Page 37 of A Whole New Play

Pride swells in my chest. “I was?”

“You know you were.” The color in her face deepens and she averts her gaze. “Should we even be talking about this? I thought we were supposed to keep things professional.”

“You’re right,” I agree reluctantly. I glance down at my smartwatch. “If you’re still set on driving home, you should leave before it gets even later and drunk drivers start getting on the road.” The thought makes me want to insist she stays the night, but she’s a grown woman. She can make her own decisions, even if my protective instincts don’t like it.

“Okay.” After a brief hesitation, she moves into the kitchen and retrieves her purse from the center island. She digs inside for her keys and I follow her as she walks to the front door.

She steps onto the porch.

I do the same. “Text me when you get home.”

She pauses. “Are you sure? It’ll be late.”

“I’m sure.” I won’t be able to sleep until I know she’s safe and sound in her bed.

“Okay. I will.” Her eyes search mine. For what? I don’t know. But whatever she sees makes her features soften. Quietly, she says, “Good night.”

“Night, Val.”

I watch her slide into her car and keep watching until her taillights disappear down the bend. The entire time, I have to remind myself that I need to keep things professional between us.

Despite my poor performance today, things have been better at practice. I have every hope that I’ll get back to the level I was before the stress of this custody battle took my focus off the game.

And with Laura contesting my custody, I can’t afford to let anything complicate things with the twins’ care. They need stability if I have any hope of winning my case.

So as much as I wish I could give in to my attraction for Valerie and pursue her, I won’t.

The twins are my priority, just as they should be.

10

VALERIE

After days of taking care of Abby and Andy, the only thing I want to do on my day off is relax. I enjoy spending time with the twins. I’ve never met kids with so much personality and who are genuinely fun to be around. Andy is a sweetheart and Abby is an old soul, more mature than she should be for a six-year-old. I enjoy my job as their nanny, but I could use a break.

But instead of relaxing, I’m on the way to meet my mom for a brunch that is guaranteed to be anything but relaxing.

I love my mom.

I do.

She’s just not particularly maternal.

If I were ever in need, she’d offer to help me, but her help would come with endless critiques and criticisms about whatever decisions I made that led me to need help in the first place.

I thank my lucky stars Dad is the one who raised me. Unlike Mom, he has the patience of a saint and a gentle soul. He’s barely asked me anything about what my plans are now that I’m living in Dallas. Mom would’ve pestered me endlessly until I gave her a detailed six-month plan on what I needed to do to move on with my life.

Which is what I prepare myself for as I walk into the fancy restaurant located in downtown Dallas. Mom and her husband, Mark, moved to the city shortly after their wedding fifteen years ago. I rarely visit them. Mostly because it feels like I’m walking into a museum whenever I enter into their luxury penthouse. This restaurant feels the same.

I may be twenty-three and out of my clumsy, gangly teen phase, but I still take care to tuck my elbows to my body as I weave through the tables covered with expensive place settings and stemmed glasses, following the hostess to where my mom waits for me.

The sun shines through the clear roof of the sunroom attached to the restaurant, making Mom’s naturally blonde hair shine where she sits in the center of the space. Her eyes are narrowed as she looks at a menu in front of her. If she didn’t have Botox injections, her forehead would be furrowed.

I thank the hostess and then steel my spine as I approach the table. “Hi, Mom.”

She looks up. Assessing eyes trail over me. “Hello, Valerie. You look nice.”

Some of my unease fades. I took extra care when picking out this outfit. I worried the flowy skirt and form-fitting blouse wouldn’t pass my mom’s inspection, but I didn’t have very many options. Most of my wardrobe is still packed away in boxes from when I left Houston, and I got home too late to dig through them in Dad’s storage unit last night.

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