Page 38 of Who's Playing You
“Umm,” she stalled again.
“Okay, glad we sorted that out. So when and where do you want me?” I was simply going to move this conversation forwardas if it were a done deal. Some might call it bulldozing, I just thought of it as making what was bound to happen, happen. And by so doing, maybe she’d just get on board with it already.
“Are you one-hundred-percent, totally sure? I really don’t want you to feel obligated or pressured,” she pleaded with me.
“I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life,” I told her with certainty. “I can’t wait,” I tacked on to which the tension released because she laughed.
“Alright, if you insist. But I guess we can figure out a day that works tomorrow when we go on our next adventure.”
“That’s perfect, honey,” I told her as I groaned when I tried to stretch my tight shoulders from my seated position behind the wheel.
“What’s the matter? You sound like you’re in pain,” see, she was so connected to me on a deeper level that she justknew.
“Oh nothing out of the ordinary,” I told her. “Just sore from practice today.”
“Is that a normal occurrence?”
“Ehh,” I shrugged as I said it. “On occasion. But it’s a new team and they’re learning my ways of doing things. It’s a little bit of a learning curve,” I explained.
“I’ll take your word for it. I feel bad though that you’re obviously in pain, is there anything I can do? Do you want to reschedule tomorrow?”
“Absolutely not,” I told her instantly. “Wild horses couldn’t keep me away from you, I mean, our next art adventure,” I quickly corrected myself.
“If you’re sure… We can also move the time back, if that’s better for you, or we could…”
“Scottie?” I cut off her nervous rambling.
“Yeah Nicholas?”
“I’m fine. It’s all great. And I can’t wait to see you at 8 a.m. sharp tomorrow when I pick you up.”
“Oh, you don’t have to pick me up,” she rushed out. “I can just meet you…”
“Nu-uh, honey. I’ll be at your place at eight to pick you and the supplies up. No need for us to take two cars, plus it gives us more time to talk and get to know one another.”
“If it’s not out of your way…” she hedged.
“It’s most definitelynotout of my way,” I said with certainty.
“Okay, that would be great then. I’ll grab us some coffees and breakfast sandwiches then, if you want. The coffee shop next to my place is the best. Do you have any food sensitivities?”
“That sounds perfect, Scottie. I’ll eat anything you get for us.”
Technically I was on a very specific diet that the team’s dietician and my personal dietician had put together, which was extremely precise and strict, but I wasn’t going to have that impact Scottie and whatever she wanted to get for me. Besides, I was curious to see what she’d get for us to share.
“Ok great!” I could hear her beaming. “How do you take your coffee, or tea. I’m sorry, it was presumptuous to assume you drink coffee.”
“What will you have?”
“Oh, I’ll probably have…” I could hear her chewing on her bottom lip, because Iknewthat’s what she did when she was thinking. “Maybe an iced caramel latte.”
“Perfect.”
“Really? That’s not too… basic?”
“If you like it, I know I’ll like it,” I stated simply.
My blinker overtook the silence between us as I exited the highway onto the ramp taking me to New Hope.
