Page 73 of His Jersey

She watches as I shake a plentiful amount of parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes onto my pizza.

Shaking her head, she says, “So extra.”

But I like that she knows this about me.

“You were an only child like me?” I ask.

Her mouth is full, so she nods.

“As you may have gathered, I’m my father’s heir. I never really thought about what that meant until loss slapped me in the face when Mom passed—cancer,” I say because I don’t think I’ve mentioned that.

“It’s a wake up.”

“Same. But I don’t think he gave much thought to what life would be like without her.” It feels good to be able to talk tosomeone about this who understands. Who I know won’t change the subject because it’s uncomfortable or judge me for being emotional.

“No matter how much advance warning you have, you can’t prepare. Don’t blame your father for that. I’m sure he’s now facing his own mortality.” Ella takes a sip of soda.

I’d never thought of that, of the loss from his perspective and am surprised that she’s offering him grace after how rude he’s been. I mutter, “He could’ve found someone a little closer to his age.”

“Aston probably makes him feel young.”

“I don’t trust her.”

“You have every reason not to,” Ella says and then tells me about the brief conversation in the bathroom.

I shake my hand like I just touched a hot pizza pan. “Burn. You really said all that?” I ask, referring to Ella’s reply about how I hooked her and that she doesn’t want to play Aston’s game.

Smiling, she says, “I channeled Leah. Plus, please don’t take this the wrong way, but it’s not like I have anything to lose if she’s my enemy.”

My chest feels like it’s teetering.

Ella’s sly smile is gone, her expression serious. She adds, “But I don’t want to make things harder for you or come between you and your family.”

My chest totters back. “Don’t worry about Aston. She’s a gold digger. My father protected himself and he’s a smart man. He’ll realize it soon enough.”

“You think so?”

I hope so. “If I ever have kids, I want to see them succeed, for us to have a strong, good relationship. For them to be happy and humble and honorable.”

“Don’t you think your father wants that for you?”

“No, he just doesn’t want me to make him look bad.”

Ella’s eyebrows creep together as if she finds that hard to believe.

“Sad but true. What’s that saying about how not all that glitters is gold?” I harrumph, wishing it weren’t so.

But Ella shines in the city light and I want nothing more than a little of her fairy dust to rub off on me … specifically my lips because her kisses are priceless.

28

JACK

When we’re done eatingand step outside, I realize this is likely my last time in the city before starting over in Nebraska.

I ask, “Want to take a walk?”

Ella glances at her feet and I half expect her to be wearing glass slippers. We go to the SUV and she pulls a pair of house shoes with a knit top and furry hem out of a bag.

---