Ranee Clark - Love, Jane

December

Sean OCallaghan rubbed his hands together and puffed air into them. He glanced at his watch. Twenty more minutes left, and he could go inside. He had his free period coming up. Probably the only thing that had him looking forward to grading tests was getting out of the cold.

Hey, there.

Sean spun at the sound of Jane Reevess voice.

What are you doing out here? he asked.

She held out a Styrofoam cup with the logo from a convenience store down the street. The scent of caramel and chocolate wafted up at him when she stepped closer. The question is, what are you doing out here?

He waved his hand at the freshmen and sophomores running around on the football field behind him. Kids have been crazy all week. Its unseasonably warm and still no snow. Good day to go outside. He wrapped his hands around Janes on the outside of the hot chocolate, the feel of her hands in his warming him better than the drink ever would. I cant drink this.

Come on. One cup of salted caramel hot chocolate isnt going to kill you. Man, that smilemischievousness mixed with her usual thoughtfulness.

No, but its going to make me soft.

Ha. She gripped one his biceps as proof. His time spent coaching football, rather than playing it, hadnt actually softened him too much. Unseasonably warm or not, its cold , like forty degrees or something. And you wont buy one for yourself even though its your favorite. Let me spoil you. She pushed it up toward his mouth before slipping her fingers out of his. Neither of them wanted another lecture from the principal about setting an example for the kids when it came to public displays of affection.

They stood, their shoulders touching. Well, her shoulder touching his armshe wasnt short, but he was six eight. They watched the kids play capture the flag. Jane shivered beside him. Sean sipped the hot chocolate, more than the searing liquid warming him. Standing together like this always made him think of them as a team, like they were in a huddle together, planning their next move. She said she liked it because he was a giant heater.

You went to Back Alley Market for meduring your free period?

Dont let it go to your head. She nudged him with her elbow.

Everything this girl did went straight to his head. Too late. He nudged her back, glad shed come out to stand here and watch a dozen underclassmen run off energy. He shifted the drink to his other hand and pulled out his phone to show her the latest text from his older sister. What do you want to do tonight? Amy says I need to quit taking you to crappy places.

Jane leaned over his hand, her hair falling over one shoulder and stirring up the scent of her shampoosomething with mint.

From his vantage point, towering above her, he couldnt miss how shed pulled her shoulders together and shoved her hands into her jacket pockets.

Take Jane someplace nice for once. Show the girl some romance, Jane read aloud. She glanced up at him. Why had her smile frozen up? Older sisters, amiright? She ran the last phrase together and held a fist up to bump his.

Clasping his phone to make a fist, he obliged, confusion about her reaction sitting heavy in his stomach and not mixing well with the hot chocolate. Any ideas? he asked.

I have a friend in town. I promised wed go do something together.

Sean frowned. All night? Crap, his voice had held a lot of whine just then. From the moment he met Jane when he started teaching at Spanish Fork High School, shed had a pull on him. He admired the way she always had the time to stay after and work with a student, the way she got how he cared more about what he did day-to-day than making it in a big-time career.

She chuckled, some of her tension loosening, but she wouldnt look him in the eye. From his time as a linemanthe center, no lessat BYU, Sean knew about body language and reading people. It had made him good at his one jobprotect the quarterback. Something was up.

Dont get all possessive on me, OCallaghan, she said. She took a step or two away, her body angled back toward the building.

Sean fought the urge to reach for her hand and pull her back. Jane had been antsy about getting serious too fast since their first dates, and he liked her too much to scare her by pushing hereven if it killed him. Whatever her hang-up or reasons for taking things slow, hed go along with it. But shed never minded that he held her hand when they went out or cuddled when they hung out with each other or stole the occasional kiss. They had been out every night that week so far. The fact that shed agreed to four dates in a row had Sean hoping they could take another step forward in their relationship, but maybe not.

He beckoned her back with his cup. Keep me company for ten more minutes.

I may have gotten you hot chocolate, but what makes you think Ill stay out here in the cold with you? She inched farther away like she wanted the excuse to rush off.

You know I played with Rocket Rogers, right? he joked.

She faked a yawn. You cant live off your BYU glory days forever.

Fine. He held it out to her. Ill share my cocoa.

She scooted back next to him. Mmm. Now youre talking.

It was a relief that she acquiesced so easily. He reminded himself to be patient. Shed come into their friendship with her guard up against a serious relationship. He didnt know why, but he would respect it. Until he could change her mind, anyway.

Well, if you wont hang out with me, he said, hoping to make it less like a date, I guess Ill have to console myself by crashing dinner at Amys.

Crashing? Jane laughed, and it pleased Sean that the tension in her body had smoothed out. How many texts have you had from her this week, telling you to come eat her leftovers?

Only two. Wes took her out for an early date night last night. When Jane kept staring at him, even after handing the hot chocolate back, he asked, What?

I like the way your face gets all soft when you talk about your sisters.

He covered his embarrassment by drinking a too-large gulp of hot chocolate. Despite the fact that it scorched most of his taste buds, he managed to keep his face emotionless. Soft? Theyre too bossy. Hed already graduated from high school when their mom died, but they acted like they needed to raise him anyway.

Yeah, whatever, Mr. Big Talk.

He ignored her playful smirk. Hey, how about you call me when you get done hanging out with your friend. David is always with Sophie now that baseball season is over, and the house gets lonely with just me and DJ around. He sounded pathetic again, but he didnt mind so much. Not with Jane.

She stood close enough that he felt her clench her hands inside her pockets. Sheesh. Was it that bad that he wanted to see her every night?

Maybe. She flashed him a conciliatory smile, lips only and not reaching the worry in her eyes. DJ still brings plenty of girls over.

A bunch of responses pinged around in his head, but hed already spooked her enough for one conversation, so he settled for a snort of laughter. Jane shared a knowing smirk with him. His roommate was a big flirt.

Sean glanced at his watch and reached for the whistle under his coat. Before he even had it out, Jane had covered her ears. He grinned despite himself. She might cringe over his attempts to get too serious, but she already seemed to almost read his mind.

Gather up the stuff, and lets go inside, he yelled in his coach-voice. Bells about to ring. Sean and Jane waited side by side as the kids scooped up the flags from either end of the field and headed for the building. They fell into step behind the kids, walking back to the building together in comfortable silence. Jane kept her shoulder in contact with his arm until they reached the side door that led into the gym.