“I’ll explain it to you,” Aiden offered.
She looked up and smiled. “That’d be cool.”
Yeah, Aiden could be a charmer. We moved inside the building just as Tessa and Nick ran up the stairs, shaking off snow. I gave Nick a wink when Tessa moved to hug Aunt Yara.
He seemed a little pale beneath his bronze skin.
I swore Aiden chortled behind me, but when I turned to glare, he was looking innocently at the men warming up in the gym. I grasped Violet’s arm and pointed at Judge Grizzio, who wore black shorts and a light blue jersey sponsored by Smiley’s Diner. He also wore a bright pink headband that mopped up the sweat from his hair. “That’s our judge.”
Her jaw slackened. “Seriously?”
“Yeah.” I waved at him, and he waved back before catching the ball from a teammate and trying for a three-pointer. He missed.
“Huh,” Violet said.
Had he worn the bright pink to look more casual? If so, that was sweet. Or perhaps it was a nod to February and Valentine’s Day.
Buddy ushered us all inside the small gym that held spectators on both sides. Not many, considering this was men’s league, but still, there wasn’t a lot going on in February for entertainment, so Nick would have a bit of an audience for his proposal.
He looked like he was heading into battle.
We climbed the bleachers to the middle rows and filed down to sit. Violet sat between Yara and Aiden, and she listened raptly as he explained some of the game.
Movement by the door caught my eye, and Donna walked in, looking regal in her black wool coat with a large Louis Vuitton Neverfull bag over one arm. It was big enough to hide roses, for sure. She waved and made her way to us, gracefully climbing the bleachers in stunning black boots. They were still appropriate for winter, but man, they shone nicely.
“Those are new,” I noted, my eyes no doubt gleaming.
“Keep your paws off them,” she said easily, sitting in front of me. Tessa dropped down to sit next to her. “How about me?”
Donna nudged her with an elbow. “Nope. You two are grownups now. Buy your own boots.”
Aiden tilted his head. “You like fancy boots?”
“Yep. Just can’t afford them. Yet.” Older boots and shoes lived in my closet—some hand-me-downs from Donna. “Someday, I’m going to line up a whole row of red-bottom shoes on a shelf.” Maybe.
The buzzer let loose, and the teams headed to their appropriate sides. We’d sat on the judge’s side, of course. Also, Tessa was now part owner of Smiley’s, so it made sense.
Violet leaned in front of Aiden to look at me, appearing much more relaxed than she had earlier. “Should we cheer for him or play it cool?”
Good question. “Let’s cheer for the team overall.” Of course, the Clumsy Penguin sponsored the other team, so I had friends on both sides.
The ref blew the whistle, and the teams started playing. Whoa. Men’s league was much rougher than high school basketball, and fouls weren’t called all that much. The judge had a good first half by scoring fifteen points. At some point, Uncle Buddy bought us all popcorn and sodas, and I was feeling pretty content watching the game.
At halftime, Violet handed me her popcorn. “Be right back. I’m running to the restroom.”
I nodded and noted that she had more butter in hers than mine. Maybe I should mix them together.
Aiden slipped an arm over my shoulder and he pulled me into his hard body, making me feel safe and protected. “When’s the proposal?” His heated breath brushed my ear, and I shivered.
How did he know? The guy knew everything, darn it. “After the game,” I whispered back.
We watched the cute halftime show of elementary school dancers, and then the game resumed. Minutes passed. I looked up and caught Yara’s concerned gaze.
“I’ll go.” I handed my goodies to Aiden. Violet probably got caught up talking to some friends. I stepped carefully down the bleachers and along the side to the restrooms, which were empty. Huh. That was weird. Shaking off a sense of dread, I headed to the concession stand, not seeing Violet anywhere.
A slim blonde behind the counter motioned me toward her. “Are you Yara or Anna?” she asked.
“Anna.” Unease slammed through me.
