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The sky clear, the wind barely a whisper, and the stands filled with families and students. Beau jogged out onto the St. Benedict High football field, surrounded by his teammates. He raised his voice once or twice, joining in as the other guys whooped and hollered getting fired up for the game, but he didn’t need such antics to get in the mood to play football. The aggressive, tough-hitting, unfettered violence spoke to his soul. He’d been playing football all his life, if only in his head.
Red and white banners decorated the bottom of the bleachers with slogans cheering his team to victory. They clashed with the opposing team’s bleachers across the field. Swathed in blue and white, St. Paul’s High School hoped to trounce the cougars.
On the sidelines, Beau set his helmet on the bench and glanced at the bleachers, checking for his parents. His father was there; always the avid football fan, he never missed a game, or an opportunity to give Beau pointers. His mother was with him. Another command performance insisted on by his father, no doubt.
He scanned the crowd for Leslie, found her parents, but didn’t expect to see her. Force of habit made him search for her at every game, in every hallway, and around every corner. He pictured her snuggled up somewhere with Derek Foster. Fantasies about ripping the geek’s head off with his bare hands helped dispel the flow of anger raging through him. Leslie would regret the time she’d wasted with Foster once she understood the depth of his devotion.
Dawn’s high kicks distracted him. He liked watching her, especially when she wore her cheerleading uniform. The thick red lipstick on her lips sent a shudder through him. He would wipe it away later.
Another girl on the squad, with long, lean legs and a pretty face, intrigued him. She looked like the kind of girl who was sweet on the outside, but once you got them alone, turned into a real slut. He liked those kinds of girls. They always made things interesting.
“Mitch,” he called to his buddy just a few feet away.
Towering over the others, the dark-eyed player with ebony skin removed his football helmet and revealed a head of curly, black hair. “What’s up?”
Beau pointed to the cheerleaders’ line up in front of the home team’s stands. “Who’s the girl next to Dawn? The cute little brunette.”
Mitch Clarkson studied the line of girls shouting, Go Cougars! “That’s Taylor Haskins. She moved from Los Angeles a few weeks ago.”
Beau nodded with approval. “California girl. Nice.”
“Dude, you better not let Dawn catch you checkin’ out another girl. She’s gonna rip you a new one.”
“I’m just curious. Not interested. What else you know about Taylor?”
“Her dad took that PR position with your Dad’s brewery.” Mitch rubbed a grass stain off his helmet. “He’s gonna handle your father’s national campaign for Benedict Beer. I thought you knew about that.”
“I tune out when my dad talks about business.”
He kept his eyes on her, examining the curve of her legs and her energy. She would never compare to his Leslie, but Taylor exuded a snobbish quality, something reminiscent of how his mother, the ice queen, handled herself. The cheerleader would be worth getting to know.
“I envy you, havin’ your whole life planned. I have no idea what I’m gonna do with mine.”
Mitch’s deep voice tugged him back from his fantasies.
Beau picked up his helmet. “Yeah, well, maybe my old man’s plans and mine don’t quite gel.”
Mitch punched his shoulder pads. “Yeah, but you got your family’s business in the bag, so you can pursue other interests. Nothin’ wrong with testin’ the waters. You never know, could make you appreciate what you’ve got.” With a lighthearted smile, Mitch backed away.
Beau returned his attention to the St. Benedict High cheerleading team as Mitch’s words ignited an idea. Perhaps it was time to test other waters in preparation for the day Leslie would belong to him. Nothing wrong with feeding his fantasies with a few appetizers to hold him over for the big meal. It wasn’t cheating if he had his fun before he possessed her, right?
He reached for his helmet, keeping his eyes on Taylor as the refs blew the whistle signaling the start of play.
I’m gonna like this game.
* * *
The aroma of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies hung in the air of the dimly lit den while one of her favorite rom-coms played on the big screen TV. A few strategically lit candles set the mood for Leslie’s date night with Derek.
At the refrigerator, she caught her reflection in the stainless panel before pulling out the iced tea. She would greet Derek as she had every day at school: fresh-faced and with only a touch of mascara. Dawn’s recent obsession with red lipstick had turned her off cosmetics altogether.
I can’t be seen imitating her.
She’d spent her entire life working to become the complete opposite of her twin. It was the only way to guarantee people saw her as an individual and not part of a matched set.
After she poured the iced tea, Leslie set the cookies on a plate and put a bowl of popcorn on the coffee table. She did one last check of her favorite jeans and the knit top hugging her figure. Perfect!
The doorbell chimed, and Leslie’s heart skipped a beat. She looked out the window. Moonlight streamed across Derek’s distinct features as he patiently waited on her porch.
She opened the door, and, overjoyed at seeing him, ran into his arms.
He embraced her, and the world went away. There was no pesky Shelley in her head, warning her away from Derek. No fights with Dawn, no sick stalker images of Beau. All she sensed was peace and contentment.
He nuzzled her cheek with his scratchy stubble. “I didn’t expect this kind of welcome.”
“I missed you.”
He held her back. “You saw me two hours ago.”
“Yes, but we weren’t alone.”
She took his hand and led him into the kitchen.
Derek went straight to the chocolate chip cookies. He crammed three in his mouth before Leslie could blink.
“I love these things,” he garbled with a full mouth.
Leslie laughed. “Try and save a few for me.”
He hugged the plate to his chest. “No way. If you want a cookie, you’ll have to earn it.”
Leslie’s brow crinkled. “Earn it? How?”
Derek just grinned.
