Rosemary Danced: Ivy Book One Read online

  “Good. Because I’m not scared. I’m not scared of anything, now.”

  They held hands for a long time. She didn’t want to leave. “So, are you ready to go public at school?”

  Mike chuckled. “I’ve been ready; I’ve just been waiting for you to catch up. I’ll be waiting for you in the parking lot on Monday morning. We’re walking in together, you and me. We’re a team now. Forever.”

  “Okay.” She smiled hesitantly. “It’s a date.”

  Chapter 32

  Mike paced the sidewalk while he waited before school. The white truck pulled in and by the time he had crossed the lot, she was out of the truck. “Holy moly, you look great.” He didn’t even notice when Connor jumped out of the truck and walked past him.

  “I thought…now, that it’s you and me—I don’t have to be scared. I can be me.” She had flat-ironed her hair so it fell almost to her waist from a center part. She was wearing tight black skinny jeans and black short boots with kitten heels. Her sapphire-blue sweater hugged her curves. Lightly made up, she carried a large Versace tote.

  “You look gorgeous. Stunning. Beautiful. I’m going to have to learn more adjectives, because you’re going to get tired of hearing those same three words over and over.”

  She blushed. “Stop.”

  “Nope, not gonna stop.” Taking her hand, he strode to the door. He grinned as he opened the door for her and followed her inside. Heads turned as Mike led the way to the football player’s table and the noise of a couple hundred kids talking died down to nothing.

  “Move over, Anders.” Mike slid onto the bench and pulled Rosemary in behind him.

  “Hey, Rosemary. Lookin’ good today, Dancin’ Queen.” Jake grinned over at her.

  “Jake, shut up.” Mike glared at him.

  “Studly. I’m just sayin’ what everybody’s thinkin’.” Leaning forward, Jake caught Rosemary’s eye. “Hey, since we go to the same class first period, how about I walk you to class?” Mike growled. “Just playin’ with ya, Stud. Calm down, big boy.” Jake was shaking with laughter.

  The other players were watching Mike and Rosemary. Mike put his arm around her waist possessively. “Hey, guys?”

  The table got quiet. “You know the old saying, ‘protect your quarterback’?” Heads nodded up and down the table. “There’s a new one to add to that: ‘Protect your quarterback’s girl.’ Got it?” Heads nodded again.

  Rosemary blushed. “Mike, don’t be silly.”

  “I’m not being silly. This is my team, so this is your team.” Again, heads bobbed up and down the table.

  By the end of the morning, Rosemary felt like she had suddenly acquired twenty large, aggressive big brothers. Mike walked her to her first class and glared at any guy who made the mistake of looking twice at Rosemary. When she walked into her second class, three guys whistled and cat-called until two large young men quietly shut them down. The same two boys walked her down the hall after class until they met three football players who took over, escorting her to her third class.

  Just after lunch, Rosemary was alone at her locker. She heard whispering behind her, but she ignored it. When she finally straightened and turned around she faced several girls. All tiny, all with mean-girl expressions. “How in the world do you find clothes to fit you?” The first girl looked her up and down, a sneer on her face while her friends giggled. They were so busy giggling and making comments, they didn’t see the three football players sneak up behind them. The first girl reached out to touch Rosemary’s thigh, but Rosemary stepped back, away from the girl’s hand. “I bet I couldn’t even get my hand around one side of one of those tree trunks.”

  “Kara, are you out of your mind?” Jake reached for the girl and pulled her back from Rosemary.

  “Ooh, baby—how are you?” The girl’s face lit up as she clutched the front of Jake’s shirt.

  “I’m ticked.” Jake glared at the girl.

  “Can I make it better?” The girl cooed.

  “Yeah, you can apologize to my girl Rosemary.”

  “Your girl Rosemary?” The girl looked startled. “What do you mean? I’m your girl.”

  “She’s my girl because she’s Stud’s girl.” Jake crossed her arms across his chest. “I’m not sure who you are, because I can’t believe my Kara would be such a nasty jerk.” Looking away, Jake considered the small group of girls. “Hi, Tiff. Ashley. Hey, Cass—weren’t you dating Chad?”

  “I’m still dating Chad.” The very pretty girl with long blond hair answered.

