Page 264 of Steeling Her
“Uh, duh! Obviously!” She deadpans but still smiles. “I wouldn’t miss a game, Nick. You know me.” She leaps out of the chair to walk to the refrigerator. “Oh, and I also invited Mom, Dad, and Ellie with your tickets too.” She casually throws the information over her shoulder. “If that’s okay?” she asks me.
“Yeah, that’s fine.” I shrug. I haven’t used my family and friends ticket each team member gets. I haven’t had the chance to. Haley uses TJ’s and Danielle uses Chris’. “You know who else is coming?” I ask subtly but she peers over her shoulder to look at me with sympathetic eyes once more.
“She’ll be there.” She knows what I was actually asking, even without saying it, but it’s the look of pity she’s sending me that I cannot stand. I look and sound desperate.
Maybe I am desperate?
“Yeah?” I ask for confirmation.
“Yeah. I mean, it’s Chris’ game, too, so she’ll be there.” She chuckles. She knows Carter would never say no to a football game, especially if it were her brothers’ games. Provided that douche lets her go. “So will Danielle and Taylor. Hopefully, the stadium will be full of fans too.”
She pulls out some chicken from the refrigerator and salad to begin preparing dinner for tonight. I just sit and watch her as she rambles on about how to make her famous secret tomato sauce that goes with the chicken and pasta.
I listen to her while I take my mind off of other things. After getting nothing in my head, I spend some quality time with her and help her out for the dinner tonight.
***
Carter
Knock knock knock.
I rush around the kitchen to grab my things to throw them into my handbag. “Coming!” I yell at Chris, who I know is on the other side of the door. I’ve being summoned to watch the Chargers versus the Raiders today. It’s a home game, so Chris is bringing me to the stadium.
I sprint over to open the door to see him patiently waiting in some fitness attire. “I’ll be there in two seconds, I just have to find my phone!” I say breathlessly while holding up two fingers. I race back to the kitchen and leave the door open to allow him inside for some cool air while he waits for me.
“Here, let me help.” he whips out his own phone and calls my phone so I can find it. Once I begin to hear the ringtone, I walk around until I hear it get louder and louder. It’s like a game of hot and cold. I look inside the bag, don’t see it. I open the refrigerator and see it sitting on the middle shelf.
“I must have put it there when I was unloading the groceries this morning.” I feel a blush coming on since my scattered mind came out to play so early in the day.
Chris slides his phone back in his pocket while laughing at me.
“You ready?” he asks before checking the time.
“Yeah, let’s go.” I nod and let him lead the way so I can lock the door as we head out. I near the car only to see Danielle and Taylor aren’t in there with him. “Where are they?” I ask as I pull the heavy black door of the SUV to I can get in the passenger side next to him.
“They’re already there. I thought it would just be me and you today, Cooks.” He clicks his seatbelt in and waits for me to do the same.
“Why? You don’t have something bad to tell me, do you?” I pause and wish for a “no” to fall out of his mouth.
“Nope. Buckle up.” He reaches across and finishes the task for me. To say I’m puzzled is an understatement.
“Okay,” I say hesitantly as he switches on the ignition making everything light up. He punches in the destination into his fancy GPS system to see which route is better and has less traffic, then we begin to move.
“I just wanted to see how you were, that’s all,” he says and I immediately know Danielle spilled the beans. I told her and Haley that I would tell people in my own time. I warned them, both of them.
“She told you, didn’t she?” I grunt as I reach around to fix my seatbelt so it lays flat and doesn’t cut into my neck.
“Maybe.” He grins out the front window. “Don’t start getting snarky at her either. She was drunk and it just flew out of her mouth. She felt bad for it and asked me to forget I heard it, but you’re my sister,” he explains and I start to feel bad for wanting to yell at her. It wasn’t on purpose, and I know Chris can’t lie to save his life, so I know he’s telling the truth. “I want you to feel comfortable enough to tell me these things, Carter. I’m not going to sit here and judge you for it. Hell, my own past relationships have been terrible, so I really can’t be judging you.” I chuckle as I remember all the girls he went through in high school and college. They were all so beautiful and they knew it, but they had no common sense to go with it. I always feel bad for saying it but it’s true.
“It wasn’t terrible,” I confess.
“I know, that’s not what I meant. Sorry, foot in mouth disease,” he jokes while pointing to his mouth. He has a lifelong case of it. “I just wanted to check in with you, that’s all.” He comforts me, speaking to me with care. Looking between me and the road ahead, he tries to keep eye contact with me but can only do it when we roll to a stop at a traffic light.
“It’s been hard.” I confess. “I mean, I was fine at first, you know? I appreciated having the weight lifted off my shoulders and all, but at the same time, I felt empty for a while. I felt lonely sometimes,” I say. It’s been one hell of a rollercoaster with my feelings. Some days were good and others were bad. They say it’s easier if you do the dumping, but I’ve been on both sides of the fence and neither one is easy.
“You’ve got me, Austin, Mom, and Dad. Even Taylor and Danielle too. Haley, TJ, and even Nick. You have us all, Carter, don’t be feeling alone when you have us.” He tries to soothe me but it’s different.
“I know I have you all. That’s not what I’m saying. It’s just an adjustment, that’s all. It’s going from messages all day to nothing; from phone calls at nighttime to nothing; from date nights to nothing. It’s been hard, but I am getting there. I just have to find my feet, and I’m beginning to find them again.” I nod back, reassuring him that I’m fine. “It’s just that breakups are never easy. ” I shrug. I watch all the cars zoom by us as people walk out on the streets to do some shopping or eating food outside and talking with their friends.
