I Sat on My Stepfather's Lap All Match, and Mom Was Filming novel · Chapter 3 of 24

Chapter 3: Take Care of Her

In the parking garage Rosalyn announces a trip to New York, and the stranger hands Gabriel his number.

The final whistle blew, and I was still sitting on my stepfather.

"Up," Gabriel said quietly. "Slowly."

I stood, and my legs almost folded.

He caught my elbow and held it a second longer than he needed to.

Then he took off his jacket and tied it around my waist by the sleeves.

"Your skirt," he said.

I looked down.

There was a dark, damp patch on the back of it, and my face burned.

"Thanks," I said.

"Don't thank me."

He did not look at me when he said it.

My mother and brother turned around in their seats, grinning.

"Two-one," my brother said. "Two-one! Did you see the second goal?"

"Everyone saw it," my mother said. "Lainey, you look flushed. Come here."

She put her palm against my forehead again and frowned.

"A little warm. It was crowded. Let's get you outside."

I let her fuss, and I kept my eyes on her shoulder.

She was so gentle with me, and I felt sick for a moment.

Then I remembered Gabriel's fingers, and the feeling went away.

The man from the next seat was already standing in the aisle with his jacket over his arm.

He was taller than I had thought, with dark curls and a sharp, handsome face.

He stepped in front of Gabriel as we reached the stairs.

"Gabriele Bradbury," he said. "Retired, they tell me. Married, they tell me."

"Nico," Gabriel said.

"You do not call. You do not write. Eight years."

"I've been busy."

"I can see that."

Nico turned and held out his hand to me.

"Nico Bellandi. Gabe and I played four seasons together in Milan."

I shook it.

His hand was warm and dry, and he held mine a little too long, exactly like Gabriel had held my elbow.

"Lainey," I said.

"The daughter," he said. "Of course."

My mother took my arm and pulled me into the conversation.

"Oh, you played with Gabe? How wonderful. I'm Rosalyn. We have to run, the garage fills up fast, but you must come to dinner."

"I would love to," Nico said.

He did not look at her when he said it. He looked at me.

My mother started down the stairs, towing my brother.

Nico leaned toward Gabriel and slid a business card into his shirt pocket.

"My number," he said. "Your wife is lovely. I like her very much. You owe me an explanation, Gabe."

"There's nothing to explain."

"Then it will be a short call."

He put on his jacket and walked away through the crowd without turning around.

I looked at Gabriel.

His jaw was clenched so tight I could see the muscle jump.

"He saw," I whispered.

"I know."

"What do we do?"

"We don't do anything," Gabriel said. "We walk to the car, and you don't say a word."

The parking garage smelled like hot concrete and spilled beer.

My mother was already by the car, fishing for her keys, and my brother was scrolling through video of the goal.

"Before I forget," she said as we walked up. "I'm leaving Monday."

I stopped.

"Leaving?"

"New York, for ten days. Dale's firm moved the conference up, and he already booked my flight." She waved a hand. "I wanted to wait until after the game to tell you."

Gabriel said, "You didn't mention a conference."

"I mentioned it in March, Gabe. You were watching a game."

He did not argue.

"What about school?" I asked.

"Your brother's out for the summer. He's going to my sister's in Connecticut, I'll drop him on the way."

She turned to me, and she smiled.

It was a good smile. It was the one she had worn at my graduation.

"That leaves you two. You'll watch the rest of the tournament together, and it'll be nice, honestly. Gabe needs the company."

"I can take care of myself," Gabriel said.

"I know you can, darling."

She kissed his cheek.

He did not move.

Then she hugged me, hard, and said into my hair, "I'm so glad you two are getting close."

My stomach tightened.

I thought it was guilt.

I climbed into the back seat beside my brother, and Gabriel got into the front.

"You didn't even yell at the second goal," my brother told him. "You always yell."

"I was tired," Gabriel said.

In the mirror over the dashboard his eyes found mine and moved away again.

My thighs were still sticky, and my whole body was humming.

I decided right there that this was not finished.

Before she started the engine, my mother turned and looked at Gabriel in the passenger seat.

"Take care of her, Gabe," she said. "Really take care."

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