Page 3 of One Night Valentine

She shakes her head and then must realize her mouth is hanging open because she slams it shut and swallows before answering. “No, this is perfect.” She looks around at all the dishes. “Filet, shrimp cocktail, coconut shrimp, chicken, twice-baked potatoes, green beans, bread…” She trails off and then waves her hand across the table. “I mean, I think I can find something to eat.”

She’s smirking at me, and the playful look on her face has me captivated.

We’re staring at each other, and the only reason I look away is because my sister clears her throat. “I’m starving.”

I lean back and watch as they both fill their plates, and only when they’re done do I start putting food on mine. We eat in silence for a few minutes, and Lexi is the first to talk. “So… when are you making the announcement?”

“Next week,” I answer simply and then roll my eyes at my sister. She worries way too much. “It’s going to be fine. The owners, managers, and coaches already know. They’re letting me talk to the team on Wednesday, and then I’m going straight into a press conference to make the announcement.”

Lexi moves to the edge of her seat. “Do you want me there with you?”

I point my fork at her. “No, I’m pretty sure you have class. Isn’t that the day of your chemistry test? I’ll be fine, sis, quit worrying.”

She looks down at her plate and forks a green bean. “I just hate for you to be alone.” She holds a hand up. “And I know your team will be there, but it’s not the same. You need family with you.”

I force a smile to my face. Yeah, if I had my way, I would have family with me. Mom and Dad would still be alive, Lexi would be there, and I would have people that I know are there unconditionally, but I don’t have that option, and there’s no reason to dwell on it.

I look at Tara. “How’s the flower shop?”

She seems surprised by the question but recovers quickly. “Good. We’re gearing up for Valentine’s Day, which is always crazy, but business is good.”

“Speaking of Valentine’s Day…”

I draw my eyes away from Tara to look at my sister. “What about it?”

She sets her fork down, looks at Tara, and then leans forward. “I have a favor to ask.”

“Lexi,” Tara says in a hushed tone.

I look between the two women, and it’s obvious there’s something going on that I’m not privy to. “What is it?” I ask my sister.

Already, my mind starts to race. Lexi never asks me for anything, but she has been acting distant lately. I’ve tried to stay in the loop with her and what she has going on, but with the playoffs just ending, I’ve been pretty busy.

Lexi opens her mouth, but Tara is the one that speaks first. “Forget it. Please, don’t worry about it. Thank you for allowing me to join you for dinner. I’ve never eaten here before, and I have to say that everything I heard is true. This is to die for.”She’s rambling and then puts a piece of steak in her mouth and chews.

She’s hoping that Lexi is not going to say whatever she’s about to say, but I have no doubt I can get the information. I turn to my sister and smile. “Talk to me. What is it?”

Lexi looks at Tara with a pleading look and then shrugs. “I know this is not the best time to ask, but I’m not sure where else to go…”

Her voice trails off, and my forehead creases. “Honey, you know whatever you need, I’m here for you, but you’re freaking me out here. What’s going on?”

There’s a feminine growl that comes from Tara. Her face is red, and she appears embarrassed as she runs her hand across her face. “Look, it’s not for her, it’s for me, and I’ve changed my mind. This is a bad idea, so can we please just forget it?”

I laugh. “Oh, you definitely have to tell me now.” I look at my sister. “What’s going on, sis?”

She starts talking with her hands, and I know it’s about to be a doozy. “So you don’t have to answer right away. You need to think about it and then give me an answer, but I hope you know that I wouldn’t just ask you to be asking you. I’ve thought about it and weighed all the pros and cons and?—”

I can’t resist interrupting her. “Oh, I’m sure you’ve made a list.”

She laughs. “I did, and so knowing that and knowing that I still want to ask you, then you have to know this is important to me.”

“Oh my God, Lexi. You’re blowing this way out of proportion. It’s really not that big a deal.”

I look between Lexi and Tara, and I can’t even begin to imagine what they are going to ask me. I sit up and press my hands together in front of me. “Spill it.”

3

TARA

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