Page 35 of Rookie's Redemption
"I... that's so sweet of you to ask, but I—"
"Ryder will be there, of course," she continues, as if this is a casual dinner invitation and not a potentially life-altering event. "We thought it might be nice to have everyone together again. Like old times."
Like old times.Before I knew better.
"Mrs. Scott, I don't know if that's such a good idea—"
"Nonsense. Six o'clock. And Mia? Wear something comfortable. You know I never did care about fancy clothes."
The line goes dead and I stare at my phone, mouth hanging open like a fish.
"Well?" Emma demands. "What did she say?"
"She invited me to dinner. Tonight. With Ryder." I look up at Emma, who's practically bouncing on her toes. "This has his fingerprints all over it, doesn't it?"
"Oh, absolutely. That boy is pulling out all the stops."
My phone rings again immediately. This time it's definitely Ryder.
"You." I answer without preamble, my voice hard instantly. "Did you put your mother up to this?"
"Put her up to what?" His voice is innocence itself, but I can hear the smile on his face. "I have no idea what you're talking about, babe."
"Dinner, Ryder. Your mom just called and invited me to dinner tonight. And stop calling mebabe!"
"Huh. Weird. I wonder how she got that idea."
"You know I'm going to kill you, right?"
"Get in line. Coach is already plotting my demise for missing a pass during drills." There's some muffled shouting in the background, and Ryder's voice becomes more distant. "Sorry, Coach! I said I was sorry!"
Despite myself, I'm smiling. "Are you seriously on the phone with me during practice?"
"Maybe. Possibly. Look, I should probably go before Coach makes me run suicides until I puke, but I'll pick you up at five-thirty?"
"I didn't say yes to dinner."
"See you then!"
"Ryder—"
"Gotta go! See you tonight!"
The line goes dead, leaving me staring at my phone again.
Emma claps her hands together like a small child on Christmas morning. "This is so exciting! You need to figure out what to wear. Something that says 'I'm not trying too hard but I look amazing anyway.'"
"I should get back to the shelter. Zoe's been alone with the puppies for too long, and—"
"The puppies will be fine for another twenty minutes. We need to discuss your outfit strategy."
I grab another piece of cinnamon roll, suddenly needing the sugar rush. "I can't believe I'm doing this."
"Believe it, honey. And try to have fun. It's just dinner with people who love you."
People who love me.
That thought alone makes my chest tight with a mixture of hope and terror.
