Page 63 of Perfect Playbook

Nino finishes the bowl like it’s a fresh one and he’s starving.

Just then, the doorbell rings. Logan gets up to answer it. His dick sways heavy and long as he rushes out of the room.Holy hell.

“Time to grab your backpack, baby. That’s Papá Luis.”

He hops off the chair and gets his backpack off the one opposite when Dad and Logan’s full frontal come back into the room.

What is it about sweatpants?

My dad lifts the cat carrier. “Cayenne missed you.”

Nino rushes to hug my dad who bends down and sets the cat carrier on the floor. My dad embraces Nino with warmth painted on his face.

“Let’s get him out!” Nino reaches for the latch.

“Un momento.” Dad, stops Antonio then glances at Logan. “You might want to back up first.”

An incredulous laugh leaves Logan’s boyish lips. But my dad’s expression is dead serious, so Logan takes a few steps back.

“Do you have a cat or a tiger in there?” he jokes.

I rub my hands together, ready to snatch Cayenne up if he decides to go for Logan.

“He’s just not a people person. Well, he loves us, but…” I bite my lip. “I’m sure it will be fine.”

Nino unlocks the door and pulls out our very round cat, the one who allows my little boy all leeway. Cayenne wears his permanently bored and bothered expression, but I’ve never been sure if it’s just his unusual and patchy markings that make one of his eyes look skeptical.

Nino kisses his face while the rest of Cayenne’s body hangs in a long line to Nino’s knees. “You’re going to love our teepee.”

He puts Cayenne down who immediately rushes behind him and toward Logan, bounding in long aggressive strides. Meowing loudly, he makes his subtle attack, hissing and swiping for Logan’s leg.

Logan doesn’t move from the spot but puts his hands in the air. “Whoa. This one is feisty.”

I rush over and snatch Cayenne up before he has another go. “Sorry about that.”

“No problem. Guess we have a guard cat now. I just didn’t think I’d want one that protected my own house from me.”

“He’ll calm down.” I say the words but I’m not so sure.

At least Logan isn’t fazed. I swear Cayenne was the cause of the longest string of first dates with no seconds I ever had. He specifically hates men. I stroke my cat’s belly in his special spot until he purrs then put him back down. He walks off toward the back of the house, eyeing Logan suspiciously the entire way.

Dad puts his hands on his hips. “That went well.” He claps his hands together. “Let’s get you to school,gordito.”

Nino takes my father’s hand but turns back to Logan. “Are you going to be home when I’m back from school?”

“Sorry, little man. I’m in Canada for three days. Calgary then Vancouver.”

“Those are in the west.”

“That’s right.”

My son takes his time with a thought then offers what he believes to be an objective assessment of Logan’s chances. “I think you’ll win because you were really, really good yesterday. I can’t believe anyone is better than you.”

Logan’s body melts under the warm compliment, and it melts me, too, thinking how much my boy’s opinion impacts him.

“Thanks, bud. That’s encouraging. I’ll be back in a few days. I’m sure you’ll have a lot of stories to tell.”

Nino waves. “Bye.”

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