Page 47 of Romancing My Grumpy Goalie

She laughs. “Fair enough.”

The server comes with our food and places our plates in front of us.

“I’m not sure I can eat all this,” she says, surveying her roasted chicken and mashed potatoes. “I just filled up on muffins and bread.”

“Eat the meat and package the rest to go.” I grab my burger and take a bite. The menu said bun was baked in house, and it makes a big difference in the taste. “There is one benefit to you being full,” I say after chewing and swallowing. “You aren’t trying to steal my food.”

She narrows her eyes at me. “Just for that, I’m taking a fry.” Before I can shoo her hand away, she snatches one and shoves it into her mouth.

So, I grab my fork and scoop up some of her mashed potatoes.

“You know I don’t care about those, right?”

“You’re missing out. These are delicious. Mmm,” I moan.

Her eyes go wide. “Don’t make that sound,” she hisses. “It’s indecent.”

“You don’t like it?” I challenge her.

Her lips twitch. “I never said that.”

I tug at my collar. Don’t these people believe in air conditioning? It’s scorching in here.

FIFTEEN

ANABELLE

“Coach Lucas!”Nolan yells, running through the grassy field of Maple Creek Park.

What’s Lucas doing here? I have a rare Saturday off, and Nolan begged me to go to the park with him to feed the ducks.

Lucas is dressed in a t-shirt and athletic shorts, like he’d just come from practice. He’s carrying a large remote-control car. We’re supposed to be more discreet, but no one seems to be around. Anyway, it’s not like we planned to meet him here.

“What’s that?” Nolan asks when he catches up to him.

“This is a Traxxas Maxx.”

“Cool, is it fast?”

Lucas smiles. “It can go about sixty. Maybe more. I’ve put a lot of upgrades into it.”

My mouth falls open. “Miles per hour?”

“Yep.”

Nolan bounces around in the grass. “What? That’s so awesome. Can I try?”

“Is that safe?” I say incredulously.

Lucas smirks. “Not if it crashes into you at full throttle.”

Nolan is really bouncing now. “I’ll be careful, Mom. I promise.”

“It’s up to you,” Lucas says to me.

“What if we took it to that big field over there, and you start slow and have Lucas stay right by you?”

Nolan hops from one foot to the next. “Yes!” He pumps a fist into the air.

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