Page 4 of Out of Bounds

"Your baby sister?"

"Trust me, she's not a baby anymore."

Olivia Torres ... I can't remember the last time I saw her but she was still a little girl. How long was it? 20 years? Hal always talked about her fondly. She was the only one that he had any type of relationship with. The rest of his half-siblings treated him with grudging cordiality, just like his stepmom. Hal was the only child of his late mom and Mr. Alejandro Torres. Hal's mom died when he was five, and his dad remarried Olivia's mom 10 years later. Hal had an uneasy relationship with his stepmom, but he tried to maintain a relationship with his half siblings. Olivia was the only one who reciprocated right from when she was little ... and Hal loved her so much.

As I walk deeper into the cabin, I notice that the place seems to have been newly decorated. The fireplace beckons me to come closer and savor its warmth. I hear the clanging of pots and pans in the kitchen and look around for Olivia. I have no idea what she looks like now, as the last image I have of her is from her childhood.

Hal offers to show me to my bedroom. I follow him up the wooden stairs to a hallway with four doors. He points to the first one on the left and opens it.

He turns on the heater and drops my luggage. I take off my jacket and toss it onto the bed, kicking off my shoes.

"Thanks for inviting me here, Hal. You have no idea how much I needed this."

Hal sits on the bed and watches me unpack. "I figured you would want to come. It's been a long time since we were up here."

"Tell me about it."

"Um..."

"Yeah?" I remove a few shirts from my bag and watch Hal closely. There appears to be something on his mind.

"Listen, I need a favor from you."

"Anything."

Hal looks at me. "My sister just got a job with Sportza ..."

"Sportza ... that big-shot sports magazine?"

"That’s the one. Well, she’s worked her ass off to get that job and she’s been given her first proper assignment …” Hal stops and looks up at me with his big puppy doe eyes, his hands together as if in prayer. I get what he’s asking me now, but he understands that I don’t give interviews. I don’t get why the public need to know the ins and outs of my life. Besides, the last interview I gave went well, until I read it in the tabloids and every word was twisted to make me look really bad.

“If you’re asking me to give your little sister an interview, then forget it. You know how much I hate the press …”

"I understand. I really do, but Liv isn’t like that. She’ll even make sure you get to see the final version of the interview in black and white before it’s published, I’m sure you can make an exception this one time. For me? Please?!"

Hal is practically begging me now, and it’s getting a little weird. But I need to stick to my guns.

"Hal you know I hate sensationalism and press attention. If I grant her this exclusive then the other media houses will come breathing down my neck."

"See it as a personal favor to me. I've never asked you for anything before, have I?"

I sigh deeply then take a deep breath.

"Fine Hal. Fine. I’ll do it.”

“You’re amazing and you won’t regret it!”

"Dinner is ready Hal!" A sweet female voice calls up the stairs.

"Is that her?" I say with a smile.

"Yep ... let's go. All that begging has made me one hungry man,” Hal says with a mischievous laugh. I playfully punch him on his arm before the two of us walk downstairs into the dining room.

A young woman, who looks to be in her early twenties, is bent over the large dining table. Her long black hair reaches to her tiny waist.

Whoa.

She turns to greet us with the most amazing smile I have ever seen. I feel like I’ve been hit with a bat. She is gorgeous! She shares some of Hal's features like his full dark eyebrows. The brows perfectly complement her large almond eyes. Her lips are small but plump and pink ... I find myself staring at her lips wondering what they might taste like. Do they feel as soft as they look …

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