Page 22 of The Love Penalty

LAST MINUTE

Robbie

I’ll be in Minneapolis this weekend for back to back games but I didn’t see your name on the schedule.

Olivia

I’m officiating a game in Wisconsin on Friday then I have Saturday off.

Any chance you’d want to come to the game Saturday and hang out Sunday if I stay an extra day?

Yeah, that could be fun. I could make it up to you for showing me around Chicago.

That was my pleasure, no need to repay me. Should I start looking around for things to do?

Actually, how about I plan this one? I know the area better than you.

Sounds like a plan. Can’t wait to see you.

SIXTEEN

Olivia

I haven’t stopped thinkingabout Robbie for the last week. I dream about the way he hugged me and how perfect we fit together, like he was tailor-made for me. When I told him I couldn’t afford all the things he had planned for us in Chicago, I wanted to crawl under a rock and never show my face again. It felt humiliating to admit that to him, and I truly expected him to offer to pay for everything or get upset with me and cancel the plans.

When I was dating Weston, I always insisted on paying for my own food and tickets, mostly because his family already thought I wanted him for his money and I needed to prove them wrong. Not that it mattered in the end, but at least I had my principles. But every time he would plan something too expensive and I would tell him no, he would get mad and cancel the whole date. In hindsight, I probably should have seen that for what it was: a major red flag.

I think again about the places Robbie took me and smile to myself. It was perfect.He’s perfect.For the past week we’vebeen comparing schedules and figuring out which cities we’ll be in together next. While I’m pretty meticulous with a planner, I don’t always enjoy planning things ahead of time. I like to just walk around sometimes and discover new places and food. But Robbie is adamant about looking up everything there is to do and see and make some plans ahead of time. We once again reached a compromise that he would do the planning and I would just show up. Except for this Sunday.

I will be in Wisconsin for the first time this season to officiate a game on Friday and then plan to see Jack and his family and return home Saturday afternoon.

When I told Robbie, he immediately went into planning mode and got me a ticket to the Saturday night game. He also planned to get another night at his hotel and booked a flight home instead of leaving with the team bus after the game. Since he has the day off Sunday as well and can fly out in the evening, that means we get to spend the whole day together.

So, instead of him planning everything out, I decided to take it upon myself and show him around the town I grew up in. I want to take him to my favorite taco place, go indoor mini golfing, and maybe even take him to meet my grandma.

I know it sounds stupid, but I really want her to like him. Grams and I are so close, she immediately figured out I had a growing crush on Robbie and insisted I put myself out there and ask him out. But I can’t.Can I?

What if all this is really just friendship to him?

I don’t want to look like a fool.

What if he’s got a girlfriend back home?

He doesn’t seem like the type of person to stay single for long.

What if he’s just getting close because he wants to hook up?

He doesn’t seem the type to do that either—and while he didn’t tell me any of his dating history during our heart-to-heart last time, he also said he wanted a family.

I’m overthinking again and I need to stop. I need to believe that he’s a good person and that he won’t break my heart if I let him in all the way. Otherwise I won’t ever make progress. I need to talk to him and find an answer to all of these questions swirling around in my brain before I even attempt to ask him out.

And what if he says no?

Then all I can do is hope he’ll still want to be my friend and move on.

As soon asI ring Jack’s doorbell, the door swings open and I’m enveloped in the biggest hug by Bonnie.

“Oh honey, I missed you so much! You are so skinny, have you been eating enough? I made roast chicken with potatoes and veggies and you need at least two servings,” she says all this while crushing me to her, which is surprising for a woman of her stature. She’s 5’2” with big round cheeks, lots of curves, and a short bob that’s mostly silver with black strands peeking through.

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