Page 60 of Blade
They both laughed so hard they had to wipe tears from the corners of their eyes.
“You’re crazy!” she told the kitten, but he was too busy batting his toy mouse across the room to pay attention.
“What are we going to name the momma?” Robert asked, stroking the pretty calico who was happy to have a warm lap to snuggle in.
“She’s always making biscuits, so I thought we could call her Biscuit.”
Robert mimicked the kneading motion with his fingers. “That’s what she’s doing? Making biscuits?”
Amber nodded. “Hope’s cats do it all the time.”
“She’s cute. I’m glad we took them both.”
Amber sighed, feeling more content than she’s ever felt in her life. “Biscuit and Panther. Our lives are never going to be the same.”
Panther jumped onto the coffee table and skidded across the surface, knocking the remote control on the floor where it landed with a loud clunk, startling him once again and causing him to take off in a flash.
“You ain’t kidding,” Robert said, with a laugh.
Robert spent another week successfully dodging direct eye contact with Coach, thanks to his new obsession with his shoelaces. Anytime Coach was within five feet, like now, Robert leaned over and fussed with his laces, pulling them free and re-tying them.
“What are you doing?” Villalobos asked. “Get a new pair already. Stop yanking on those old laces before they break and you trip on the field and snap your neck.”
“What’s that?” Coach roared, walking over to see what Villalobos was talking about. “Got a problem with your footwear, Blade?”
Great. Now Robert’s surefire distraction brought attention to himself.Thanks a lot, Villalobos.
“Uh. No,” Robert replied, head down and knotting the lace on his right cleat. “It’s all good. I just needed to loosen up the laces a bit. They were too tight.” He studied his feet, wiggling his toes.
Coach watched him, standing right at his side, so Robert had no choice but to glance in the man’s direction. “I’m good.”
“Good,” Coach slapped Robert on the back hard enough to cause him to stumble. “Footwear is one of the most important parts of your gear. You can’t run if your feet hurt. Now, let’s get out there and win this game!”
Once Robert was on the turf, nothing mattered except the game. But once it was over, the only thing that mattered was Amber. He held his phone in his hand on the bus ride back to the hotel, anxious to call her, and sprinted to his room as soon as they reached the hotel.
“I miss you,” he said into the phone the moment he saw her face.
“I miss you too. Luckily, the cameraman consistently gives America close-ups of your cute little butt running around the field.”
“My butt? What about my amazing skills?”
She pretended to think about it. “I think I’m too distracted to notice.” Then she laughed. “I’m just kidding. You played a great game. How’s the tension with my father in the locker room?”
He collapsed on the bed, dread occupying his head from just thinking about it. “I hate it. But I don’t think anyone but me knows anything’s up.” He exhaled. “I’ll be glad when everything’s out in the open.”
She stared back, unblinking.
“It won’t be that bad.” He tried to sound reassuring, but his tone wasn’t convincing.
Her expression didn’t change, and she still hadn’t blinked, so he changed the subject. “Where’s Biscuit and Panther. I miss them. Is it crazy that I miss the cats?”
“No. It proves what a big heart you have.” She moved the phone so he could see Biscuit in her lap.
“Aw. Hi Biscuit. Where’s your crazy baby?”
Amber moved the phone back to her face. “He’s currently hanging off the curtains. I’m too exhausted to get him down.”
He saw the leather headboard behind her and realized she was already in bed. “Were you asleep?”
