Laughing, I say, “Me too. Although I’ve heard that flying is a lot safer than driving a car.”
He shakes his head. “I could see that. Did you get to see anything fun?”
“Not really,” I say, putting my fork down. “We had a couple of early afternoon games and then a bunch of later ones. I was either exhausted from the night games or had meetings and interviews before the other ones.”
“That’s too bad. Is there a place you would’ve liked to see?”
Shaking my head, I say, “Not on this trip. The Northeast trip I’m hoping to take in a Broadway show and see some of the history up there.”
He grins. “Virginia has a lot of history. Do you get to go to a Washington Nationals game?”
“I’ll have to check the schedule for that one,” I say, twirling my fork in the pasta. “You survived all the practices?”
With a nod, he says, “Yeah, with your help.”
I narrow my eyes, and ask, “I was thousands of miles away. How did I help?”
“Well, you gave me a different look at training. I varied up my workouts, and it helped pay off, especially once we started the two-a-day practices. So, thank you for that.”
I laugh and say, “I’m glad I could help in a small way. Are you excited for tomorrow?”
“I’m excited for the entire weekend. Getting to meet a bunch of the fans will be awesome, and thenwe’re back to playing. Do you have to work this weekend?”
“Yeah,” I say, using a napkin to wipe the corner of my mouth. “The baseball team plays at home, so I’ll be around. Are you ready for that first game?”
His softer smile undoes me, probably because of all he’s been through. Support and care are all things he’s lacked from most of the people in his life.
He nods. “I kind of wish it wasn’t against the team we lost to last year, but we’ve got to get revenge at some point.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Please tell me that’s not the same intimidation tactic you used at the hockey game? That whole alpha-male warrior call of intimidation.”
He chuckles and says, “Sometimes it is. But we’ve just got to play our game.”
“What’s your role in the FanFest tomorrow?” I ask.
“I’ll be near the fastest shot for some of the day and then at the challenge-a-pro section later. Will you have time to come?” he says.
He doesn’t look at me, focusing on his food, but there’s a certain tone in his words that connects everything he’s ever told me.
He’s putting up a wall that says he doesn’t care whether I’m there, because he’s had to do that for most of his life.
I nod. “I will be tomorrow forsure. Daphne put me in charge as the emcee, so I get to share the prizes and go through all the fun stuff.”
His eyes meet mine, and my stomach flips at the hope there. “You’re the perfect one for that job. You’ll have to come to my station, so I can teach you some lacrosse moves in case you ever get to cover one of our games.”
My cheeks go hot, and I shake my head. “I don’t know about my being perfect for the emcee part. More like the only one available right now. I’d like to learn something from you, though.”
Why is my voice so husky when I say that?
We sit back and finish our food, listening to the banter in the room. It’s chaotic and loud, but I love it. There’s something about feeling accepted in a place that’s foreign and safe. And sitting next to Burton when we don’t have to be anywhere is a rare perk.
Burton explains different calls of the game, looking like a kid who just got a lifetime supply of candy.
“I’ve learned more in the last thirty minutes of watching a sport than I ever did watching football with Grandpa,” I say, grinning at Burton.
“Football is one of those hard ones to learn. There are so many positions, and what do they all do?” Burton says. “Lacrosse can get intricate, but thebiggest thing is passing the ball around and taking an open shot.”
The game ends, and the guys turn on a movie. It’s already been a long day, and while I’m tempted to get up and walk across the street, I’m so comfortable right here. My eyelids get heavy, and I fight to keep them open from, but it doesn’t work.
