Page 34 of Score Her Heart

Benny went to go clear his plate, but Fi waved her hand at him. “No, leave it; you were such a big help today.” She put a hand on his arm. “Thank you.”

He smiled at her. “It was nice meeting you, Fi.”

She waved at him through mouthfuls of pizza.

I laughed and stood up to walk Benny to the door. He grinned at me. “I guess you’re all in, huh?” he asked.

I nodded and fist-bumped him. “Thanks, man. I really owe you.”

He pointed at me. “Several beers.”

“You got it. Are you sure you don’t need to stay here tonight?” I offered again.

Sometimes Stephanie needed time to cool down, so Benny stayed in the guest room. It had been happening with more frequency, and I didn’t understand why they were still together.

He shook his head. “Nah, but maybe you should clear that with your wife before offering in the future. You’re not a bachelor anymore.”

I nodded. He was right about that. I had to remember that it wasn’t just me anymore. I had Fi here now, and I didn’t like that she referred to it as my place. I wanted it to be her home too. I didn’t want her thinking that this was temporary. Not when she had been living rent-free in my heart since we were seventeen.

He was out the door without another word, and I started cleaning up the empty plates and boxes.

“Oh, leave it,” Fi said to me. “Or at least let me help.”

“No,” I argued and looked at her pointedly. “I got it. Finish your food.”

She frowned at me. “You already helped me out so much today. I have to imagine you’re as exhausted as I am. More so since I know you had practice today.”

She didn’t push the issue further but helped clean up once she was done.

“So, Benny seems nice,” she started.

I grinned. “He’s kind of my best friend.”

She put her hands on her hips. “I thought I was your best friend.”

“Oh, Fi, you are, but Benny’s like my best bud on the team.”

She laughed. “I was just teasing you. So what’s the deal with his girlfriend?”

I sighed. “I don’t know. I think they’re about to break up.”

Her face got sad at that. “Oh…that’s too bad.”

I shrugged. “I don’t think they’re meant to be.”

She hummed as she rinsed off the plates and loaded up my dishwasher. I didn’t try to tell her not to do it because I didn’t want to get into another fight.

I leaned against the counter. “Hey, I want to talk to you about something.”

She closed the lid of the dishwasher and started it. “What’s up?”

I reached out to push her hair behind her ear. My hand lingered on her cheek, and I wanted to kiss her again. I wanted to do a lot of things to her, but I was exhausted from not getting a lot of sleep last night and a rough practice today. “Fi, this is not just my place.”

She pulled away from me and crossed her arms. “It is, and I feel bad moving in here so soon.”

“Sweetheart, I want you here. I want my wife to live with me, not live in hipster Fishtown away from me.”

She rolled her eyes at my hipster comment, but we both knew it was true. Not that I could say anything; I lived in the ritzy side of the city.