  “You sure about that?”

  Cassie’s long ponytail swung from side to side as she tossed her head. “Chad comes when I snap.” She snapped her fingers. “Just like that.”

  “Hey, Cass?” Chad Keller leaned against the doorjamb in an open doorway behind the group of girls, his arms crossed, grinning lazily. “Girl, I’m done jumping. Hand over my class ring.” He held out his hand, never taking his eyes off the girl. Finally, she pulled off the ring and threw it at him. He reached out, caught it easily and tucked it into the pocket of his jeans. “Thanks.”

  Looking away from his now ex-girlfriend, Chad grinned at Rosemary. “May I walk you to class, Rosemary?” Chad took her elbow, ignoring the furious stares of the four girls. When they reached the end of the short hallway and turned onto the main school hallway, Chad looked over. “I heard that you were stylin’ today. I’ve wondered when you were going to quit hiding it.”

  “Hiding what?”

  “Your light. Your glamour. Your beauty. Your magnificence.”

  Rosemary shook her head. “You sound like Cruz.”

  “We are brothers. We don’t agree on everything, but we agree on that. So, no more overalls, please, unless you decide to paint somebody’s house.”

  Rosemary laughed. “I’ll do my best.”

  Mike met her outside her last class. “Hey, baby. Did you have a good day?”

  “It was interesting. I think I now know what it’s like to have big brothers…twenty of them.”

  Mike grinned. “Good. That’s just what I was hoping.” Mike took her bag and threw it over his shoulder. “I heard Keller broke up with his girlfriend in the middle of the hall today.”

  “Yeah. He was very cool about it—just told her the way it was and to give his class ring back.”

  “Keller is the king of cool. I’ve never seen anything ruffle his feathers. He acts like everything in his life is effortless, but nobody works harder than he does. He keeps himself in top physical condition and his grades are better than a four-point. He doesn’t talk about it, but he wants to be a doctor like his dad.”

  Rosemary leaned against Mike’s shoulder before she stepped into her truck. “Call me later?”

  “How about I come out for supper?” Mike grinned. “I saw John earlier and he asked me.”

  “Even better.”

  “I’ll be out in about an hour.” Mike kissed her on the cheek.

  Mike played video games with Connor and Caleb, played with Jared and seriously discussed the merits of Belle and Elsa with the twins. When Rosemary walked him to his car, she hugged him. “You’re a Masters savant; my whole family has fallen in love with you.”

  Mike beamed. “That’s good. All part of my plan to win your heart and ingratiate myself to your peeps.”

  “I can’t believe how fast things have changed. I was terrified of going out on a date with you and now you have my family eating out of your hand.”

  Mike waggled his eyebrows. “Definitely my charm and brilliance. Or maybe Somebody Up There likes us.”

  “Maybe you’re right.” Rosemary smiled. You gave your grandparents two of the tickets you bought, right? So, I’m taking two?”

  “Yeah. They may not realize they’re sitting next to my sweet girl. My grandma is kind of standoffish, so don’t let that scare you. My grandpa is like my dad—a nice guy.”

  “I guess one out of two isn’t bad. I think my grandparents will be there, too. Marty’s youngest brother plays.”<
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  “Will you see them?”

  “I don’t know. I won’t go looking for them since I’ll have Caleb with me. Oma’s not nice to the boys and Caleb gets his feelings hurt.”

  “Your brothers are great kids. I can’t believe she’s not nice to them. That’s just wrong.” Mike shook his head. “I don’t get that.”

  “Oma’s difficult for anybody to understand.”

  Chapter 33

  “Cute, Boo!” Mike whistled appreciatively the next morning.

  “Running late this morning.” Rosemary grinned. Her curve-hugging black dress was shorter than he’d seen her wear, but the hemline was still just a few inches above her knee, and her toned legs rippled with muscle. She’d thrown a worn denim jacket over the dress, put her hair up in a messy bun and tied on simple white sneakers with some chunky silver jewelry.

  He leaned over to kiss her lightly. “You smell good, too.”

  “Thanks.”

  Mike was holding tightly to Rosemary’s hand when they walked through the Commons.

