Page 20 of The Progressions

“Why didn’t you ever go to a game? Because the tickets are too expensive?”

“That’s part of it. It’s mostly because my dad could never bring himself to go and I never wanted to do it without him.”

“Why?”

I shrugged and he imitated me, shrugging back.

“I heard that you were purposefully picking fights with the other guys,” I mentioned. “Is that true?”

“Is that what they said?”

“Would they have reason to say that?” I asked, turning the tables.

“Do you want the rest of that pasta salad?”

No, I was getting full. I turned my plate as well, so that he could reach it. “You’re annoying to talk to,” I let him know.

“Ask better questions,” he suggested, “and you’ll get better answers.”

“Ok, what did you have for dinner last night out of the groceries I bought?”

“I made a balsamic glaze and put it on a caprese salad, and then I grilled chicken breasts with that same glaze. I also toasted brown rice and cooked that. I finished all the chicken you put in the fridge.”

There had been two full breasts, split, which was a lot of chicken to finish by himself. “That sounds really good,” I said, both surprised and impressed. “I made pasta with sauce out of the jar. But I also made a salad with fresh stuff from the garden.” He didn’t seem as amazed by my output. “How did you know how to make all that?”

“I like to screw around with cooking.”

I had unpacked several boxes of kitchen gear, and his former landlord in California had told me that none of it belonged to the rental house there. “How did you learn? From your mom?”

“Sure,” he said. We were silent for a while. “Has that guy said anything? You know, the thong thief?”

“Oren,” I supplied. “No, and I don’t think he’ll talk. I hope not,” I continued, wrinkling my nose as I recalled the scene. “I’m going to take all of her underwear and get it really clean.”

“Don’t bother. Shay has plenty more. She won’t notice if I throw it away.”

“I guess so,” I said slowly. No, I would still wash it all. “When will she be here?”

“Maybe after I get back from the team trip.”

Then I would have only a few more days to get everything in order in their condo. I felt a lot of pressure to have it really nice—after all, he was paying me. Also, I kind of wanted her to be impressed.

“Can I get your picture?”

The same woman from the parking lot stood with her camera ready, smiling at us.

“Sure,” I said, and we both looked at Tyler. He nodded and leaned across the table, toward me. He also smiled at the camera when she held it up.

“That’s a great one. You’ll love it,” the photographer said. “Can I get your name?”

“Kasia Decker,” I said.

“Ka-sha?”

“K-A-S-I-A,” Tyler spelled. “It’s Polish.” He took another bite off my plate and I nodded, smiling again.

Chapter 5

Ichecked my phone and my heart flipped. When I had this many messages, it was usually about my dad, and it was usually bad, but these were from Iva…oh, the baby! She wasn’t due for weeks yet—what had happened?

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