Page 27 of Holding You
She shrugs. “I guess we can agree to disagree on whether that’s a gap or not.”
The nerve she has.
To make a show of how ready I am, I strip my shirt off and stretch one arm across my chest, followed by the other, my gaze never leaving Ruby’s. I tilt my head side to side, hearing the crack but ignoring it. Next, I jump up and down, then side to side with a grin.
Warming up is necessary and—oh, fuck!
I rub the back of my head and spin. “Luca, did you just hit me in the head with the ball?”
“How was I supposed to know you were going to start jumping up and down during my serve?”
“Maybe look first.”
“My bad.” He laughs.
But it’s not his laugh that consumes me—it’s the one on the other side of the net.
“Solid start.” Ruby grins.
“Solid start,” I mimic her. Then I say in my normal voice, “Just be ready.”
“If you say so.”
I do say so, and now I’m determined to win.
Luca serves the ball again, this time making it over the net.
Miles bumps it low, Max hits it awkwardly, Ruby dives to save it and launches it over the net.
Luca is ready, bumping it to me. I bump it to Susie, who misses completely.
I instantly look at Ruby to make sure she isn’t laughing.
She’s not. She’s squatting low so that Max can whisper in her ear.
“It’s okay, Susie, you’ll get them on the next one.”
“I know.” She nods quickly. She closes her eyes and mouths, “I can do this. I can do this.”
“Ready?” Miles asks, already in position to serve.
“Ready!” Susie shouts.
This time, Luca bumps it, and I spike it over the net to Ruby, who blocks it instantly.
The ball falls back onto my side, at my feet.
She smiles.
Damn it, that was good.
“It’s okay, Dad. You’ll get the next one.”
“Thank you, Susie.”
“Okay, let’s get serious,” Luca says.
“I was serious,” Ruby argues with her brother.
