Page 39 of Not Before Game Night
Mia frowned. “Why not? Chicago is a romantic place to be. It’s pretty and busy. Also he said weeks. He said I’d know something more in weeks. It’s been weeks.”
“Mia, please, sometimes I wonder about you. The man’s not going to propose to you in the middle of a serious game season.”
“So, you think he’ll do it toward the end?”
I was praying he would do it soon because she was driving me crazy.
“Mia, please. For God’s sake. I’m putting you on pause for the day. This sister is in more need than you,” Abby said in reference to me.
I huffed. “I am not in need. I am fine.”
“Vanessa, we’re your sisters, and one thing you can’t do is lie to us about something like that. I must make you aware too that I have purposely kept my nose out of your business. It was very hard, but I figured you needed me to be tactful given the nature of your condition.”
I had to laugh. “What condition, Abby?”
“The untouched, as far as I know.”
Mia started to laugh. I twisted around to face her and frowned. They were obviously talking about me again.
“Mia, you told her?” I asked.
Mia shook her head. “Not a damn word.”
Abby sighed a deep exaggerated sigh. “I already knew, same as I know there’s something going on with you and that Cole Buchanan.”
That Cole Buchanan.
The way she said his name and wrinkled her nose. I knew why. The past and present were enough. Plus I was certain being married to Gilly she must have heard all sorts about the players on the team.
“There’s nothing.”
“Right, and I’m the Mother Goose. Every time someone mentions his name, you blush. You’ve had the biggest crush on him since the dawn of time, and since he’s been back, you’ve been the reserved can’t-tell-what’s-up-with-you self.”
Mia chuckled and swiveled around to hug her knees to her chest. “Out of interest, did you pick the rebel or the gentle guy in the book?” she asked me.
“What book is this?” Abby’s eyes sparkled.
“Madam Phoebe’s sex book. It has everything she’ll ever need to know.” The sly look on Mia’s face said she’d read that book from cover to cover, and many times too.
“Oh my God, you gave her a sex book?” Abby giggled.
“I did.” Mia looked proud of herself. “Did you read it?” She focused on me again.
“I read some,” I replied.
“Good, so what was it, then? Gentle guy or rebel?”
“The rebel,” I answered.
She laughed out loud. “Everyone always picks the rebel. No one wants the gentle guy for fear of boredom and… they turn to the poor explorer last, not knowing he’s a combo of the two.”
She got my interest. “Is he?”
“Yes. The explorer is the right dose of the gentle guy and the rebel. One minute, the explorer has the ability to shock you with his wild sexy ways, and the next, he does something completely out of character. Eric’s the explorer. A complete jock who shocked me to no end when he started reciting poetry to me and talking to me about Shakespeare. Then he took me to the ballet.” She spoke with so much love and pride.
“I like that you got the explorer,” I told her.
“The thing is…” Mia raised her finger. “No one is exactly one thing, but you get to decide what appeals to you most, and no one can tell you what to choose but you.”
