Page 84 of The Fadeaway
“Aww, worried about me?”
“Worried about my car,” I mutter as Christian and I head to her car.
When we get to The White House, I pull around back in the parking lot, spotting the guys shooting outside on the old hoop. Wes has a hard-on for the old rusted backboard and rim that was attached to an old telephone pole about a million years ago from the looks of it.
They eye the car and me with amusement. It’s Christian’s excitement that forces me out of the car.
“Nice ride,” Nathan calls.
Z nudges him in the ribs. “You brought a ringer.”
Christian grabs my hand. Such a simple thing that completely catches me off guard. I squeeze his hand gently. “You remember the guys?”
He nods, but still holds back. Strange place, people he’s only seen once – yeah perhaps this wasn’t my most well thought out plan. Kneeling down, I meet his scared but curious expression. “Nervous?”
Another nod.
“I know these guys are kind of big and ugly,” I say loud enough the guys can hear. They scoff in mock outrage and Christian cracks a smile. “But they’re cool.”
He looks them over and takes a tiny step forward.
“What do you say we show these guys your mad ball skills again?” I pick him up and set him on my shoulders.
Wes hands the ball up to Christian. “Go easy on us.”
The guys are all good sports, rebounding the ball over and over for Christian and cheering him on shot after shot. At some point, Z takes Christian from me and shocks the crap out of all of us with how good he is with him. Christian beams, so much happiness radiating from the little guy. He and the big man team up against the rest of us, trash talking all the while, G-rated of course.
This is fun. Feels good and right. Makes me picture a life with them. She handles it all so effortlessly and when I’m with them, I’m not wishing I were anywhere else. What would it be like if Katrina and Christian were a permanent part of my life? Shake my head and push the idea away. I can’t even entertain that. She deserves someone who can give everything and I just… can’t. I won’t. Not again.
My thoughts are cut short when tires squeal and Katrina pulls into the driveway. Driving my car like she stole it.
The guys chuckle.
“Daaaamn. Can’t believe you let her drive your car,” Nathan says. “You’ve got it bad.”
34
Katrina
DrivingJoel’s car makes me feel powerful.
Or maybe it’s a combination of events. Joel showing up for me, an amazing rehearsal, Joel letting me drive his car – which was almost as hot as actually driving it, and I just pulled up to the most amazing scene.
Watching through the windshield, Zeke has Christian up on his shoulders and the rest of the guys appear to be trying to stop them, halfheartedly, from scoring. Honestly, I had no idea what Joel was going to do with Christian when he offered to bring him here. I hadn’t even thought it through, I was just so glad that he’d shown up at all.
I’m in love with him. I don’t know when it happened exactly, but I finally admitted it to myself the minute I saw him tuck my son under his arm and stride away like it was the most natural thing.
Zeke lifts Christian off his shoulders and sets him on the ground as I climb out of the car. He runs to me, hugs my legs, and then saysdamnlike he’s trying out a new word and wants to hear his own voice say something he’s heard. I arch a brow at Joel whose face goes panic-stricken. The guys laugh which only eggs Christian on.
“Damn,” he says again.
“Real nice, guys.”
“My bad,” Nathan says as Joel punches him in the arm.
I squat down to eye level. “That’s a grown-up word.”
“Oh.” His eyes go big and round.
