Golden Trail (The 'Burg #3)(142)

Layne was headed out the front doors when he heard his name called and he turned to see Nick Fullerton jogging down the hall toward him.

“Heard you were in the school. Glad I caught you,” Nick said when he made it to Layne.

“Hey Nick, everything all right?” Layne asked and Nick grinned.

“Yeah, got promoted officially to head coach today,” Nick answered.

Layne shook his hand and clapped him on the shoulder. “Congratulations. Way you called the second half of the game Friday, they made the right choice.”

“Thanks, man,” Nick was still grinning. “Anyway, been spendin’ the last coupla days in Adrian’s office, goin’ through stuff. Just wondered if there’s a reason Jas isn’t talkin’ to the scouts. He decide he’s not goin’ to college or something?”

Layne felt the muscles in his neck contract. “What?”

“Scouts,” Nick said. “From Ohio State, Illinois and Ball State. They’re interested in Jasper. They know he’s got the goods even if he isn’t handling the ball. He’ll make all-county and, he performs under me, maybe all-state. He doesn’t have great grades but he’s scored high on the SATs and he’s a class officer.”

Layne felt a muscle jump in his cheek before he said low, “Nick, far’s I know, Jasper hasn’t heard word that any scouts have come forward and declared interest. We knew they were scoutin’ but nothin’ after that.”

Nick stared at him hard.

Then he said, “I’ll return some calls.”

“Obliged,” Layne murmured, Nick nodded and turned to jog back down the hall.

Layne watched him for three beats until his neck relaxed and his temper was under control.

Then he turned and walked out the door.

* * * * *

“Merry, you been dodgin’ me for three days. You get this, you call me. I don’t hear from you by tomorrow, I hunt you down,” Layne growled into his phone and snapped it shut.

No sooner had he closed it when it chimed in his hand and he looked to see he had a text from Rocky. He opened his phone and read it.

Going to bed early. Have a headache. You don’t need to come over. See you tomorrow?

Layne clenched his teeth and hit the reply button with his thumb.

I’ll be over.

He hit send, flipped the phone shut, tossed it on the seat beside him and looked out the windshield of his truck toward the side doors of the church.

Youth Group should be out any minute now.

He wanted to get this done. He wanted to shut Gaines down; find a way to make Adrian Cosgrove pay for beating his wife and son and f**king with Jasper’s future; rest in the knowledge his ex-wife was safe in her own home; take down Rutledge and whoever was pulling his strings; bring Jarrod Astley low so he’d be out of Roc’s life; talk his mother into getting her shit together or getting her ass back to Florida; and he wanted to talk to Merry so he could sort Rocky out.

Then he wanted to go on vacation.

With Rocky.

And maybe his boys.

His phone chimed, he looked at it sitting in the seat, its screen lit and he picked it up and flipped it open. Another text from Raquel.

Okay, baby. You have dinner?

He smiled at the phone, his earlier irritation evaporating, and texted back.

No but I’m good.

He sent the text, flipped the phone shut and started upending and twisting it in his fingers as he looked back at the doors to see kids coming out.

Youth Group met in the old sanctuary, the church that had stood there for fifty years before they built on the new, modern sanctuary which was four times the size and the new build included a Fellowship Hall, kitchens and offices. They still used the old sanctuary for church business, like Youth Group, and rented it out. The new church wasn’t new, as such. It had been built when Layne was a kid. But it didn’t resemble the old church at all, even if it was attached to it. The new church was attractive but the old church had charm, it fit the ‘burg. Even when he was a kid and his mother took him there, Layne never understood why they built it that way. The two buildings were attached but they didn’t match. Two different styles, two different eras and the new church, even though it dwarfed the old one, never seemed like it belonged.

He watched Jasper, Giselle and Tripp leave the building and head to the Charger. He also watched Tripp say something that made Jasper throw his head back and laugh and Giselle turned hers to smile a big smile at his son. Then he watched Tripp take advantage of the smile and grab her hand. She couldn’t hide being startled by the contact but she didn’t pull away either and walked to the Charger holding Tripp’s hand.

Layne’s lips tipped up. Tripp was definitely learning cool.

His phone chimed and he had another text from Rocky.

There’s a plate in the oven. Remember to turn it off, will you?

Got it. Go to sleep. Layne texted back, flipped the phone shut and tossed it back to the seat.

Then he watched the kids drive away in their cars or with their parents who had come to pick them up. Then he waited for Gaines to leave. The Honda and a red Ford Focus were the only cars left in the lot.

Then he waited longer.

Then he waited even longer.

Finally, he saw the lights streaming through the stained glass windows of the old sanctuary go out and, five minutes later, Gaines walked out with a young girl. Pretty. Tall. Thin. Dark, long hair, so healthy it gleamed in the lights of the parking lot. Layne knew she was sixteen since she could drive, maybe seventeen. But she didn’t have the confidence of a senior, she didn’t hold her body in that way that hinted at the woman she’d become. She still had girl in her.