Page 64 of Enough
“He said it was for his job. Honestly, Mike. Don’t you listen?” I ask with an irritated shake of my head.
“He called you?” Mike asks.
I strengthen my hold on the chairs and parade away from Mike without saying another word.
Grandma Kay chases behind me. I’m almost at a jog. Who does Mike think he is to question me like he’s suddenly interested in my life? Who I know and what I do is no longer any of his concern. As I drop the chairs and adjust my hood, I glance up to search for Marlow’s location. Nick is crouched down, talking to the team, and seems to be pointing at something with Marlow toward the goal. She smiles and nods her head, and he gives her a high five. I realize I’m staring at him when his eyes wander the sidelines and stop when they find me. There’s that smile again. My head drops immediately, and I attempt to appear busy setting up my chairs for the game.
“Did I miss anything?” Gwen asks as she approaches breathlessly with a chair in her hand.
“Oooh, Gwenny, you missed a lot!” Kay chimes in. “Ev’s old boyfriend Nick Rowen is helping out Marlow’s team. Mike thought he was cool until he saw the way he gazed at Everly when Mike tried to introduce them. Everly has been pretty much frozen since he opened his mouth, and I can feel the buzz of electricity between them like a wire connecting two poles. I always did love that boy!”
“What the fuck?” Gwen’s eyes bulge out of her head as she searches the field for him.
Kay points him out as I sit in my chair and stare at my feet. “He’s hard to miss,” she says. “He’s the hottie in the black hoodie and black hat with the blue and black striped shorts.”
“The tall one with the ginormous calves and freakishly muscular arms?”
“That’s him,” I respond without lifting my head. I could describe everything about him in perfect detail even if I never saw him again.
Gwen opens her chair and plops down, immediately focusing on me. “I remembered he was good looking, but crap, time has scorched him with hotness.”
“Yes it has,” I say as I tap my shoes together.
“How is he one of her coaches? I thought he lived in Wisconsin?” Gwen asks.
“He said he moved here three years ago.”
“He’s lived here all this time and you didn’t know?”
I shake my head as I become aware of the significance.He’s lived here for years? Did he ever wonder about me?I glance up at him and look away quickly when I see him staring at me. I pucker my lips and try not to smile, but I can’t help myself. My lips curl upward unwillingly, and I have to take a deep breath to steady my hands.
“Mom, can I have a dollar for a snack?” Kale asks as he runs over to me. I reach in my purse and hand him the first green bill I see.
“This is a five! Can I spend it all?” he asks.
In my distracted state, I wave at him. “Uh huh.”
“Oh shit!” Gwen laughs as she grabs hold of my arm, forcing me to look at her. “Not only are you incredibly distracted, but you’re also going to have an over-sugared child onyour hands later. What’s gotten into you?”
Her tone snaps me out of my lustful thoughts and I clear my throat. “Nothing! Nothing at all! I was just surprised. I’m fine.”
“Mom!”
I hear Marlow’s voice and search the crowd of blue-chested children for her. The game’s about to start, and she wants to make sure I see her. I smile proudly and give her a thumbs-up, trying not to let my eyes wander toward Nick. I sense he’s watching me.
Kay, Gwen, and I huddle together, sharing the blankets as the game begins. Nick is standing on the side by the bench with his hand over his mouth. He’s watching the game intently, and his focus makes him look even hotter than before.
“If you’re not interested in him, can I have him?” Kay questions.
“Would it be weird if I drooled in his direction?” Gwen asks through a laugh.
“Ha ha.” My voice drips with sarcasm.
A few minutes into the game, the ball is passed to Marlow. She runs the field. She’s fast and handles the ball with amazing skill before she shoots and scores. All three of us jump out of our seats and cheer. Marlow fist pumps the air and smiles at me. I’m filled with pride as I high-five Gwen and Kay. I almost miss seeing Marlow run into Nick’s open arms for a hug before she’s back on the line for the next kickoff.
I force my gaze away from him and notice Mike is watching me, watching Nick. I do a double take at him before I huff to myself.
Throughout the game, Nick’s eyes meet mine several times. At one point I try to act as if I’m glancing past him. Hegrins at me from the tops of his eyes before his head bows briefly. His gaze meets mine again, and his expression turns serious and stern. It’s such a drastic change that I can’t help but shake my head and smile, and he grins back. He knows I’m watching, and it makes me mad at myself. I can’t take my eyes off of him. Grandma Kay was right. It’s as if there is an invisible rope between us, and every time he smiles I feel myself getting pulled into wanting him again. I can feel myself doing a Kegel exercise just to break off the intensity with which I desire him. It’s utterly ridiculous.
