Page 187 of ClickBack

“That went in.”

“Not from where I was standing.”

She tries to take the ball back. I hold it over my shoulder until she starts laughing again, then pull her into me and kiss her.

Texas is going to take me out of this kitchen. Soon. There is a date attached to it now, and I can feel her thinking about that when the laughter settles. She runs her hand down my arm.

“When do you leave?”

“Physical tomorrow. They want media Thursday if everything clears.”

Her eyes go toward the papers on the counter. “Thursday.”

“Your meeting.”

“Six people. Two of them flying in. I’ve been trying to get them in the same room since June.”

“Don’t move it.”

“I want to be there.”

“I want you there.” I keep my hand at her back. “I’m still not asking you to move it.”

She looks annoyed at the calendar, which is better than looking at me that way. I kiss her once more before she can start trying to solve Thursday.

“I need to tell Von.”

“Go. Before somebody else does.”

He answers from his car. I can see the garage behind him.

“You driving?” I ask.

“Parked. Cam call you?”

“Yeah.”

He leans his head back against the seat. His smile gets so wide I start laughing.

“About fucking time,” he says.

“Watch your mouth.”

“Man, fuck you.”

Giselle laughs behind me. Von hears her and lifts his head.

“My bad, Giselle.”

“I believe I’ll recover.”

He looks at me again. “We doing this.”

“We doing it.”

He nods, looking out through his windshield. When he comes back to the screen, he’s already trying to ruin it.

“You still can’t have my locker.”