Dropout Read online

  So even though Grayson could see some familiar aspects of his childhood, Catfish Creek wasn’t exactly as he remembered. And, honestly, he wasn’t sure what to make of that.

  Leah had booked him a room at the local hotel where some of the out-of-town alumni were staying. Most had families to come back to, but since his had moved on shortly after he sped out of town, he didn’t have anyone local to stay with. He’d be sure to keep his credit card on file though since Leah had a tendency to want to pay for things for him given that she had a better income. Grayson was just pulling up to the hotel but hit a red light before he could turn. He rolled his eyes, remembering that this particular light always ran long, and he had a feeling at least that much hadn’t changed in the past ten years.

  He let out a breath when he noticed who stood in front of a tan building across the street. Of course, she would be the first person he saw as soon as he came back. He hadn’t even gotten out of his car and stepped foot in the damn town and he’d seen her.

  Kate Williamson.

  Valedictorian of his class, all around brilliant and talented individual. Kate with the long, flowing, chestnut hair that seemed to shine even more now than it had back when he’d been lusting after her in high school. Of course, he was pretty sure she didn’t even know his name. Their high school was big enough that they could play 5A ball, and their zoning restrictions had been restructured enough to make that happen. Hence why his below-poverty-level family could go to the same public school as the Williamsons and St. Daltons. As long as football was taken care of, everything else trailed behind.

  His fingers tightened on the steering wheel as Kate walked into the building, closing the door behind her. He couldn’t believe he still reacted like this with just the barest sight of her. She’d spoken to him a few times in his life, more than likely promptly forgetting who he was afterward. They hadn’t run in the same circles, and yet he couldn’t help his unwarranted reactions.

  She’d been the first girl he crushed on, the only girl in high school that had ever made him smile outside of his and Leah’s friendship. Nothing had ever come of it, of course. She’d been dating Jason St. Dalton throughout most of high school, and had been the straight-A student to his solid-C education, but his dreams had held much more possibilities.

  And now, he felt like a grade-A loser and perhaps even a bit like a stalker for even thinking about her like he had back in the day…and even now.

  Someone honked behind him, and he cursed, noting the now green light. He let his foot off the brake, hit the gas, and turned into the hotel parking lot. Five minutes into this event and he already wanted to turn around and drive back to Denver. He parked and turned off the engine, taking steady breaths. He’d taken the week off, though he hadn’t wanted to, but his boss hadn’t cared. Grayson never took time off since he needed all the income he could get, but between Brody and a couple of the other guys, they’d filled in for him easily. After all, he’d done the same for them countless times. He’d also decided to make the twelve-hour drive himself rather than fly down. Not only was it cheaper, but he also had time to get his head on straight and prepare for what he was about to do.

  Of course, all of that planning had gone out the window as soon as he’d seen Kate. Apparently, old ghosts didn’t fade away as they should.

  Grayson Cleary was the class of 2007’s dropout, who wasn’t quite a dropout. He’d gotten his diploma a few months after everyone else did, but he had done it through the mail since he’d left town as fast as he could.

  “Enough.” He shook his head and got out of his truck. Time to deal with this because Leah needed him, and then he could get out of town as quickly as possible. If he were lucky, no one would recognize him or even care that he was back. After all, he was just the town’s degenerate, nothing important.

  After he had gotten the key to his room, he threw his things inside the small king-bed single and made his way back to his truck. Leah had told him he needed to check in with the reunion committee to get his packet or some crap like that. Apparently, there were a few things going on throughout the week ahead of time, but he knew there was no way he’d be a part of those. He was supposed to meet Leah for a beer later at the Grange, but he knew that probably wouldn’t happen either. He was exhausted from his drive that had started way too freaking early in the morning and just wanted to sleep.

  For now, he drove toward the school, past the football field that seemed even larger than it had been, and parked in visitor parking. Grayson narrowed his eyes as he rubbed his jaw, a sharp pang radiating through his gums before becoming a dull ache.

  Well, fuck. He’d been clenching his teeth the whole way down here—despite the views of Colorado—and he was pretty sure he’d cracked a crown.

  Jesus Christ.

  If he had to find a dentist in Catfish Creek on his way to a damn reunion he didn’t even want to go to, Leah would owe him more than a beer. Hell, more than a keg.

  Ignoring the pain in his jaw, he made his way into the main school building where the email Leah had forwarded him told him to go. School was out for the year, so it was at least quiet from the hustle and bustle, and free of teenage aggravation and angst.

  Thankfully, there was a sign about checking in on the right, and he bypassed the principal’s offices. Leah had visited there more than he had, but he still didn’t want to go down that particular memory lane.

  He froze when he recognized the woman standing behind the table marked for the reunion. She looked a little older than she had back in high school, but her makeup hid most of that. She still had her bleach-blonde hair, teased accordingly to the current styles, and smiled wildly at him.

  Of course, Karly Stocker was in charge of the Reunion Committee. Who else would want to organize so many things at once? She was like a dictator in love with control.

