Page 81 of Making the Call
Luke
“What do you have in mind?”Dani looked tired when she entered the room, but a newfound energy has replaced it. Secretly, I hope it has something to do with me.
“It’s a surprise. Grab your coat and purse, and I’ll meet you in the kitchen.”
Dani seems hesitant but does as I ask. I know she’s not one to wait for surprises. She’s like a kid in a candy shop who hates waiting for a treat. As soon as she leaves the room, I turn to Pops with a knowing grin.
“You’ll tell Ma and the girls we’ll be back late, and not to wait up.”
“You just enjoy your night with Danika. I’ll handle everything here.” Pops grins widely but doesn’t say anymore.
When Dani returns to the kitchen, I usher her out the door before anyone has a chance to stop us. When we reach the car, her body trembles with giddy excitement. “Where are we going?”
“Not gonna tell. So, stop asking.” I smirk as I hold the door open for her.
She reaches up to her tiptoes and brushes a kiss to my lips. “You’re lucky I like you, or I just might have to thump you.” She pretends to scowl, and my smile carries me around to the other side of the car.
As we travel to the other side of town, I ask about her day. She gushes with excitement about all the things my family showed her. I can tell she enjoyed herself. But when I ask how her book is coming along, her expression turns dark.
“Uh… not very well. I haven’t been able to write for the better part of a week or more. It’s really frustrating.”
This is news to me. A week is an eternity to her. Concerned, I ask, “What changed?”
Dani shrugs and looks out the window. “Not sure. I write a lot, but when I go back to re-read any of it, I end up deleting it all. Nothing flows as it should. I hope I get out of this funk soon. It really sucks having daily word counts of crap filling the pages.”
“I’m sure it’s not that bad.” In an effort to comfort her, I reach out to place my hand on her thigh, giving it a light squeeze. “Anything I can do to help?”
Her heavy sigh tells me no, and her words confirm it. “I wish. I just need to get out of my own head and stop doubting myself. In the meantime, I’ll just keep writing.”
Not knowing what else to say, I squeeze her thigh once more. When she places her hand over mine, I know things will be okay. With her simple touch, I feel her muscles loosen. Her head falls back to the headrest, and she takes another calming breath. I wish there was something I could do for her. Maybe this surprise will help.
About thirty minutes later, I pull off the highway to drive down a dark well-known street. Dani eyes me quizzically but knows better than to ask. When we reach our destination, she raises an eyebrow.
“You’ve brought me to a bar? What’s so special, you needed to keep it a surprise?”
“You’ll see.” I smirk as I exit the car and quickly make my way to the other side to help her out.
Placing my hand on the small of her back, I lead her into the bar. As the door opens, the music gets louder. The lights are dim, and the smell of alcohol permeates the air. This was one of my favorite hangouts back in college. There’s live music a few nights a week and occasionally, someone big will just come in to hang out for a set or two. I just brought her here so I could spend time with her outside of the media and my family’s attention.
I guide her to a booth and offer to help her with her jacket. She slides into the seat, and I sit on the opposite side. Instead of looking at me, she takes in the room. There’s a busy bartender mixing drinks, a crowd at the stage dancing to the music, and patrons fill the tables in the center of the room as well as booths along the side. It’s just like I remember.
Before I can ask Dani what she thinks, I hear, “Luke Leighton, is that you?”
Dani’s instantly on edge as I turn to see Sandy, the owner of the bar, fast approaching with a wide grin. “What on earth are you doin’ in this neck of the woods? I thought you’d be staying with the team while you’re in town.”
“Hey, Sandy. It’s good to see you. I’m with the team during the day, but I’m staying with my parents.”
“I saw on television that you’re finally off the market. Boy, the girls around here were sad to see that happen.” She then turns to Danika. “Hello, Charlotte. I’m Sandy. I run this joint.” She points over her shoulder to the bar. “If there’s anything you need, don’t hesitate to ask.” She focuses her attention back to us. “I’m happy for the two of you. Don’t listen to a word the media says, girl. This guy is one of the best men around.”
“You’ve known Luke long?” Dani asks, curiosity filling her features.
“Since he was knee-high to a grasshopper. Back in the day, his folks were neighbors of mine. I’m a couple of years older than his sister. But we knew each other.”
“What she’s too kind to tell you is that I used to play for her dad, so I was always around, pestering her and her friends.”
“Oh, Luke.” Sandy shakes her head. “You were always one of the good ones. I’m just so happy to see you. I can’t believe you’re all the way out in Tacoma and made your dream come true. You know I’m a die-hard fan of Tennessee, but when we’re not playing the Rainier Renegades, I’m a huge fan.”
“Thanks, Sandy. Be sure to tell your folks hello for me.”
