Out of the Shadow Read Online Free Page A

of here,” she said, hooking Jamie’s arm.
    “ I’ll see you girls later,” Jamie said, winking in their direction.
 
    ***
    “ So, I talked to Cole earlier,” Jamie said as he gnawed on his pizza crust. “He said they won’t make it in for the game tomorrow.”
    “ Yeah, I know,” Ally muttered darkly. “I spoke to him, too, but thanks for reminding me.”
    Jamie pushed his plate away and stretched across the table to take her hand. A sympathetic smile touched his lips. “Come on, Ally. You knew it was going to be this way.”
    She sighed and squeezed his hand. “I know. I’ve just been really lonely, I guess.”
    He barked a short laugh. “Look at all those girls you were hanging with – how can you be lonely?”
    She beseeched him with her eyes, begging him to understand, knowing he would. “I miss you guys. We haven’t all been together since graduation. It really sucks.”
    “ You went to camp last summer while Cole and RJ were in L.A. with the band,” he reminded her.
    “ Yes, but when they came back, you all came down to see me, remember? I didn’t have to wait so long.” She huffed and released his hand to sit back. She perked suddenly. “It’s okay, really. They’ll be here Saturday and we’ll all be together.”
    He smiled and shook his head at her. “Your moods change too quickly for me, cuz. You’re making my head spin.”
    “ Would you rather me mope?”
    He laughed. “Nope, not at all.” He snatched another slice of pizza and bite off a huge chunk. He watched her, eyes narrowed, as he chewed. “So, I’m guessing no one on your team knows who you are.”
    “ No,” she snorted. “I don’t advertise it, either, so keep your mouth shut.”
    He dropped his pizza to his plate. “Come on, you know me better than that. I’m not saying a word. I had a hell of a time keeping a lid on things at camp. My last name is a lot less common than yours.”
    She nodded, eyeing the half slice of pizza on her plate. The garlic aroma had been enticing when they first entered and the pizza, thick crusted and loaded with ham, pepperoni, sausage and all the other toppings Jamie could dream of, had been delicious. But now, looking at the balls of sausage that sort of resembled dried up brains, her appetite fled.
    “ Did a lot of people recognize the name?” she asked.
    “ Sure, a few,” he shrugged, wiping his mouth with a napkin. “But I laughed it off and said maybe I was a shirttail relative of Mark Winston or something like that.”
    She smiled. “I think Cheyenne is suspicious because everyone came to the games last year, but I don’t know for sure. And I haven’t said anything to anyone else.”
    “ Ally, you do realize that this is the National Tournament and it will be televised,” he said seriously. “And the commentators are bound to find out who you are and mention that nice little fact on the air.”
    “ So?” she said. “Let them. My teammates will be on the field with me and not watching TV. Besides, it will be covered by the sports channel and not national television.”
    “ Okay,” he challenged, bending over the table. “Say someone records the games, what then?”
    “ Then I’ll deal with it,” she said with a loud exhale. “I’ll have to. But it’s just been so nice only being Ally Jones the softball player. Remember our freshman year at Meridian Valley? Remember how the kids bugged us when they found out who our fathers were?”
    “ Of course I do,” he grunted as he massaged his forehead. “That was a royal pain. People trying to be friends with you just so they can meet the band, stuff like that. Yeah, I remember.”
    “ I haven’t had any of that here,” she said. “And I didn’t have any of it last year at camp. It’s been wonderful.”
    “ We start college in a couple weeks, cuz,” he warned. “What do you think is going to happen there?”
    Her eyes glinted pure steel as she set her jaw. “Absolutely nothing. We’ll blend in easily. No