2. Cruz
2
CRUZ
“Seriously. How are you feeling?”
My sister is looking at me worriedly, and I’m not faking the smile on my face. “Good. Free. Excited.”
She tilts her head to the side and looks at me like she’s trying to see if I’m telling her the truth or not. Our parents passed eight years ago, and since then, it’s just been Lexi and me. I know she wants me to be happy, and I’m sure that retiring from football is a step in the right direction. Don’t get me wrong. I love the sport. I love my team and teammates too. But it’s time for me to find something else I’m passionate about because I’m getting older, and I’m starting to feel it more than ever. I reach across the table and wrap my hand around my sister’s. “You need to quit worrying about me. I promise, I’m good.”
She sucks in a breath and nods. “I know you are, but I worry about you, and I just… I want you happy, Cruz. You deserve it more than anyone.”
“I am,” I assure her.
The waiters come at the perfect time. They start setting down numerous plates, and I gesture to my dinner guests. “I hope it’s okay. Since I asked them to stay open, I told them to just serve whatever they wanted.” I look at Tara, even though I’ve tried hard not to since we sat down here. Why does my sister’s best friend have to be so pretty? And the more I get to know her, the more I realize she has no idea how beautiful she really is. “Tara, I apologize. I didn’t know if you had any preferences or any allergies. I should have asked you before now. Is there anything you want to eat? Or any food you should avoid?”
Her mouth drops open like she’s surprised by my request. I smile at her patiently. “You can tell me if so. I can ask them to fix you something different if you’d like.”
She shakes her head and then must realize her mouth is hanging open because she slams it shut and swallows before answering. “No, this is perfect.” She looks around at all the dishes. “Filet, shrimp cocktail, coconut shrimp, chicken, twice-baked potatoes, green beans, bread…” She trails off and then waves her hand across the table. “I mean, I think I can find something to eat.”
She’s smirking at me, and the playful look on her face has me captivated.
We’re staring at each other, and the only reason I look away is because my sister clears her throat. “I’m starving.”
I lean back and watch as they both fill their plates, and only when they’re done do I start putting food on mine. We eat in silence for a few minutes, and Lexi is the first to talk. “So… when are you making the announcement?”
“Next week,” I answer simply and then roll my eyes at my sister. She worries way too much. “It’s going to be fine. The owners, managers, and coaches already know. They’re letting me talk to the team on Wednesday, and then I’m going straight into a press conference to make the announcement.”
Lexi moves to the edge of her seat. “Do you want me there with you?”
I point my fork at her. “No, I’m pretty sure you have class. Isn’t that the day of your chemistry test? I’ll be fine, sis, quit worrying.”
She looks down at her plate and forks a green bean. “I just hate for you to be alone.” She holds a hand up. “And I know your team will be there, but it’s not the same. You need family with you.”
I force a smile to my face. Yeah, if I had my way, I would have family with me. Mom and Dad would still be alive, Lexi would be there, and I would have people that I know are there unconditionally, but I don’t have that option, and there’s no reason to dwell on it.
I look at Tara. “How’s the flower shop?”
She seems surprised by the question but recovers quickly. “Good. We’re gearing up for Valentine’s Day, which is always crazy, but business is good.”
“Speaking of Valentine’s Day…”
I draw my eyes away from Tara to look at my sister. “What about it?”
She sets her fork down, looks at Tara, and then leans forward. “I have a favor to ask.”
“Lexi,” Tara says in a hushed tone.
I look between the two women, and it’s obvious there’s something going on that I’m not privy to. “What is it?” I ask my sister.
Already, my mind starts to race. Lexi never asks me for anything, but she has been acting distant lately. I’ve tried to stay in the loop with her and what she has going on, but with the playoffs just ending, I’ve been pretty busy.
Lexi opens her mouth, but Tara is the one that speaks first. “Forget it. Please, don’t worry about it. Thank you for allowing me to join you for dinner. I’ve never eaten here before, and I have to say that everything I heard is true. This is to die for.” She’s rambling and then puts a piece of steak in her mouth and chews.
She’s hoping that Lexi is not going to say whatever she’s about to say, but I have no doubt I can get the information. I turn to my sister and smile. “Talk to me. What is it?”
Lexi looks at Tara with a pleading look and then shrugs. “I know this is not the best time to ask, but I’m not sure where else to go…”
Her voice trails off, and my forehead creases. “Honey, you know whatever you need, I’m here for you, but you’re freaking me out here. What’s going on?”
There’s a feminine growl that comes from Tara. Her face is red, and she appears embarrassed as she runs her hand across her face. “Look, it’s not for her, it’s for me, and I’ve changed my mind. This is a bad idea, so can we please just forget it?”
I laugh. “Oh, you definitely have to tell me now.” I look at my sister. “What’s going on, sis?”
She starts talking with her hands, and I know it’s about to be a doozy. “So you don’t have to answer right away. You need to think about it and then give me an answer, but I hope you know that I wouldn’t just ask you to be asking you. I’ve thought about it and weighed all the pros and cons and?—”
I can’t resist interrupting her. “Oh, I’m sure you’ve made a list.”
She laughs. “I did, and so knowing that and knowing that I still want to ask you, then you have to know this is important to me.”
“Oh my God, Lexi. You’re blowing this way out of proportion. It’s really not that big a deal.”
I look between Lexi and Tara, and I can’t even begin to imagine what they are going to ask me. I sit up and press my hands together in front of me. “Spill it.”