Free Hill Country Hero by Ann DeFee Page A

was definitely overreacting. It was just one kiss. Not the end of the world.
    “Wrong answer.” She shook her head. “This can’t happen again.”
    Jocks sucked. Players sucked. Remember Tank. Jocks have groupies. Now if she could mentally run that tape when Jake was around, she’d be in business.

Chapter Twelve
    Shortly after breakfast, Jake and Greg took last night’s wannabe car thieves out for a ditch-digging tutorial. It was hot and humid and the mosquitoes were in fine form. The kids were going to be miserable, CiCi thought as she watched from the shade and comfort of the porch. She was torn between feeling sorry for them and wondering if Jake was right. Perhaps hard work was exactly what they needed.
    But what did she need? She pondered that question while sipping her coffee. Floundering around at eighteen was one thing, but doing it at thirty-two was ridiculous.
    Enough introspection; there was work to be done. Although she was tempted to watch the chain gang, she’d leave it under Jake’s supervision—at least this time. There was more to managing a camp this size than volleyball games, campfires and picnics.
    Ordering supplies was high on her To-Do list, but that didn’t necessarily require her to stay in the office. CiCi went inside just long enough to grab the cordless phone and Cookie’s list of groceries, then went back out on the porch to conduct her business.
    The program at Camp Touchdown was more extensive than just sports and crafts. Academic subjects weren’t a high priority for most of these kids, so Texas Bob had hired a teamof educators to create a curriculum that would make learning fun.
    Every morning the classes included a variety of scholastic pursuits, including drama, literature, botany and life sciences. Kids went about collecting insects with a single-minded pursuit that was usually found only in a scavenger hunt. Math was taught by playing poker. And who could forget Shakespeare done with a Texas twang.
    The afternoons were dedicated to strenuous activities guaranteed to make the little buggers tired. And today, even Rondelle and his buddies had been released from the chain gang long enough to participate in the softball tourney.
    Later that afternoon CiCi was sitting in the bleachers watching the teams play. As hard as she tried, though, she couldn’t keep her eyes off Jake. Imagine that?
    He was deep in discussion with a nubile young lady named Heather who was the coach of the other team. CiCi realized this was purely professional but that didn’t ease the yucky feeling she got when said nubile-ite rested her hand possessively on Jake’s back.
    CiCi knew better than to trust a man who had access to Sharpie-toting women wanting their boobs autographed.
    Okay—she’d truly crossed the abyss to lunacy.
    She needed to calm down. He wasn’t Tank, and as long as he wasn’t consorting with the college staff, whatever he did was his own business.
    Sounds of “You Ain’t Nuthin’ But a Hound Dog” came from deep in her cargo pants’ pocket. That was Mac’s ring. Her sister normally wouldn’t call in the middle of the day so this had to be important.
    “What’s up?” CiCi asked as she answered.
    “You’ll never believe this!”
    CiCi pulled the phone back from her ear. Mac was loud when she got excited. “What?”
    “I had a date with Cole Benavides.”
    It took a moment for CiCi to comprehend exactly what her sister said, but when she did she almost had a seizure.
    “What! Wait, wait, please tell me you didn’t say that!” Cole Benavides was the Road Runners’ quarterback! What worm had burrowed into Mac’s brain?
    “I did.” She paused. “It wasn’t really a date. We met at Starbucks for coffee. I like him.” Mac giggled.
    Good heavens! Hadn’t Mac learned anything from her divorce? Why would she put herself through that kind of grief again? Cole Benavides was the NFL’s answer to Brad Pitt. Blond, athletic, charismatic and handsome as sin—he was a