Page 30 of Perfect Playbook

She nods. “I get cat food there.”

“You have a cat. Okay… Cat’s name?”

“Cayenne.”

“Like the pepper?”

“Like the capital of French Guiana.”

I scratch my head, wondering how all these things happened and I didn’t know it. “That’s out there as a capital city.”

“Not for Nino, it isn’t. It’s his favorite capital from the South American countries.”

“Right.” I remind myself I’m dealing with a prodigy. “Little genius. Any other favorite-sounding cities? Or things Nino likes or doesn’t like that I should know about?”

“He hates cheese.” She scrunches her nose almost apologetically.

“That’s unlucky.”

“Tell me about it.”

I’ve never been intimidated in life apart from in all things Shay. Everything is daunting when you so badly want to do it right.

But I can deal. I just hope Shay can.

“Are you going to be okay?” I need some reassurance she isn’t going to bail. “Telling your dad and Antonio? I know what I said earlier about parents lying and I didn’t mean to act like just because they do that it’s easy. I’m sure it isn’t.”

“It’ll be weird. But you were right. I lied to Antonio before.” Her eyes widen. “But he’s not that easy to fool. Then again, he’s also only five, and even though he’s very intelligent, he’s still his age emotionally. He’ll like you.”

“I hope he does.”

She looks at me like I’m silly. “Everybody does, Logan. My dad will be over the moon. You know how old-fashioned he is and … he compared everyone who came after. No one ever measured up.”

How many more were there after me?I hate them all.

“Bearing in mind he’s not impressed by your current reputation.” She rolls her neck around in circles. “Thankfully, my brothers don’t live in the Canyon anymore.”

The Mendez boys. I might need my gear on for them. I shift in the bed thinking of it, and the towel around me loosens.

She yanks it back over me tightly. “We’re going to need some rules, too. First, no being naked in front of each other.”

“Wow, that’s rule number one? That really says something, Shay…” I tease.

She gives me one of her famous head wobbles. “They’re in no particular order.”

Little does she know, I need that rule as much as she apparently does. When she rubs the back of her neck, all I want to do is throw her down on her stomach, cover her in oil, and work those kinks out from the top down.

Last night proved the attraction is still there. We need tolimit that. I guess I won’t be visiting the kitchen naked for my midnight snacks like I usually do.

I sigh. “Reluctantly agreed. What else you got?”

“Two, I need to feel a part of paying Antonio’s tuition. So you can help me build my business. Maybe I can take some contacts to help build my business as a token of friendship. I would do the same for anyone from our town or a friend. But anything you pay for outright, like fees or uniforms or whatever private school stuff Nino needs, will be carefully tallied. It’s a loan.”

“I’m notloaningmy wife money,” I say, borderline disgusted by the thought.

“I’m not your wife.”

“Youare. And not even for fake but technically. It’s against my principles, Shay. Strike the rule.”

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