Page 118 of Love me, Maddie Mendoza

“We are also very proud of the position you got in the team,” Mom whispered like she was the one feeding dad’s words.

I fought a smile.

“We are very proud indeed. You’re going to do great with the team.”

I couldn’t help but feel accomplished. Things went off the rails in the last few months, but surprisingly, not with my future. I officially signed my contract with Statham. Coach Ford already called me for a meeting so we could talk strategies for next season.

I couldn’t wait to start.

“You can tell me all about how I am your pride and joy during dinner.” I told them, arching an eyebrow.

“It’s a special occasion.” Mom started again. “We should do something special.”

I opened the gown and folded the cap under my arm. “Your roast is special.”

Mom looked at the distance again. The Mendozas were talking to Aisha and her sister, taking pictures of the two girls. Mom sighed. “We should talk to them.”

I turned to dad for help, but neither of us got time to talk and we were interrupted.

“Roast? Who’s making roast?” Jason asked with a smile, intruding into our family with two older men behind him. They must be his dads.

I never been so happy with Jason’s intrusion. “Mom, have you met Jason?”

“Oh, I don’t believe so.”

Jason snagged her hand and kissed it. “Mama King, you’re absolutely breathtaking.”

Mom melted right there, of course, and I rolled my eyes. Dad’s mouth twitched as he said in a fake stern voice. “Don’t kiss my wife, boy.”

“Oh Jay, please stop kissing people’s wives,” Jason’s dad said.

“I’m not really kissing her, dad.” Jason defended. “Hey, dads, meet the Kings.”

James and Arthur Barlowe, besides their work with the theater, were down-to-earth people, completely different from their son. At the point when dad talked about an article James wrote for the paper, Nick and his grandmother arrived. Bessie Darling was a soft-spoken woman with a mild Irish accent. She quickly became part of the conversation, as the families got to know each other after years of us living together.

“Is it all settled?” I lowered my voice.

“Yes.” Nick replied with a dip of his chin.

“We should have gotten codenames for this,” Jason said, looking around the open lawn.

“Why would we need codenames?” Nick wanted to know.

“It’s a mission.” Jason shrugged. “So.” And he talked louder than before when my mother looked in our direction. “Basketball, what a fickle game, huh?”

Mom frowned but shook herself off and kept talking to Bessie.

“What? A fickle sport?” I asked, slapping his chest.

“I needed a cover, and you both were against practicing ahead of time for this type of emergency.”

“Not an emergency.” I shook my head.

Jay was on a roll. “You were horrible during this whole ordeal, if I had to evaluate…”

“Which no one is asking you to do.” Nick interrupted.

“I’d say six out of ten.”

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