CHAPTER 5 #3
An announcement came over the speakers informing fans still left in the building the doors would soon close. I heard Paulie and all of his friends collectively sigh with disappointment. But secretly I think my sister and brother-in-law were elated.
“We should probably go.” I was about to throw Sarah's duffel bag over my shoulder, but his hand reached for it and held it to the ground.
“Do you want to go out? You know, get some drinks. Dinner? Tonight? Anything.” He almost shouted at me.
Holy mother of God, is this really happening?
“I–I.” I stuttered. I knew exactly what I wanted to say but my lips were so shocked thinking of all the ways I wanted to kiss him that I couldn't speak.
This couldn't really be happening. This was impossible.
“Yes!” Sarah shouted in the corner and grabbed my arm, pulling me towards the bathroom. “We just need a minute.”
“But how will I get home?” I squeaked on the way.
“I'll make sure you do!” Sasha called after us as Sarah pushed me into the room and locked it quickly.
“Sarah, what the hell are you doing?” I hissed.
“Get that shit off your face now!” She threw a wet paper towel at me and grabbed my hair and quickly undid the fishtail braid. I scrubbed as gently as I could before being forced to turn my hair over so Sarah could scrunch my post braid curls with wet hands.
“Much better.” Sarah approved my wild mane, now framing my face with dark waves that doubled the size of my head.
“Damn, I should do that more often.” I scrunched my hair in the mirror and gave an approving wink to myself.
“But what are you going to do about that jersey? Here put on some lip gloss.”
“I only have a bra and my Jaws T-shirt underneath.” I started to panic. I realized I was completely unprepared for a date and more concerned about having fun with my nephew.
Sarah huffed at me and flung the door open and called for her man.
“What is going on here? The kids are full on falling asleep and Sarge is wearing a hole in the carpet.” Robbie gave his wife a look.
“He is?” My heart raced. I tried to peek through the crack in the door jam, but couldn't see him.
“Switch shirts with Lucy.” Sarah snapped at her husband.
“No, her boobs will stretch out my new sweater.”
He was lucky I loved him as a brother-in-law or else I would have smacked him for that comment. I mean, it was true, but he didn't have to say it out loud.
“I'll give you a blowy when we get home.” Sarah placed her hand on her hips and stood firm. Robbie instantly ripped off his sweater and threw in my direction. The whole time not breaking eye contact with my sister.
“I'm going to hold you to it. You're going to wear the red thing you bought for our anniversary.” He shot her a look I knew was only reserved for the bedroom and I instantly felt uncomfortable.
“Fine, but I want to make out for fifteen minutes first.”
“Deal.”
I gave him my jersey and squeezed my chest into a v neck sweater that amazingly hugged all the right curves in all the right places. I noted to myself to start buying men's clothes.
“Robbie, could you have put on any more deodorant?” I smelled the arms. It wasn't a bad scent, but it clearly wasn't delicate.
“Are you complaining right now?” Sarah gave me her best mom voice.
“What the hell am I doing?” I looked in the mirror, my boobs propped up. This couldn't be reality. He was to much of a public figure to want anything to do with me.
“Getting laid.” Sarah's voice echoed in the bathroom and I snorted at the possibility.
I couldn't even remember how long it had been. 2018? 2019? Oh, was it really in the last decade? No, no, I remembered there was a hot Scottish guy right before the pandemic at the international carpentry show. It was the kilt. I couldn't help myself.
Sarah patted me on the ass as I scampered to the door. “Go get him tiger.” She walked out first, clapping her hands loudly over her head in a motherly fashion to wake up sleeping beasts, and escorted them out of the building before I knew what was happening.
Sasha and I were in the quietness of a room just silenced by lack of children, toe to toe, unsure of how to act once again. The lights over the ice were shut off, strangling my attention away from his beaming white teeth.
“You look better than I remember and it took like three minutes.”
“My sister is a force to be reckoned with. Plus, last time you saw me I was exhausted.” I pushed a bouncy wave behind my ear unsure where to look.
“Are you hungry?” He asked.
“I could eat.” I shouldn't be able to after all that I've eaten already, but my nervous stomach burned off anything I had eaten previously. I pulled on the sweater thankful for the gift of fabric.
“We probably won't be able to get a cab with everybody leaving the stadium. Do you mind walking?” He held out an elbow as if to lead me into a ball.
“I don't mind.” I felt the heat that radiated through his shirt. His pulse was rapid under my fingertips, probably still full of adrenaline from the game.
The feel of his body under my fingers was a sensation I couldn't overcome. It was thrilling. It was unbelievable, and yet, it was really happening.