“I just pressed the button.” But she looks pleased, a small smile that tilts a bit more to the left.
“Still.” I nod toward her notepad. “Sorry to interrupt.”
“You didn’t.” She closes it. “I’m just circling the same three words. Sometimes it helps to write them down anyway.”
“What are the three words?”
Grace stretches out at her side, tail swishing. Summer runs a hand down the cat’s back instead of answering, then looks up at me. “You’re leaving?”
“Yeah. Heading out.”
Her chin dips, and she surprises me by standing and crossing the room toward me.
She shocks me even more when she wraps her arms around my middle and squeezes tight. I freeze, breath catching. Her hair brushes against my chin, and I get another hit of her scent.
“I’m a hugger,” she mumbles, her cheek pressed to my chest.
It only takes me a second to recover, and I bring my arms around her. She feels small against me, despite the way she fills every room she’s in.
A protectiveness I usually reserve for my teammates stirs in my chest.
Grace interrupts with a loud complaint at our feet, offended by two whole minutes without attention.
Summer pulls away first, and it’s for the best. I’m not sure I would’ve been able to let go.
What flight? What four-game road trip? Me, captain?
She’s dangerous.
Summer bends to scoop her up and straightens with Grace tucked against her chest. The cat butts her nose against Summer’s jaw.
I enjoy the image of them together more than I should.
“Have good games,” she says, and my mouth tips up at her version ofgood luck. “And safe travels.”
“Are you gonna watch?”
“Probably not.” She gives a small, sheepish shrug.
Then her lips curve, and I forget what we were even talking about.
Right. My game.
I shift. “Most people would just lie and say they were.”
“Guess I’m not most people.” She smiles, this time fully.
No. No, she’s not.
“I like that.” My mouth bypasses my brain.
I reach out to scratch Grace’s head, careful not to let my knuckles graze Summer’s jaw.
“I wouldn’t even know how if I wanted to.” Whatever’s on my face must look like a question mark, because Summer clarifies, “Watch your game. What channel it’s on. I’m guessing your channels aren’t the same here as back home. What time and day? Is the time in this time zone or where you’re playing?—”
My chuckle cuts through her ramble. “I’ll show you when I’m back, so you can decide if you want to watch the next one.”
“Sure. Yeah. Thanks.” She glances down at Grace.
