Free A Measure of Love by Sophie Jackson Page A

Park instructed, clutching an invisible mallet, his hands clenched as fists in the air. “You let it get away from you and that’s when the problems start.”
    Riley did as he was told and glared at the fence before he took a mighty swing and slammed the mallet head into it. The timber and concrete posts gave under the force, yielding a satisfying crack. Riley did it again even harder, until, with just three swings, the fence panel and post were all but rubble at his feet.
    “That’ll work,” Park commented, his tone satisfied if not a little surprised. He twirled his index finger. “Now do it again to the rest of them.”
    Riley grinned and set about pummeling the fence with everything he had. The delicious burn through his arms and the satisfaction he got from hearing the cracks and snaps almost dissolved the anger that had been boiling in his belly for a week. He almost forgot how hurt he was when he’d learned that Lexie was going to the end-of-year dance with Blake fuckin’ Richards instead of him, and the jealousy, which had Riley pinning the guy to a locker when he’d overheard him bragging about Lexie to his buddies, slowly turned from an all-out inferno to a gentle simmer.
    Yeah, there was a lot to be said for hitting things to release tension.
    When they’d worked halfway around the yard, Park fetched two cans of soda and two sandwiches to eat on the back porch. Riley sat with a groan, his back muscles protesting at the movement, and set about eating his lunch.
    “You’ve done a good job,” Park said, looking at Riley’s handiwork before sliding his gaze over to him. “Feel better?”
    Riley held his breath. He could detect a heart-to-heart coming a mile off, and Riley certainly wasn’t about to discuss Lexie with his dad. It was bad enough when his mother asked questions. “I’m fine,” he said in lieu of anything else.
    “Your mother’s worried.”
    “I’m fine.”
    “So you’ve said, but I call bull.”
    Riley placed his half-eaten sandwich at his feet and exhaled. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
    “I get that.” Park nodded in Riley’s periphery. “I do. And I don’t want to pry.”
    Riley huffed and rolled his eyes. “Mom’s probably told you everything anyway.”
    “You’re probably right.”
    Riley had to smirk at that one. “It’s nothing.”
    His dad placed his plate down, too, and moved a little closer until their shoulders touched. “You and Lexie have been friends for a long time.”
    “Yeah,” Riley remarked bitterly. “Which doesn’t seem to matter to her.”
    “And that hurts because you like her.”
    Riley cleared his throat and shrugged. “She’s my friend.”
    “And a very pretty girl.”
    The sound that came from Riley was somewhere between a protest and an embarrassed laugh. He shook his head. It didn’t matter that his father was right. Yes. Lexie was pretty. He fisted his hands between his knees.
    Okay, really pretty.
    Over the last few months, Riley had noticed that fact more and more—the way her blonde hair always looked great, the way her nose scrunched when he made her laugh, or how soft her skin was whenever he got the chance to touch it. The list of things he liked about her seemed to grow longer and longer as the days passed, leaving his head in a complete mess. Riley wasn’t sure how it had happened or why, but his best friend whom he’d built spaceships with, collected worms with, and climbed trees with was now a girl who, when they touched, made his belly feel funny. He knew he’d always been a little possessive of her—he’d defended and protected her whenever she’d needed him to; she was his best friend, after all—but this was different. He felt different. Being just friends didn’t seem enough for him anymore.
    He’d done his best to behave normally around her and, as far as he could tell, he’d managed it. No one had said anything, at least. Except maybe his mother and Seb. Whatever. Riley couldn’t deny a part of