Secret Catch Read Online Free PDF

apart.
    “Yeah?”
    “The guys and I are just gonna talk over some plays, if that’s okay. Can we stay longer?”
    My gaze jumps to Tyler and when I see a smile and a slight nod, I say, “Sure. For a little while.” I turn back to Tyler. “Do you want to swing?”
    “Swing?” 
    “You know, the thing you sit on and move up and down.” I make a stupid motion with my hand, and he laughs with a shake of his head.
    “Yeah, swinging sounds good.” We walk in the direction of the playground. His hand brushes mine, and my fingers ache to lock with his. I don’t reach for him though. That would be a boyfriend-girlfriend type of thing, and we’re straddling the Skyhawk/Trojan boundary line—both literally and metaphorically.
    The metal chains of the swing creak with my weight. “Have you always wanted to play football?”
    “Yeah, my dad played in high school and college. I guess I kind of wanted to be like him when I was little, so I’ve been playing since I was about Nolan’s age. He reminds me a lot of myself.”
    I nod. “He’s a good kid. My dad played high school and college, too. I think Josh wants to be like him, and that’s why he gets so obsessed with it. It’s the one thing we have left of our dad.”
    Tyler misses a pump in his swing. “Have left?”
    “He died earlier this year.” I keep all emotion out of my voice. I’ve gotten good at telling people my Dad has died without showing anything. People get real uncomfortable when you start crying when they ask you about it. And it’s not time for my sixty seconds of weakness. I want to save that for later.
    “I’m sorry.”
    I nod. “So did you get in trouble for the fight?” I ask leaning farther back, and then quickly pull myself back up.
    “The coach wasn’t too happy. Got suspended. I can go to practice, and I have to be at the games, I just can’t play. So, that’s good. I was afraid I’d be kicked off the team.” He pumps his legs, getting higher.
    “That would suck. Glad you didn’t get kicked off. How’s your tight-end? And I mean your teammate,” I tease so he doesn’t go dirty street.
    Tyler laughs and pumps his legs again. “He’s okay. Leg’s broken, and he’ll be out for the rest of the year. It’s not permanent damage.”
    “Oh, good. Brad has some anger issues. Sorry about him doing that to your friend.”
    “Is that Skyhawk number forty-three? Brad…” He stops to gulp for some odd reason. “Nolan?”
    “Yeah, Brad’s my cousin. Our dads were brothers.”
    “Oh, sorry for you know, hitting him.”
    “Don’t be. You’re not the first Trojan he’s gotten in a fight with. I’m sure you won’t be the last.” I try to give him a reassuring smile. “How’s your hand?”
    “It’s fine.” He holds it up for me to look at. There’s a couple of little scrapes on the knuckles and one bigger one between two of his fingers, but other than that they look normal.
    “Not bad. With some luck you’ll end up with a big, ugly scar,” I tease.
    “It’s not my first,” he echoes me, “and won’t be my last.” He sets his hand back on the chain. “Did Brad get in trouble?”
    “He managed to convince the coach it was an accident. He got suspended for a month, same as you.”
    Tyler looks away and the side of his face is just visible. His teeth clench and his jaw bulges, it stays that way for a few seconds and then lets go. When he looks back at me his smile is back.
    “Wanna see who can swing higher?” I give him a sneaky grin and pump my legs faster. No more Trojan/Skyhawk talk. It’s killing my buzz.
    “Sure. What do I get if I win?” His eyebrows go up to almost his hairline and his legs go just as fast as mine.
    “What do you want?”
    “How about a date?” He looks away, but before he does, his face turns red again.
    My stomach feels funny like I just went down a big hill. “What if I want that, too?”
    He looks back at me. “You win, you decide where we go. I win, I decide.”
    “Sounds