Help Me Remember (Rose Canyon, #1)(49)

Sara hands me a youth extra-large, and it doesn’t even go halfway across my chest. The hits keep coming.

Sara pins my shirt on as Brielle does this magic trick where she pulls one shirt on before taking the other off. I have no idea how she does it, but it is most definitely not something the male gender could accomplish.

Then she throws me a cheeky grin. “See you on the flip side, Cross.”

“Yeah, the losing side,” I toss back.

She winks and then leads her new entourage over to where it seems a few more of the kids’ friends were waiting. We walk to where my team is apparently going to be, and . . . well, I’m screwed.

It’s apparently boys versus girls, and I am leading the girls. I’m not all that great with kids’ ages, but I’m guessing these are the younger siblings of the turds who are with Brie.

“Kids, this is your team captain, Mr. Cross. He’s going to help you guys try to win,” Sara says.

I wave, and one of the little girls raises her hand. “Yes?”

“Can I hide behind you? I don’t want to get hit.”

At least I know my weakest link. “That’s not really how it works, but we’ll figure out a plan.”

The girl next to her raises her hand. “My name is Mable, that’s Taylor, and I don’t like water. My mommy says I have to take baths because it’s the law. I don’t like the law.”

“Okay. Good to know.”

“Where are your kids?” the first girl, Taylor, asks.

“I don’t have any,” I reply.

One boy, who apparently didn’t make it over to the other side, stares at me. He’s the oldest and possibly my best player. I think. “You mean you’re just here to play?”

“I’m on a date.”

Not sure why I relayed that info.

His face scrunches. “My older brother, Theo, says you take girls to the movies.”

“Theo would have the right idea, but I was trying something new. What’s your name?”

“Matt.”

“Well, Matt, welcome to the team. Can you throw?”

He shakes his head. “If I could, I’d be on that team.”

Right. “Can you run fast?”

“Yeah.”

“Good, then do a lot of that.”

I turn to the last girl. “And what’s your name?”

She sways back and forth and looks at the ground. “I’m Penny.”

“And do you not like to get wet, can’t throw, and are afraid to get hit?” I ask, hoping that maybe I have at least one.

“I don’t like any of those. I’m ridiculous.”

I’m speechless on this one. “Why are you ridiculous?”

She shrugs. “That’s what my teacher says.”

“Your teacher should be fired,” I inform her.

All right, well, this is going to be a bloodbath, and I am never going to live it down. Brielle is going to tell people about this date, and I will never hear the end of it. So, I am going to take my team and form a plan that includes a lot of hiding.

“Is that pretty girl on the other team your girlfriend?” Mable asks.

She’s my world. “She is a very good friend who I like very much.”

“So, she’s your girlfriend!” Mable yells this time. “Why aren’t you with her? Does she like Timmy? He’s my brother, and he said he’s going to hit me in the head with the balloon.”

I’m in the eighth circle of hell. “We won’t let that happen, Mable. You point out Timmy, and we’ll make sure he’s the first out.” I’m really hoping it’s the mouthy kid who keeps calling me old.

The two women stride onto the field and stop by the four large drums in the center. The one has a megaphone and calls everyone in.

“Welcome to the second annual kids’ water balloon tournament. Each team has four drums that are filled with balloons. Two are here, one is on the right side of the park, and one is on the left side of the park. Some balloons are filled with clear water while others are filled with colored water. As long as you’re splashed with a clear water balloon, you stay in the game, but if you’re hit with a colored water balloon, then you’re out. The object of the game is to capture the other team’s flag. In the bottom of one of the drums here is the map with where your flag is hidden and two clues as to where the other team’s flag is. You want to guard your flag at all costs while also attempting to capture theirs. Do you want to flip a coin?”

Brielle shakes her head. “No need. You should let Spencer pick first.”

“No, flip the coin,” I say.

“We don’t want it. We’ll concede the coin toss.”

I’m about to toss her over my shoulder and show her what she’ll concede. However, Sara cuts in.

“Spencer, do you want to be the green team or the red team?”

Whatever. Sooner I can get this over with, sooner I can redeem myself on this date. I look to Mable. “What do you think?”

“Green!”

“Green it is.”

“Brielle, your team will have the red coloring.”

“Are you ready?”

Brielle grins. “Oh, we’re ready, right boys?”