“And what about her daughters?” Joaquín asks.
“They’re so cute. And like, really cool.” I smile. “The little one, Lo, she doesn’t talk, but she’s so sweet.”
Joaquín points at me. “Then make them a priority, too.”
“Yes,” Angie smiles conspiratorially. “Respect her boundaries, but make sure she knows you value her daughtersjust as much.”
All at once, the extinguished flame of my hope flickers to life once again. “I can totally do that.”
“You’re already so good with my kids,” Angie says. “Just be yourself, turn up the volume on responsibility, and she’ll see what we all see.”
A genuine grin returns to my face for the first time since I left my house today. “Yeah! You’re right. God, you two are way more helpful to talk to than Dad and Dane.”
My mood returns almost to normal as the rest of the evening passes. I eat an incredible dinner. Drink a couple more whiskies and meet Dell and Robyn’s families. I dance with Joaquín and Robyn and a few of her teammates, all the while wishing Renée could be here. My determination to win her has taken over, and I can barely think about anything else.
I was stupid to think she would simply fall for my charm—that I could flash her a smile and she’d be in my arms. If she needs to see how responsible and dedicated I am, then that’s exactly what I’ll be. I’ve delayed becoming a real adult for too long. Renée Wilde deserves a man who knows what he’s doing, and I’m gonna be that man.
At the end of the evening, I stop one of the waiters and ask if they have any entrees or cake left that they could wrap up for me. To my delight, they do. As I wait for them to return, I spot Dane sitting with his legs wide and a glass in his hand, talking to Rafael.
It starts now,I tell myself as I walk up to them.
“I’m gonna give the team my all,” I interrupt. Dane and Raf both look at me in surprise. “You were on the fence about me supporting the team enough, but I’m gonna stick with it. I’m going to be the first one there and the last one to leave. I’m gonna remember the plays. I’m gonna do this right.”
I expect my brother to give me some asshole reply or sigh like he doesn’t believe a word coming out of my mouth.What I don’t expect is for him to smile, stand, and wrap me in a hug.
“I know you are,” he slurs.
Oh, so he’s drunk. Great.
Rafael chuckles behind him. “I’ll make sure he remembers this.”
The waiter returns and sets a paper bag on the table and nods to me.
“Thank you,” I whisper over my drunk brother’s shoulder, who is still fiercely hugging me.
Rafael laughs some more because this embrace is lasting way too long, but soon enough Joaquín is peeling him off me. “Ven conmigo, güey.”
“Oh God,” Dane groans. “I can’t think in Spanish right now.”
“You got him?” I ask Joaquín.
“Oh yeah,” he smiles. “Come on, drunky, let’s go home.”
“Can we get Wawa on the way?”
Joaquín leads him to the lobby and rubs his hand over Dane’s back. “Of course we can.”
“I think I drank too much,” is the last thing I hear before they disappear around the corner.
On my drive home, I have the driver pull into a twenty-four-hour grocery store. The harsh fluorescent lights assault me when I step through the sliding doors, and the reality of what I’m doing hits me, but in a good way. It’s like the hit you receive from your teammates when you score. The back slaps and body slams of a job well done.
I made a list in the car of all the things that might be nice in a get well soon care package for Delta. But as soon as I put the first stuffed animal in the cart, I realize I need to double everything. I can’t leave Lo out. Even if she doesn’t get sick, she deserves a little something too.
That’s how I end up with two pink baskets, each filled with a Squishmallow, children’s upset stomach medicine,hair ties, nail polish, ice packs, electrolytes, coloring books, and soup.
I also made a basket for Renée’s sister. Everyone loves Squishmallows, right?
Twenty minutes later, the driver pulls into her driveway, and I text Renée for the first time. I triple check that I spelled everything right and used the correct punctuation before I hit send.
