Page 62 of Finding the Forward: Part Two
I’d wanted to win. Those two cooked circles around me tonight.
“I liked yours.” She looked up at me and smiled.
We watched on the TV as Clark stole the puck, the Étoiles chasing him and getting it away. Someone knocked over Carlos, and Grif pushed him up against the glass and punched him. The person hit him back as a minor scuffle broke out. The Knights were up 2-1.
Mercy grinned. “What do I win? You two not being nauseating for the rest of the night?”
“Driving lessons, as soon as I get my car back from Hale?” Verity replied. “I’m cleared for driving now. I got the email while we were gone.”
Mercy snorted. “Hale’s not giving you back your car. Though I’m happy to help you steal it back from him. How long is the drive?”
“Much longer than the ultra-bullet. Even if there isn’t a direct route. I told him a million times it was toborrowuntil I can drive again. I like my car and I worked hard to buy it myself. He’s supposed to drive it out with my flower bulbs.” Verity rubbed her temples.
“It’s anicecar,” Mercy agreed. “But you need a convertible. A pink one.”
Verity laughed and shook her head. “Please don’t buy me a car.”
“Oh, but I will because I can.” Mercy waved her phone around, both of them giggling.
“I was thinking more like you could choose dessert or not have to wash the dishes,” I told them.
“Fair. That means Verity washes up because you grilled. I’m still hungry. I’m going to cut up the pineapple.” Mercy popped up with a quickness that made my knee ache. She went to the kitchen, taking some dishes with her.
“Pineapple?” I blinked. We hadn’t bought one at the store.
“It’s her favorite. She brought it in her suitcase. Not that you would, but don’t tease her by taking food off her plate. Years of Hale doing that has made her a little violent when that happens.” Verity shrugged as she sat up and grabbed the platter.
“Noted. Grif is like that with his special snacks–though they’re all labeled.” Siblings could be colossal assholes. There was a reason I didn’t talk to most of mine. I was one of seven. Most of them were good children who worked for our dads.
Since the game had gone to a commercial, I joined her, grabbing some more of the dishes.
“Look how much snow has already piled up on the balcony. Good thing we don’t have practice tomorrow.” Mercy had her face pressed to the glass.
It was freezing when I’d grilled out on the terrace.By the time I’d finished, snow started coming down.
“I have a feeling that the storm might come early,” I replied, joining her. “What sort of car does Verity have?”
“A fancy sedan with a moonroof. It has a great stereo so I understand why Hale wants to keep it. Ver worked her ass off to buy it outright, even did a job for them to get a discount. She wanted the little convertible, but the parents needed her to have a car they could fit car seats in, so she could ferry the littles.” Mercy showed me a picture on her phone.
There was a slightly younger Verity in a gray suit and a stunning necklace getting into a silver sedan. Her hair, nails, shoes, watch, briefcase, sunglasses, and makeup were not only perfection, but the right choices for that particular luxury car brand. Classic and classy, while still oozing power and elegance.A car as confident as you,the copy read.
I’d buy that.
“It would be nice to get her a convertible. Something that fits me, her, and barely my duffle. We joke because Kaiko got her older sister one. But I’m sort of serious. Verity likes cute things. She should have a car that doesn’t fit a car seat while she can.” Mercy showed me another picture. It was a mid-priced trendy convertible made by Deloitte Automotive.
“I could see her driving that.” Maybe I should get my own car and pick something Verity could drive. My parents always had a driver, so I liked being a rebel and using the metro.
“Right? It’s so her,” Mercy nodded.
“It’s sweet of you, though you should save your money. Someone’s teaching you to be smart with it, right?” I asked, because I could think of all the things I’d buy at seventeen with a professional athlete’s paycheck.
Also, rookies could be dumbasses with their money. Grif was fine in the minors because our pay was shit for the work we put in. Once we’d moved up and started receiving those big paychecks, he’d been tempted to make bad choices. Many of which I’d been able to talk him out of. I’d also set him up with a business manager to help him with his goals. While I was all for him helping his family, he should plan for his future, too.
“Yep, most of it gets put away and the Maimers are making me take an online class. It’s pretty good. Again, teach me about investing. Please? One of the parents’ biggest arguments against professional sports is that it’s a short-lived, unstable career. Which I’m well aware of.” Mercy nodded as she chopped up the pineapple with the skill of someone who’d done it before.
She put the pineapple in three bowls. “I want to save as much as possible because I don’t know how many years I’ll get to do this. After I finish high school, I want to look into one of those university programs for professional athletes and work toward my history degree. When I’m ready to retire, I’ll teach at a high school and coach skate smash.”
“All very smart things,” I told her, looking around. Verity seemed to have disappeared. Mercy had such a practical streak. How much of that was Verity?
