Hometown Hero's Redemption

Made him enticing.

“Um, I guess a little bit. I mean, I have a pulse, and he looks like...”

“A hot fireman.”

“Yeah.” Lauren glanced up as someone headed her way. Phew. Saved by the shift change. “I’m out of here.”

“I think you should go for it,” Megan said. Lauren grabbed her purse out of the drawer, ignoring her. “If not, consider the tumbling class.”

She gave Megan a backward wave and walked out, soaking in the afternoon sunshine. Why was she still thinking about Drew’s offer? She wasn’t changing her mind. She’d made her choice.

She drove to her apartment over the hardware store on Main Street. Maybe Megan was on to something with the tumbling class. Lake Endwell High used to have an elite cheerleading program, but it had been several years since they had won any competitions. Tumbling classes would help, but not enough to get the program back on top.

What Lake Endwell needed was a boost to its cheerleading program.

Cheer academies had popped up all over Chicago while she lived there. One of the foster moms she knew owned one, and Lauren had visited it several times. The students came from surrounding school districts, and they traveled all over the country for competitions. Most of them went on to cheer in high school.

She parked in the lot behind her building. Years of gymnastics and cheerleading qualified her, but she hadn’t choreographed in a long time. And own a business? She wouldn’t know where to begin. While making her way to the back door, she checked her phone for messages.

Drew stood near the entrance. “I called the fitness place, and Megan Fellows told me you just left. She said I could find you here.”

I’ll get you back for this, Megan. She plastered a smile on, ignoring the way her heartbeat stampeded at the sight of him. “What can I do for you?”

“I feel bad about yesterday. Let me buy you a cup of coffee.”

“No need to feel bad or buy me coffee. We’re good. Your conscience can be clear.” She tried to push past him, but his broad shoulders blocked the door. He wore loose-fitting jeans and a dark gray pullover. By the strained look on his face, she’d say she annoyed him. Good.

“Will you please hear me out?” The words were soft, low. She let out a loud sigh.

“This isn’t necessary. I hold no ill will against you. I hope you have a wonderful life.” Without me in it.

“You were never good at lying.” The side of his mouth quirked up, and challenge glinted from his brown eyes.

“You’re right. I’m not.” Hiking her purse over her shoulder, she tipped her chin up. “I like Wyatt. I’m tempted to help you because of him. But I never worshipped you like the rest of this town did, and I don’t plan on it now. So go ahead and demand your way, but you won’t get it—not from me. All you have to do is walk three steps and you’ll find someone else who’s more than willing to do whatever you ask.”

He scowled. Maybe she’d gone too far. She hadn’t seen him in years, and it wasn’t his fault her life fell apart, so why was she taking her anger out on him?

And why was she so angry, anyhow? She’d been keeping it together reasonably well for months.

“I don’t want anyone to worship me. I’m just a guy. Someone who messed up most of my life.” Drew crossed his arms over his chest. “I admire you for being straight with me. Don’t worry—I’ll leave you alone.”

“Wait.” She caught his arm. His muscle flexed under her hand. She swiftly pulled back. “I guess one cup of coffee wouldn’t kill me. I know you’re trying to help Wyatt.”

“The Daily Donut?”

She shook her head. “Closes at two. Have you been out and about yet since moving back?”

“No, why?”

Tapping her chin, she realized he had no idea what was about to hit him. “Then let’s skip the coffee and go to City Park.”

“Isn’t there another coffeehouse in town?”

“You’re missing the point. When word hits around here you moved back, you’re going to be bombarded.”

He grimaced. Had he paled? “City Park it is.”

Drew Gannon, scared? She’d never thought he could surprise her, but never was a long time. Why wouldn’t Mr. Hometown Hero have made the rounds when he arrived?

“Give me a minute to drop off my purse.” Maybe a little chat in City Park wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

* * *

Drew strode next to Lauren along the sidewalk. If he was going to have any chance at getting her to help Wyatt, he needed to show her he’d changed. This would probably be his only shot. She smelled fresh, the exact same way she looked. He’d always thought she belonged on a California beach. All-American, pure sunshine.

But the sunshine had sharpened to lightning over the years—she certainly hadn’t held back with her opinion a minute ago. The way she’d put him in his place had shocked him at first. But, oddly enough, he liked her even more because of it.

He’d dated too many women who had their own agendas. He couldn’t remember any of them saying exactly what was on their minds.

How long had it been since he’d been on a date?

Five years? Six?

“Where’s Wyatt, by the way?” She easily kept pace with him.

“School. His first day. I’m picking him up at three thirty.”

“School already? You don’t waste time, do you?”

“I wasted enough time when I was younger. I don’t see the point in waiting when something has to be done.”

“What do you mean?” They reached the last store on the street. A quarter mile and they’d be at the park.

“You know how I was in high school?” He didn’t glance at her, not wanting to see how she viewed him. He could guess well enough. “I thought I was somebody. Didn’t work hard at anything but football, and by senior year I wasn’t even giving that my all. I believed my hype. Thought I was special.”

“Well, everyone around here agreed, so you probably were.” Her dry tone made his lips twitch.

Keep it serious. Show her you mean this.

“I was unprepared for college. I actually thought the coaches were going to fawn over me the way it was here, not that you would know what I mean...”

“I know what you mean.”

“Yeah. I guess you would, but I had no clue. I got to college and was a nobody. Third-string quarterback. For the first time in my life, everyone around me was as talented—more talented—than I was.”

“I hope you don’t expect me to feel sorry for you.”

He shot her a look. There was the megawatt smile he’d missed. He chuckled.