Chapter 20 Amelia #2
Even if it was still pretty new, even if we hadn’t really put a title on it yet, the reality was still what it was.
I was dating a professional athlete.
One who, in a few weeks, would be the source of headlines, his pictures splashed across a million screens. Lots of attention, lots of scrutiny for him.
And also, potentially… me.
Rori had already told me what to do about it – tune it out.
Of course, her situation was pretty different, with her story having a lot more drama and mess than any nosy gossip bloggers could ever find on me.
But it was close enough to resonate with me, and I planned to keep the advice close in my mind.
Kae and Claire’s advice was to not overthink it.
Could he be a playboy?
Sure.
I’d only known that man a few months, it would be literally insane to launch myself – my heart – full throttle.
But I could enjoy it for what it was, whatever that was, from moment to moment, and see what it became.
And the thought of it made me smile.
Like… I literally couldn’t keep a grin off my face at the thought of him.
Which kinda contradicted the whole don’t go full throttle thing, but man… whatever.
I liked him.
I wasn’t even surprised when my phone rang and it was his name on the screen, like he knew he was on my mind.
I had the answer button swiped before it could ring a second time.
“What you smiling about?” he asked, making me frown and look around, first at his balcony, which was empty.
“How did you know I was smiling?”
“Cause I know you saw my name on that phone before you answered. Why wouldn’t you be smiling when a real nigga call?”
“Boy,” I laughed, shaking my head. “I’m guessing you’re out of practice for the day?”
“Mmmhmm,” he groaned, his voice sounding low and sexy and comfortable and… muffled. “Already in my bed – in Blackwood, so you can’t get to me.”
My eyes went wide. “So I can’t get to you?”
“Mmhmm. You got me in trouble.”
“You’re gonna have to explain that one.”
He chuckled. “Man… I was so damn drained in practice this morning after fooling with you all night.”
“And that’s my fault?”
“Exactly.”
“I’m hanging up.”
“Don’t do that,” he pleaded. “I’m messing around – I was almost late because of traffic, but they actually took it easy on us today. They’re trying to fake us out -- planning on another grind tomorrow before they make cuts.”
“Oh. Damn. That’s why you stayed in Blackwood tonight?”
“Yeah – between needing to be fully rested and not worrying about the travel time in the morning. And… I didn’t know if your mother was staying with you or not. You did not warn me about that at all.”
I dropped my face into my free hand. “Yeah… about that…”
I took a moment describing the situation from my point of view – waking up to find my mother in my apartment, then realizing how she’d gotten in – and then he explained from his.
“I’m very glad I had already handled my business in the bathroom before I left, because I surely would’ve been standing there shitty if I hadn’t,” Calvin laughed.
“I opened the door and she was already just… right there, with your face, looking like who the fuck are you. She works in the school system, doesn’t she? ”
I giggled. “Uh… yes, actually. Thirty years, all the way up the chain.”
“Yeah, I know that look real well,” he cackled.
“I could hear the key ring shaking, feel the threat of in-school-suspension just looming over me… and then she smiled at me. Said, you look nice and sturdy. Come get these bags and tell me about yourself, since you seem so acquainted with my daughter.”
My eyes went wide. “That is not how she characterized it to me. She made it seem… I don’t know, breezy!”
“For the most part it was – I like your mom. I think she’d get along with mine well. Maybe too well.”
I smirked. “Oh… so you’re planning on me meeting your mother, huh?”
“I said they would get along well. I don’t know how she’d feel about you.”
“What!?”
“Chill,” he laughed. “You should know by now I’m—”
“Just fucking around,” I mimicked his voice, as annoyingly as I could. “Cause you’re always playing, cause you play too much.”
“You know you like that,” he teased. “Anyway – yes, I’m planning on you meeting my mother. Been planning that since those margarita pouches in front of the air conditioner.”
I smiled. “Seriously?”
“Yeah, seriously,” he said. “It’s already lined out – booked your travel for the first game and everything.”
My eyes went wide. “Wait, what? You want me to come to your game?”
“Why do you sound surprised?”
“I… I don’t know. That’s just very… official. And I thought we’d agreed that this wasn’t really… a thing?”
Calvin sighed. “Be serious, Amelia. It’s definitely a thing. Definitely official.”
“You definitely decided that on your own,” I said.
“I did,” he agreed. “And what are you going to do about it? Besides definitely getting your ass on that plane and definitely sitting next to my mama to cheer me on at this game?”
I sat back.
Still smiling.
“Definitely not a thing.”
Except… shit.
Maybe it was?
The end.