“You should go back!” Cassie said. My daughter looked like she was about to start bouncing with joy after she pushed me to tell her why I had been cheesing. Her words. I’d told her about Rosie. Well, the PG parts. Court, I’d noticed, was oddly quiet.
Thankfully, Cassie’s ankle was perfectly fine. Not even a bruise. It seemed the whole thing had been precautionary. Thank goodness.
“I don’t know.” I shook my head as I stretched my back. Bleacher seats were no joke on your body. We’d returned to the competition being held at one of the biggest hotels in Pinehaven after we left urgent care. I glanced at my watch. If I left, I’d still have time to catch her before the whole speed dating thing started. “Your school’s almost up and?—“
“Dad.” She took my hand in hers as her familiar light blue eyes connected with mine. “I’m okay.” She rolled her ankle to prove her point. “I told them that, but Pinehaven’s athletic department is super strict.”
“They just wanted to make sure you were okay and that your ankle wasn’t broken.”
“Dad, it wasn’t even swollen. Donna thinks they wanted an excuse to try and disqualify us.” She rolled her eyes.
“It could be, kiddo,” Court chimed in.
“Whatever it was, I’m good, and you should head back to Moonlit Pines and find this Rosie lady and?—“
“And?” I asked. I couldn’t believe I was having this conversation with my kid and sister. The two of them were looking at me like I’d grown an extra head. My sister was still oddly quiet.
“Ask her out! Get her number. Something, so I can get to meet the woman who has my dad looking like he?—“
“Is happy,” Court interrupted. My eyes connected with my sister’s.
“You really think I should miss Cassie’s performance and?—“
“You’re in love, Caleb.” Court’s eye never wavered from mine.
“Jesus Christ,” I muttered, not bothering to deny it. My sister was some kind of psychic witch. It was crazy. Even though she was younger than me, she could read me like a goddamn book.
“It’s true, isn’t it?” she asked. Cassie sat straighter, leaning closer.
“What? Wait! You just met her last night, and you’re in love, Dad?” My daughter suddenly stared at me like she was studying me under a microscope. “You sure?” she asked Courtney. “I just thought he got, you know, … some.”
“Cassie!” the two of us scolded her. She giggled with a not so innocent shrug. My sister simply turned and smiled at me. Her own light blue eyes were suddenly glassy with unshed tears.
“Why do you look like you’re going to cry?” I groaned, my eyes wide with horror. Court never cried.
“Because it’s about time.” She wiped at her eyes, and I tossed an arm around her shoulder. She liked to act like a hardass and a pain in my butt, but she was all mushy goo in the middle.
“Well, there is something else I need to tell you guys.”
“What?” they at the same time I could feel their eyes on me.
“Rosie’s kinda… known.”
“Known? Like popular?” Cassie asked. I glanced at the two of them and took my phone out of my pocket.
“Something like that. You actually know her.” I showed them Rosie’s Instagram page.
“Wait, wait, wait! Hold up. The Rosie you met is supermodel Rose Walker? The same woman who turned down being a Bond girl in the last movie? One of the most beautiful women on the planet?” Cassie swiped my phone from my hand. “My future stepmom is a Victoria Secret angel?!”
“You are so full of shit. There is no way that woman would even look twice in your direction,” Courtney teased, but the smile on her face vanished when she realized I was indeed not joking around. “Are you serious right now, Caleb?”
“Yup.” I swallowed.
“Did you know who she was when you two met?” Cassie asked.
“Not a clue. She looked familiar, but… I didn’t put it together and, well, when I did…” I winced. “I might have made a mess of things.”
“Shit,” Court muttered, taking my phone from Cassie. “I knew she lived in the mountains. I just didn’t realize… Wow, she’s beautiful.”