  “Hi there,” she said with a bright smile. Her gaze traveled over his worn jeans and faded T-shirt that showcased the fact that he worked hard with his body day in and day out. He’d bulked up some since high school and had the abs to prove it, and from the way Karly studied him like a cat in cream, he assumed she liked what she saw.

  He had a feeling a single shower wouldn’t get the ick feeling off his skin, at least not anytime soon.

  When her gaze went to his face, her eyes narrowed. “Grayson Cleary. I didn’t think you’d actually show up.”

  He was going to kill Leah for this.

  Slowly.

  He cleared his throat. “I’m here.”

  She snorted. “A man of few words, as usual. I’m a little surprised the rest of the committee agreed to your invitation, but here we are. I mean, most people who will show up this week actually graduated.” She giggled, and Grayson clenched his jaw. Blinding pain shocked his system, and he held back a curse. He did not want to go to a dentist, but it looked like he wasn’t going to get what he wanted anytime soon.

  “Got the invitation anyway.”

  She rolled back her shoulders. “Yeah, it seems you did. And Leah is registered, as well.” Her eyes narrowed once again. “Did you two finally marry? Her last name is the same, but knowing her, she kept it after she got married. She’s one of those women. Feminists.” She spat the word like it was a bad thing to think women needed equal rights.

  Typical Karly.

  “Just friends. Like we were before.”

  She snorted sweetly, though there was nothing sweet about it. “Sure, honey. Whatever you say.” She looked through a stack of envelopes and handed one over. “Here’s the schedule of events and things you’ll need for the reunion. The Brisket BBQ is tonight if you want to make it.” Her gaze traveled over his clothing again. “And remember, the actual reunion is a masquerade.” She paused. “A gala with masks if you don’t know what that means.”

  Once again, he ignored the pain as he clenched his jaw. “I saw the description in the email.”

  “Sure you did, honey. Just be sure to dress appropriately, or they won’t let you in the door
.” She giggled again, and he just barely refrained from rolling his eyes.

  “Thanks, Karly.”

  She waved him off, a giant diamond on her left hand. “Bye-bye, Grayson Cleary. I’m sure we’ll be seeing you around.”

  The way she said it made him think she’d be texting everyone she knew—at least those who she thought might care—that he was back and as much of a loser as ever, just as soon as he turned his back.

  It had been ten fucking years but, apparently, he was right back in high school again.

  Chapter Two

  Kate St. Dalton, formerly Williamson, had not only missed breakfast but now that the clock was heading into four p.m., she was pretty sure she’d missed lunch, as well. If her best friends Rae or Tessa could see her, they’d probably yell at her. Okay, so Tessa would give her a stern lecture since the other woman was an RN, who also tended to skip meals, and Rae would just calmly hand over a bag of snacks. But still, she knew not eating wasn’t the smartest thing in the world.

  Then again, it had been a long time since she’d done the smart thing.

  “Kate, get the Walker file ready for me, can you?” Dr. Ballard asked as he strode by her desk, not even bothering to look at her. He did that often so it wasn’t a surprise, but one day, it would be nice if he actually looked at her. Or said please.

  Dr. Anton Ballard was her age and had been in the same graduating class. He’d been the salutatorian to her valedictorian, and throughout the years, he’d never let her forget it. While both of them had moved away to go to college at A&M and UT Austin respectively, he had been the one to complete his degree and was now a highly sought after dentist in west Texas.

  Kate had only completed one semester before being forced to drop out thanks to the birth of her son, West. Her husband hadn’t wanted her to do too much and had promised her that she’d be able to return to school as soon as West was old enough to attend nursery school. Then, of course, she’d had Liliana less than two years later, and hadn’t had the time to return to school. There hadn’t been much time for anything when it came to Jason St. Dalton it seemed.

  Including their marriage.

  Anton—Dr. Ballard—had graciously let her come and work with him when her marriage had failed and she’d moved back to Catfish Creek to be near her parents. She’d only had a high school education with a semester or two of college classes under her belt thanks to night school. Nobody else would have hired her at the salary she made, but at the time, she’d figured Anton had wanted to be nice to her.

  Instead, she’d discovered that he wanted to lord his success over her. He’d been second place once, and he refused to be again. While Kate always seemed to be a step behind these days because she’d followed the wrong dream.

  She held back a curse at that horrible thought. Her babies were not the wrong dream. Maybe she hadn’t lived up to her potential—as her parents continuously reminded her—but having West and Lili was not a mistake she’d made along the way back to Catfish Creek.

  “Kate? Did you not hear me? I need the Walker file.”

  She shook her head, clearing out the thoughts that kept coming back to her in rapid succession thanks to the reunion just around the corner. “Sorry, I have it right here.” She held out the file she’d had ready for over an hour in preparation for when Anton would ask for it, but he didn’t care. He never cared. She was just a secretary to him, someone beneath him that he’d rather not pay attention to unless it was to show off his brand new car or a photo of the new baby his perfect wife had just delivered while still looking model gorgeous.

  Though Anton would never be as crass as to use the word secretary. No, Kate was his Administrative Assistant—progressive for a conservative Texas town. And that was exactly who Anton was. Just progressive enough to make the younger members admire him, and just chauvinistically in love with the patriarchy to prove to the older generation that he was one of them.

