Page 78 of Penalty Shots

They are. If we plan to get anywhere in this career, we'll both need to accept that as a fact of life.

Keelan leaves through the door, and I reach for my phone to call Smith back.

This is the start of the rest of our lives. And in order to move forward, sometimes we have to leave things behind.

Chapter 22

Rina

"And make sure the boys are ready for the charity event this weekend. It's taken me six months to secure this spot for them."

"On it, boss," Toby says. "I've got it. You really have nothing to worry about, just relax."

Relax. Me, relax? I'm pacing on the front porch of my grandma's old house. The one my parents moved into after she passed. Mom decided it was what she needed—to return back to her roots. The ocean breeze, the sound of the coquis. It brought her life after so many years of losses.

And it's been years since I've come to visit. The last time I called her was to tell her I was getting married.

Part of me hoped she would talk me out of it. But my mom understood the desire to become a mother. It had been a longing in her heart for so long.

So she didn't talk me out of marriage. She just expressed that she would hope it would be with someone I could trust. Looking back, I wish I would've listened.

I walk up to the hammock hanging from the wooden rafters and push it. It swings softly away and back to my thigh.

Relax.

"Ok, Toby. Thanks for holding down the fort. How are things going with Ms. Cobbs?"

He pauses. "Do you want the truth or for me to say what you want to hear?"

I scrunch my nose. "The truth, Toby. Always the truth."

He laughs through his nose again. "She's good, boss. Like really good."

Of course, she is. Jenny would be good at anything she decided to do.

"Okay," I tell him. "That's good to hear."

"Is it?" he questions.

"Yes, Toby. I can accept defeat when it happens."

"Yeah, okay," he says sarcastically.

"Stop that, or you're fired."

"Ms. Lopez, no offense, but you need me. I'm not going anywhere, and you know it."

"Let's just see how this week goes before you go off getting too cocky," I tell him.

He agrees and we hang up.

The screen door squeaks open, and I turn to see my mom holding out a mug of coffee.

"Un cafecito?" she offers.

"It's like eighty degrees out here, Ma."

"So? It's always good weather for coffee."

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