Nefarious (4 Ch. Sample)

Chapter Four

"I hope I'm not taking you away from any baseball today." Rylan said to Casper who was over with Tate to help with the kitchen.

"No game today. It's an off day. They played yesterday." Casper answered as he worked on pulling out one of the stoves.

"Did they win?" Why did she care? She had never watched a baseball game in her life. She grew up around football. Dallas Cowboys had been her dad's favorite team. But she wasn't really a fan of them either.

"Lost to the Braves 5-4." Casper's voice was disappointment.

"Is that bad for them?"

"No, it's only game two. They won the first one 1-0. It will be the best out of five."

"Which still gives them a chance." Rylan smiled when Casper looked over his shoulder with a smile of his own. A funny little flutter happened in her stomach at his breathtaking smile and piercing blue eyes. He hadn't shaved completely but he had trimmed his beard.

"Yes, it does." Casper didn't know what to make of Rylan Somers'. He knew by Tate who she was now and why the name had sounded so familiar to him. He had heard different versions of the story since coming to Oak Harbor but only believed Tate's since Rydel Somers' had been his girlfriend back then. He wanted to get to know Rylan but wasn't sure how to go about it. He wanted to be sensitive to her feelings about this place and didn't won't to seem like he was prying. He wanted to ask her out but didn't won't to overstep his boundaries with her. He didn't want her to think he felt sorry for her or pitied her. He found her intriguing. So really all he knew to do was take it day by day.

"Maybe they'll win their next game." Rylan wore a hopeful smile.

"That will be tomorrow, and I hope they do." Casper stressed his words as if it was the most important thing in his life as he struggled with the stove.

Rylan laughed surprising herself. She didn't laugh that much anymore. Hardly anything made her happy these days. So why was she laughing? Why did she like being around Casper? Why was it easy for her to smile around him? To relax around him.

"Are you into sports?" Casper stopped messing with the stove and leaned back against it.

"I know absolutely nothing about any sports other than a touchdown in football."

Casper laughed and scratched his chin. Rylan sounded happy that she hadn't been caught up in the obsession of the sports world. "Like you told me about bacon apple pie, you're missing out."

"Way to use my words against me. Are you going to make me try sports, like I made you try bacon apple pie?" Rylan faked dread. She ignored the hope inside her that he would. That was crazy.

"I'm not mean like you." Casper winked then went back to working on the stove.

Rylan's mouth parted in shock. His joking around with her was one of his characteristics that drew her to him. "You had to like it some. You said it wasn't the worst thing in the world."

"Yes, I did." Casper agreed never looking at her as he worked. He struggled with the stove as it finally slid out from beside the counter and the other stove. He was about to ask her if she would like to come over Sunday and watch the game but thought better of it. Rylan might not be so comfortable at his house since they just met. It didn't work in his favor that the game started at seven at night either.

"But then again we are talking about sports. And in my opinion bacon apple pie surpasses sports of any kind. So, thank you for not being mean." Teased Rylan. She walked around to the other side of the island and propped her elbows on it. Casper gave her a look. She only smiled. They both heard Tate coming with the trailer.