“What do you mean?”
“They’ll flirt and hook up, but they don’t date.Sometimes I’ll hear that one of them is in a relationship with someone else, then all of a sudden, they’re single again and hooking up with each other.”Smithy shakes his head.“I don’t understand it, but I guess I don’t have to.I'm pretty sure Winnie doesn’t want that anymore though.”
“I was going to tell him nothing is going on between Winnie and me.”
“Nah, don’t do that.”
“Why?”
“Maybe he needs this push to finally tell her how he feels or walk away.As much as Winnie cares about him, I don’t think she’s in love with him.”
“She made a comment about how she’s always wanted kids but that isn't in the cards for her.She said she’s not what Wheeler’s looking for.”I glance behind me, making sure Wheeler isn't coming out.I don’t want him to overhear this conversation.
“Like I said, I don’t understand it.I’m sure Lils knows more about what’s going on between them, but I’ve never asked.I had enough trouble with my own love life, until recently.”He chuckles.“I’ve never been happier than I have been with Liliana.It’s weird to think it’s been about a year since we started dating.It feels like seconds and years all at the same time.”
“What’s taking the two of you so long?”Wheeler slaps me on the back as he approaches us.
“We were talking about the start of the season and how much I'm not looking forward to it,” Smithy says before I can say anything.
“Why wouldn’t you be excited?It’s another year of playing the game we love!”
“Because that means I have to leave Lils when we go away on games.I know she comes with us sometimes, but not every time.”
“And I have to leave Tali,” I add, making sure he realizes Tali’s what matters to me, not Winnie.
“Yeah, and I leave Winnie each time, but it’s not like I'm leaving forever.”Wheeler shrugs, not really understanding where we’re coming from.He’s just trying to stake his claim on Winnie again.
“You don’t get it, man.She’s my entire world.”Smithy shakes his head.“I’d rather die than live without her.”
“I love Winnie, but I'm not sure I’d rather die than live without her, that’s insane.”Wheeler frowns like Smithy’s crazy.
“Hands down, I’d die without Tali.I couldn’t care less about anything else in life.I just need my little girl.”
“You guys are crazy.”
“Nah, you’ve just never experienced this type of love.”Smithy grabs a box and heads inside without another word.
Wheeler scowls at his back.I wonder if he’s offended by what Smithy just said, but I agree.If he doesn’t love Winnie the way Smithy loves Liliana, he’ll never understand it.
I'm confused how he doesn’t love her that much.Winnie’s amazing from what I’ve seen.She’s fun and outgoing, but she’s happy having a laidback night at home.She seems like the perfect girlfriend.
She’s just not for me.
Placing the pizza on the counter, I immediately get to work on dinner for Tali.Though she can eat pizza, I like to cut it up really small for her.I don’t want to risk her choking.
I grab a cutting board and pizza cutter and start slicing the pizza into tiny pieces.Winnie slides up next to me to see what I'm doing.She smiles up at me, making me smile right back at her.
“You’re such a good dad.She’s a lucky little girl.”
“Thanks, Winnie.”
“C’mon, babe.Sit with me.”Wheeler slips his arm around Winnie’s waist and tugs her towards his chest.
I glance in their direction and don’t miss the irritation in Winnie’s eyes.She might be tolerating his antics today, but she’s not happy with him.I'm sure she’s going to yell at him later on when they don’t have an audience.
“I haven’t even gotten my food yet, Chase,” she hisses, pulling out of his grasp.
“Did… Did she just call you Chase?”Liliana blinks at them.
