kade rammed his fist into Greg’s gut. “That’s for the night in the garage when you pulled a knife on me.”

Greg bent over, grunting.

I pushed my tongue against my teeth.
So much for Kade not fighting.

Tyler, Shaun, Kross, and Kelton escorted Aaron, Greg, and Tammy off the property.

“Becca,” Kade said. “Can you do me a favor and cue up some music?”

“Sure thing.” She jogged down to the funhouse.

Within minutes, music was blaring and the crowd had dispersed somewhat, talking amongst themselves and gathering around the fire again.

Despite Kade’s last act, I stood dumbfounded at how the night had turned out. Kody clenched and unclenched his fists as he leaned against the tailgate. Kade joined him. I shuffled up to the other side of Kody.

The moon shone down over the lake, lighting up the ripples on the surface of the water.

Kody was still breathing heavy, his knuckles bruised and bleeding.

I slipped my hand into Kody’s. He closed his fingers around mine. “It hurts to hear Mandy’s name. It still fucking hurts.”

God, my heart split into so many pieces. “I know the feeling.”

“You know what hurts the most? I wanted Sullivan to pay. I wanted to believe he was the one who forced her off the road.”

“Kody, nothing’s fair,” Kade said. “Our sister’s death wasn’t fair. The deaths of Lacey’s mom and sister weren’t fair. We don’t control fate. We can only control our actions, our decisions. I know you miss Mandy. Just like we all miss Karen, and Lacey misses her family. At our age, we shouldn’t have had to experience the hurt and pain of death. But our experiences make us stronger so we can face what’s ahead.” Kade’s voice broke. “I love you, Kody. I’m always here for you.”

“You’re not alone.” I threw my arms around Kody.

When Kade joined in on the hug, tears spilled down my face, and I felt as though I was part of a family again.