  They were walking past a table of cheerleaders towards the football table and Mike could hear the whispering. He knew Amy was sitting with them, but he didn’t make eye contact until Amy’s best friend, Bella, spoke. “You’re a real low-life, Studor. Strutting around with your side piece when your woman is sitting right here. I used to think you were a pretty good guy, but you’re trash.” She put her arm around Amy, who had started to cry.

  Mike stopped and stared down at Bella. The Commons had gone completely silent. “I don’t care what you think of me, but I don’t have a ‘side piece’.” Mike put his arm around Rosemary’s waist. “I have a girlfriend. Rosemary Bakker. The chick who’s crying the crocodile tears right there? I broke up with her in July. She refuses to accept it.”

  “You’re full of it, Studor. I guess you’re gaming both of these women, because Amy’s wearing the promise ring you gave her.”

  Mike laughed. “I didn’t give that to her. I don’t know where the ring came from, but it wasn’t from me. Pretty sure she bought it herself to play this game she’s playing. But I’m not playing her game. Amy needs to find somebody else to scam.”

  Rosemary felt nervous about sitting so close to Mike’s grandparents, but she tried to ignore her nerves as she shepherded Caleb to their seats in the fourth row, on the fifty-yard line at the football game on Friday night. Mike didn’t do anything halfway, and his choice of seats for Rosemary was no exception.

  “Rosemary, there’s Mike.”

  “I see him, Caleb. Tossing the ball.”

  “He’s warming up, Rosie. That’s why he’s tossing the ball.”

  “Okay, Caleb. Thanks. Do you want to get some snacks?” She held out a bill.

  “Sure.” Caleb took the money and ran down to the concession stand. After spreading the blanket, Rosemary pulled on her red leather gloves, pulled the black beret farther down on her head and snuggled into her red pea coat. She concentrated on watching Mike while an older couple made their way down the row.

  “Look, honey, there’s Mickey. I wish Mike was here to watch him.”

  “Me, too, honey.”

  Rosemary never took her eyes off Mike. He looked around and grinned at her when he made eye contact. Making sure none of the coaches were watching, he pulled his phone out and hit a contact name. Rosemary’s phone chimed.

  “Hey, baby.”

  “Hi, you.” Rosemary was acutely conscious of Mike’s grandparents sitting beside her.

  “Sitting next to my grandpa, I see.”

  “Yes, that would be true.”

  “Mom didn’t tell them about you. She was afraid Grandma would give you a hard time.”

  “Why would that happen?”

  “Grandma is notoriously nasty to girlfriends. She also thinks I should be at least thirty years old before I get married. She’s never gotten over the fact that my parents got married young or that my dad was only a teacher with a bachelor’s degree. She thinks if he’d never gotten married, he’d have gotten a Ph.D., like his brother.”

  “Hmm. Glad to hear about that now, at this particular moment, thank you very much.”

  “You’ll do fine. Grandpa will think you’re beautiful and he can handle her. Hey?”

  “Hmm?”

  “I’m glad you’re here. I’m glad you’re my girl and I’m glad you understood why I needed you to be here, too.”

  “Me, too.”

  “Studor!” Rosemary heard the yell both from the phone and from the bench below her.

  “Uh oh, gotta go.”

  “Bye, boo,” Rosemary whispered. The call ended, but he looked up at her, tossed his phone down, and blew her a kiss. When she put her phone away, she caught Mike’s grandmother staring at her.

  “Hey, Rosemary. You’re not gonna believe this.” Caleb’s words tumbled over each other. “There are scouts here to watch Mike! A scout from Mizzou and one from LSU! Dad will be so pumped.”

  “What or where is Mizzou?” Rosemary asked.

  “It’s the University of Missouri.”

  “Okay. So, a scout comes to watch him and then talks to him about coming to their school?”

  “Probably not. They watch, make notes and report back to the coaches. It means they are looking at him to see if they want to offer him a scholarship.”

  “Okay. Is Mizzou a big deal school?”

  “Both LSU and Mizzou are Division One schools and they’re both in the SEC, which is a big-deal conference. It’s a really big deal.”

  “Excuse me.” Mike’s grandpa tapped her on the shoulder.

  “Yes, sir?”

  “Are you a friend of my grandson’s? Of Mickey Studor’s?”

