Page 5 of Pinch
“You can’t do this to me, Chip, the moving truck’s already on its way to your house.” My brow is tight, and anger burns in my throat.
I’m trying to keep my voice down as I stand in the terminal in Atlanta waiting on the plane train.
“Sorry, Gav, the missus decided she wants to stay. I can’t get her to budge.”
“What am I supposed to do?” I pinch the bridge of my nose, dropping my chin as the silver doors open and passengers stream out. “You’re leaving me homeless.”
“Don’t you have a teammate you can crash with?”
The coast is clear, and I take my place on the train beside a woman with a dark-haired little girl.
“Probably. If you’d told me a week ago, but I’m arriving in LA today.”
“I’m really sorry. Can you afford a hotel room?”
Of course, I can afford a hotel room.
“This is really short notice, Chip. What about all my stuff?”
“Tell you what…” His tone brightens like he didn’t just ruin my entire day. “I’ve got a friend who owns one of those pod rental places. I’ll ask him to give you a month for free, since I left you hanging.”
Lifting my chin, I stare at the ceiling of the car as I exhale. “Sounds like I don’t have a choice. Text me the address, and I’ll try to get in touch with the driver.”
“I’ll have some guys there to unload it and everything.” He sounds like he’s opening a bag of chips, which makes me even more annoyed. “You won’t have to lift a finger.”
I’m thinking of lifting a finger. Now I’ve got to find a place to stay until I can track down a replacement home near the practice stadium in El Segundo.
I end the call as we approach the B terminal, and my eyes land on the little girl. She’s holding the hand of a woman who could be her mother or an aunt or I guess a nanny.
Dark curls frame her chubby pink cheeks, and her bright blue eyes are fixed on me.
I give her a smile and a wink, and she buries her face between the woman’s legs so fast, the woman has to take a step forward. I exhale a chuckle, looking at the overhead guide.
We’re approaching our stop, and when I glance down, she’s peeking at me again. Another wink, and she gives me the tiniest smile. A dimple appears at the corner of her mouth, and she’s a little cutie.
The train comes to a hard stop, and I hesitate as people start to exit, doing my best to hold the door for them. Westep off, and the little girl releases her companion’s hand. She presses her hand to her mouth and blows it at me.
The woman stops just in time to see. “Harper, are you flirting?”
Harper’s eyes squint, and I chuckle. The woman straightens, looking up, up, up at me, and her lips part with an “Oh!”
I give her a nod. “Gavin Knight. Sorry, I started it all.”
The little girl tugs her arm. “Ask him to play with us, Mommy!”
Her mother squints an eye, smiling up at me. “Would you like to play, Gavin Knight?”
I’m not sure whether to pick up the double entendre or let it go. I don’t see a ring, but I do see the clock ticking down. My layover is pretty tight.
Instead, I bend to a squat in front of Harper. “I’d love to play with you, but I’ve got to catch my plane. Where are you headed?”
“My grandma lives in Santorino,” she lisps, lifting her chin proudly.
“San Antonio,” her mother explains.
“Ah, fun town.” I reach in my bag and pull out a small LA Champions logo sticker. I’m not even sure where I got it. “Maybe you’ll see me play sometime.”
Harper takes it and smiles up at me. “Look, Mommy!”
