Hart of the Matter (A Love of the Game Novella)
“Hart of the Matter by Shayne McClendon (Jan-2015) Chapter Two Hart and his two best friends went off to college the summer Bailey and Harley ended their sophomore year. She worried that her friend was in trouble with one of those friends. Beckham Pierce became Harley’s boyfriend right before he graduated. They’d been dating for almost two years now. Bailey didn’t trust him as far as she could throw him and she could see that Hart worried Beck was moving too fast for his little sister. Watc...hing her, seeing what Harley couldn’t or wouldn’t see, became her hobby. A few days ago, the three young men returned home for Spring Break. Initially happy to see them, within a couple of days, Harley went quiet and Bailey watched as Hart hooked up with two of his past girlfriends in the same week. The three of them acted strange, especially Beck.All of them had gathered around the huge dining table in the Jamison home a couple of days into their visit and laughed like old times. For the first couple of hours, it was wonderful. Harley was positively sparkling. Bailey had personally helped her dress and was proud of how pretty her best friend looked. Hart’s little sister was all about sports and was usually in running clothes and sports bras. The girls worked together with Regina, Hart and Harley’s mom, to make dinner. The three of them acted ridiculous when they got together. Sending her daughter out to the garage freezer to get more corn for the soufflé, Regina and Bailey got involved with mixing and chatting about celebrity gossip. Neither of them noticed how long Harley was gone until she returned to the kitchen, placed the corn on the counter, and went upstairs to her bedroom. When she reappeared, gone were the sundress and heels she’d been wearing. She was in jeans and a t-shirt. Most telling was that she didn’t look either of them in the eye. Bailey suspected that something had happened to freak her friend out. Harley just shook her head when their eyes met. The hair prickled on the back of her neck and Bailey knew Beck must have cornered his girlfriend in the garage…within feet of her family…for sex. Again. Watching Harley with a small frown, she kept her mouth shut but determined to get the information one way or another. The elder Jamisons said they needed to drop off Easter care packages at one of the charities they were involved in and their daughter asked to join them. Though Bailey was invited, she declined, interested in seeing what she could find out from the three friends. Regina and Peter kissed her cheeks. “You don’t have to do the dishes, honey. I’ll take care of it when we get back in a few hours.”“Dinner was wonderful. It’s the least I can do, Miss Jamison.”Stroking her hand over Bailey’s hair, she smiled. “You’re eighteen now, isn’t it about time you called me Regina?” Grinning, she nodded. “Have fun, Regina.”“We will and don’t let those boys irritate you.”“Fat chance.” The older woman she was closer to than to her own mother laughed and told her they’d be back in a few hours.A few minutes after she heard their car drive away, the boys arrived to raid the fridge. “You just ate!”They blinked at her. Hart asked in confusion, “What’s your point?”She sighed and shook her head. “No point. Stuff yourselves again, gluttons.” They weren’t in the least offended as they piled their plates with leftovers put away less than an hour before. From the corner of her eye, she saw them carry in a cooler and head up to the rec room over the garage. Their personal hangout for almost two decades.“Excellent,”MoreLess
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