  Rosemary smiled. “Yes, Mike and I are friends.”

  Caleb leaned over to look at the man. “She’s his girlfriend.”

  Mike’s grandmother gasped. “She didn’t tell me he had a girlfriend.”

  “Patty, you mean?”

  “Mickey’s mother.”

  Caleb leaned over again. “Yeah, Mike says he’s gonna marry Rosemary.” Mike’s grandmother gasped again, much more loudly.

  Rosemary rolled her eyes. “Caleb, that’s enough out of you, please.” She offered Mr. Studor her hand. “I’m Rosemary Bakker.”

  Mike’s grandfather shook her hand. “I can see why Mickey is seeing you. You’re very lovely.”

  Rosemary blushed. “Thank you, sir.”

  “But you’re surely not contemplating marriage. I don’t know how old you are, but Mickey is much too young for that!” Mike’s grandmother said sharply.

  “I think my brother may have misunderstood Mike. I’m seventeen; nobody is talking about marriage.”

  “Mike told me and Connor he’s gonna marry you, Rosie.”

  “Caleb, please.” Rosemary tried to ignore Mike’s grandmother staring daggers at her.

  “This is Mike and that girl all over again.” Mrs. Studor muttered.

  “Jean,” her husband said warningly.

  “They were too young to get married and they never would have if she hadn’t turned up pregnant. If they hadn’t had Mickey so young, Mike would still be alive.”

  Rosemary did her best to ignore her when the game started. She was there to watch Mike, and she certainly wasn’t going to try to win the woman over. Mrs. Studor’s issues didn’t have anything to do with her—she didn’t even know her.

  The game was fun; Mike was on fire, at least according to Caleb. Mike made twenty-seven completed passes for almost three hundred yards, five passing touchdowns and he ran for a touchdown. They won the game. At the end of the game, they were all standing, cheering. Mike’s grandpa took the opportunity to lean over and speak to her. “I’m sorry about my wife. Mike is a lucky guy.”

  Rosemary smiled and nodded, but she saw that Mrs. Studor was glaring at her, so she didn’t say anything. In answer to Mike’s text, Rosemary gathered up Caleb and made her way to the sidelines. When he saw her, Mike’s face lit up, he reached out
to hug her and then he clapped Caleb on the shoulder. “Grandma, Grandpa, this is Rosemary Bakker and her brother Caleb.” Rosemary said hello to Patty’s parents. Mike squeezed her hand. “Did you meet my dad’s parents?”

  “Uh, yes.” Mike looked closely at Rosemary, then over at his grandmother Jean.

  “Grandma? Did you meet Rosemary?”

  “Yes, Mickey, we did.” His grandmother stared straight ahead, not making eye contact with Mike. He took Rosemary’s hand and walked over to his grandmother. Leaning over, he spoke quietly.

  “Grandma, I feel lucky I met Rosemary. We’re dating and I hope someday we’ll be more. If you can’t accept that, I’ll be very sorry. Because I love you, and I would miss you.”

  Mrs. Studor gasped. “Mickey, that’s a terrible thing to say.”

  “Maybe so, Grandma. But, I know what you did to Dad and Mom. I don’t plan on letting that happen with us, so I’d appreciate it if you would keep any negative thoughts about us to yourself.”

  Mike stared down at his grandmother for a minute before he took Rosemary and went back to the group of people standing by his mother. He squeezed Rosemary’s hand again and winked at her. “You’re rocking the red, all the way down to your boots.”

  “Thank you.” Leaning closer, she spoke in Mike’s ear. “You were pretty rough on your grandma.”

  “I was setting boundaries. It’s necessary with her.”

  “Okay. I trust you.” Rosemary squeezed his hand.

  Mike was still holding Rosemary’s hand while they walked to the parking lot. “You’ll be careful driving home, right? Watch for deer, it’s that time of year.”

  “I will. I’ll be careful.”

  “Rosemary?” Rosemary sighed when she heard the shrill voice.

  “Hi, Oma. Hello, Gertrude.” Rosemary’s voice was polite, but chilly.

  “Did you come to watch your cousin Mitchell?” Rosemary’s oma stared at Rosemary’s hand in Mike’s. Her lip curled in distaste.