Page 4 of Secret
Kasey grabbed a bottle of beer and sat down. "Good. Not much new. Gym and work. Such an exciting life."
"Dyson's trying to talk me into joining some baseball league, you should join with us." Xander sat down beside him.
"Ah, no." Kasey shook his head. "I suck at baseball." Truth was, he had a huge aversion to baseball bats, but that was something he wasn't going to share with anyone. Only Bryon knew that story, and he wanted to keep it that way. "I'm going to start running again in the mornings, I think, maybe hit the range more often."
"Too bad you don't live closer. Xander goes running almost every morning. You could join him." Matt flipped a steak, sending smoke high into the air.
Kasey was about to answer when Faith's dog came bounding out the door straight for him. He braced himself, tucking his beer between his legs just before the large German Shepherd bounded onto his lap.
"Faith, I told you to leave him in the basement until we were done eating," Matt yelled.
"He was scratching and whining. He knew Kasey was here and wanted to see him." Faith walked out of the house with a smug grin on her face.
"If he steals dinner, then you're going to have to make us something else." Matt glared, but his voice lacked any anger.
"Cereal it is." Faith laughed.
"Hey, Zeus." Kasey hugged the large dog to his chest. She'd gotten him as a puppy, but it had grown so fast.
Xander and Matt had gotten Faith the dog after everything she'd been through, and now she and the dog hardly did anything apart. Other than school, Faith nearly refused to go anywhere without Zeus. She'd started bringing him over to the team house sometimes when they'd go over there, and Kasey had taken to the dog right away. Obviously, the dog felt the same way. Kasey grinned as he scratched behind her ears.
"He loves you." Faith smiled.
"And I love him." Kasey winked at Faith. "She's getting so big."
"Yep. Dad says I'll have to get a bigger bed if she grows anymore." Faith sat down on the ground in front of Kasey.
"You keep growing and he'll have to do that anyway. I swear you've gotten a foot taller in just the last few months." Kasey glanced around the dog in his lap to see her.
"That's cause Mommy was tall, huh, Dad."
"Yep. My wife was five-foot-nine. Faith will hopefully get some of her height." Matt smiled. "Faith, I need you to go wash up. We're going to eat in a few. I want you to grab the steak sauce and whatever else you want when you come back out, please."
"Okay." She stood, and Zeus jumped off Kasey's lap to be with her.
Kasey watched her walk inside. "She's growing up fast." He glanced over at Xander.
"I know. I don't know how to stop it." Xander grinned. "I'm just glad things are starting to mellow out for her. Each day is a little better."
"I've seen the changes too. She's a strong kid." Kasey stretched out his legs. "So, I know you didn't call me over here to visit. What's up?"
Matt and Xander exchanged glances.
"Shit, this can't be good if you're nervous to tell me." Kasey took a long sip of his beer. "Let's hear it."
Xander sighed. "We wanted to ask you before we asked Faith if she was okay with it, but we'd like to sneak away on a small honeymoon. We haven't really had any time alone since we got married. We aren't even sure she'll be okay with it, and if she's not, we won't go, but if she is, you're the only one other than Beau who she might trust enough to spend a few days with. Beau, being on call all the time, well, we thought we'd ask you first."
Kasey was shocked. He didn't know the first thing about how to take care of a young girl. "Me?"
"She trusts you. She hates spending even an hour with my mom or sister." Matt set a plate of steaks on the table. "I know it's a lot to ask. If it's easier, you guys can stay here so she's around her own things. It's up to you. If you say no, we'll talk to Beau. We don't want to make you uncomfortable."
"No, I mean, I'll do it. I'm just shocked you'd ask me to." He glanced at Xander. "What about work? I mean, I can probably get the days off too, but that leaves Dyson handling anything by himself. I guess if it's just a weekend that isn't too bad, but…" He shook his head, he was finding things to worry about.
"If you have to work, you can always leave Faith for a few hours at the team house. You know Becca or Beau would be happy to hang with her. We know it's a lot to ask." Matt glanced at Xander again. "We just want a couple nights."
"I get it, and if Faith is okay with it, I'll do it. Just let me know when." Kasey wasn't sure what he was getting himself into, but he could handle playing X-box and eating pizza with Faith for a few days.
"If Faith is okay with what?" Faith walked out the door, Zeus right behind her.
