In My Father's Shadow by Jl Paul Read Free Book Online

out.”
    Cole shrugged indifferently as he tossed the clothes
into the bag but inside, his heart was quivering. He furrowed his
brow at Jamie in an attempt to take the attention off of him. “How
come you’re not at football practice?”
    “Coach is at a funeral. No practice tomorrow either,”
Jamie said, shutting down the computer. “Come on – I want to see if
softball camp hampered my cousin’s volleyball game.”
    They wandered over to the gym and entered as quietly
as possible. They climbed on the bleachers where a few other
students were congregating and spotted Ally at once. She was
wearing gray sweat shorts and what looked like one of Cole’s old
band t-shirts, tied in a knot in the back to keep it from falling
to her knees. Her dark hair was held in a pony tail that swung back
and forth when she ran. Even though she wore navy knee pads, he
still winced when she dropped to her knees and hit the ball so
hard; it nearly took off another girl’s head.
    “That had to hurt,” he muttered.
    Jamie shrugged, grinning at his cousin’s tenacity.
“That’s why they wear knee pads.”
    “I don’t see Parker anywhere,” RJ said, scanning the
bleachers and winking at a sophomore.
    “Call him and ask him where he is if you want to know
so badly,” Cole suggested, a little irritated. He leaned back and
rested his elbows on the bleachers behind him.
    RJ snorted as a hint of red touched his cheeks.
“Yeah, right. Want me to go all girly and ask him if he likes her?”
RJ cleared his throat and raised his voice a couple octaves. “Heya
Parker! Do you like Ally? Because I like heard that you like
did.”
    Jamie and Cole chuckled and caught the attention of a
couple girls on the bottom bleacher. Jamie smiled and waved at them
and they smiled back shyly before turning their heads.
    The coach blew her whistle and the girls immediately
stopped playing. “All right girls - that’s enough for tonight. Hit
the showers and I’ll see you tomorrow.”
    “Ally,” a short brunette called out. “Your boys are
here.”
    Ally lifted her eyes and stifled a grin when she
spotted them climbing down the bleachers. She covered her face with
a towel under the pretence of wiping the sweat, and allowed her
smile a chance to stretch before she tucked it away again.
    “What are you guys doing here, scouting out prom
dates?” she asked, jutting out a hip and resting a fist on it.
    Cole grinned, taking in her tough girl stance, and
tugged on her pony tail. “Nope, but I think Jamie wants to ask your
coach.”
    Jamie nodded. “She’s hot!”
    Ally groaned, wadded up her towel and hurled it at
him. “Please stop fantasizing about my coach.”
    RJ picked up a volleyball, bounced it three times,
and then shot it at the hoop. He missed by a mile.
    “You suck,” Ally laughed as he chased after the ball
and threw it at her head. But all her years playing softball honed
her athletic skills and she caught it easily, and flashed him a
haughty look. She was standing just short of the three point range
so she bounced it twice, jumped up, and launched it. They all
watched as it fell effortlessly through the net. “Finesse, Richie
Junior,” she said with a smirk.
    “Whatever,” he said, blushing. She loped over to grab
the ball and then returned to kiss him on the cheek.
    “I can’t play a chord anywhere near as good as you
can,” she whispered, though it was still loud enough for Cole to
hear. RJ smiled and gave her a wink. “I have to get in the shower.
Will you guys wait for me here?”
    Cole caught her gaze and held it, unable to look
away. The corners of her mouth lifted slightly and he knew he was
more than a little relieved that Parker hadn’t attended her
practice. “Yeah, sure – we’ll wait,” he said and she smiled. When
his heart gave a peculiar little shudder, he knew he was in
trouble.

Chapter Five
     
    “This really sucks,” Jamie muttered, slowing the car
as the torrential rainfall created a blanket of water on