Page 44 of Silver Lining Love

“Hi, Benji.” She smiled and touched his cheek before tilting her head up to me. “Is he yours?”

“No, this is Michael’s little brother.”

“Oh, wow.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Alice and Whitney heading back from the bathrooms and I was relieved that I’d be able to get out of this conversation. Trina was nice, but I had zero interest in getting to know her better. From the look in her eyes, she definitely had an interest in getting to know me better. I felt like a gazelle and she was a lion stalking her prey.

“I was just wondering if you were going to go to Chubb’s?” She placed her hand on my forearm. “The whole team is going.”

Chubb’s was a local pizza parlor. I’d planned on grilling some steaks tonight for dinner, but I guessed that pizza after a game was a tradition that shouldn’t be missed.

“Um, I’m not sure. I’ll have to check with Whitney.”

I’d no sooner got my response out when Alice rushed up to me excitedly. “Wyatt, there was a bee in the bathroom! Auntie screamed!”

“She did, huh?” My eyes cut to Whitney, who had caught up with Alice to check and see if she was okay, but her expression was hidden behind her aviator glasses and ball cap.

“Trina, this is Alice and Whitney. Alice and Whitney, this is Trina.”

“Hi, Trina!” Alice smiled brightly and waved.

“Hi.” Whitney was less enthusiastic.

“Hello.”

If Whitney’s greeting had been lukewarm, Trina’s was the polar ice caps. I was standing several feet away but felt the chill.

“The team is going to Chubb’s for pizza. Trina was just checking to see if we were going. I told her I would check with you.”

“Fine.” Whitney’s lips were pursed as she dipped her chin in a terse nod.

“I guess we’ll see you there.”

The smile Trina plastered on her face was faker than the plants I had in my house. “Great! See you all there.” She lifted her hand in a wave and continued down the bleachers.

When she was out of earshot, I leaned down to Whitney. “If you don’t want to go to the pizza parlor, I can just take the kids.”

My offer caused her nostrils to flare like a bull ready to charge a red flag. I knew that look. I’d definitely done something wrong, but for the life of me I had no clue what it was.

“You don’t want me to go?” Her tone was stony and flat.

“Of course I do, but I didn’t want you to feel like you had to in case you wanted some time to yourself or a night off,” I tried to reassure her.

“I don’t need a night off. And they’remykids, so I’m going.”

Her statement blindsided me. I had no idea where it was coming from, but the last thing I’d ever want was for her to feel like I was trying to take the kids away from her. And besides that, if it were up to me, I’d spend every second of every day with her.

I wanted to pull her away from the crowd and get a second alone with her to clear the air, but before I could, Michael joined us. The talk quickly changed to his game-winning grand slam and plans to go to the pizza parlor.

As we all walked to the car, I wondered something I’d never thought about before. How in the hell had my parents ever had a conversation with nine kids? It was nearly impossible to have a second alone, and we only had three.

We.

As soon as the two-letter word popped into my mind, I wondered if that was the exact attitude and perspective that had been rubbing Whitney the wrong way. My intentions in this situation had been one hundred percent Bryan Adams, everything I did, I did for them. But what if I’d overstepped?

Was that why Whitney was upset?

If that were the case, I seriously doubted the question of them all going to my mom’s surprise party was going to go over well.

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