  A true next generation Texan.

  Anton didn’t frown, but he still gave her a look that said he was disappointed in her. Hell, she hated that look. Well, she hated most of his looks these days.

  “Hmm. I have an opening at four thirty, correct?”

  She turned back to her computer and double-checked. “Yes. Though we might have a few walk-ins like we usually do for emergencies.”

  “Hmm.” Anton looked over the file and walked away without another word, once again leaving Kate with a slight headache.

  She was exhausted from working full-time, taking a single night class so she could maybe finish her degree in the next twenty years, and being a single mom. Yet she couldn’t share any of that with Anton, or he’d find a way to make it worse for her. She’d known the man was competitive, it was obvious when they were teenagers—hell, she’d been, as well—but he was beyond ridiculous.

  Kate went back to her scheduling as the front door opened and a man in tight, faded jeans and a light red shirt walked into the building. She blinked since the Texas sun hit her right in the eyes before the door closed behind him—then her mouth fell open.

  After all these years, the so-called bad boy of Catfish Creek was back in town. Not that the man had ever done anything bad in high school, but kids and parents were mean, and anyone who didn’t look or act exactly as they did Fridays on the football field or Sundays at church were labeled one way or the other.

  Grayson Cleary.

  He’d been hot in high school—so hot, in fact, that the one time Jason had caught her looking, had been the one and only time he’d ever pushed her. She should have taken that as a sign and left him then, but she’d been stupid, and Jason had apologized right after.

  But she still hadn’t forgotten Grayson Cleary.

  She hadn’t thought he’d come back for the reunion, but for some reason, the butterflies in her stomach told her she just might be happy he had.

  What the hell was she thinking? She was a single mom with no time to stare at hot strangers who happened to show up at the dentist. In fact, from the way he stared at her, she knew she should probably say something instead of staring right back and acting like a freaking idiot.

  “Welcome,” she said after a moment, her voice far steadier than she thought it would be. “What can I do for you?”

  Why the hell wasn’t she saying his name or mentioning the fact that she recognized him? She truly sounded like one of the stuck-up bitches from high school, and she didn’t like it.

  He cleared his throat before rubbing his jaw. “I think I cracked or loosened my crown. The hotel I’m staying at is across the street, and I figured I’d jog over here and see if you had a last-minute opening.”

  She swallowed hard. “We actually have one in about twenty minutes, Grayson. We’ll fit you in. I just need you to fill out some paperwork.”

  He froze in front of her, his hand outstretched. “You recognized me?”

  She let out a breath before giving him a wide smile. She’d paid a lot to keep her teeth healthy; she might as well show them off. “I’m sorry I didn’t say it right away. I’m in job mode. But, yes, of course I recognize you. You’re here for the reunion?”

  He hadn’t said her name, so maybe he didn’t know who she was. And though they hadn’t spoken much in high school, it still made her a little sad that he didn’t recognize her, even after all this time. And that was enough of that.

  “I am.” He cleared his throat. “You look good, Kate. I didn’t figure you’d be back in Catfish Creek working here. Is this your business, then? Are you still Williamson?” He smiled as he said it, and she tried her best not to let her own smile fall.

  “Dr. Ballard will be your dentist. And it’s actually St. Dalton now,” she corrected, hating her last name. But her babies had that name, and it made it easier for everyone for her to keep it—even if every time she signed something, she was forced to remember her train wreck of a marriage.

  Grayson’s eyes darkened. “Oh, yeah, I guess you married Jason, then. How is he?” It didn’t sound as if he
cared one way or the other about Jason, but at least he was polite enough to ask.

  Her voice cooled. “I don’t know. He doesn’t call much. We’re divorced,” she explained.

  “I’m sorry to hear that,” he said, fiddling with the pen in his hand.

  “I’m not,” she replied honestly before clearing her throat. This was way too much memory lane for her. “Dr. Ballard will be able to see you shortly. Just fill out the rest of the paperwork and we’ll get you in. I’ll need to see your ID and insurance.”

  He handed them over, a thoughtful look on his face. “Ballard. As in Anton? Wasn’t he second in the class or something?”

  She gave him another bright smile, but he had a feeling from the look on her face he saw right through it. “Yes.”

  “Imagine that, one and two owning a dental office together.” He snorted. “You’ve done good for yourself, Kate.”

  Her smile went brittle. Of course, he’d think she owned the place with Anton. What top-of-her-class woman would ever end up as just the assistant?

  “Kate, I said I needed the Anderson file, not the Walker file. Don’t you listen?” Anton strode out and looked up at the last minute, seeming to realize they were not alone. “Hello.” There wasn’t a single look of recognition in Anton’s face, and for that, Kate was sorry.

  She handed over the Anderson file she’d also prepared without another word, even though he hadn’t asked for it. Shame crept up her neck, and she knew her cheeks were pink. There was nothing wrong with her job, with her life, but the look people gave her when they found out what she’d become after having so much potential was always too much to take.