Chapter 6: No Match Tonight

Nico came into the den with the wine and sat in the armchair across from me.

He did not look at the couch cushions or at the jersey.

He looked at my face, politely, and that was worse.

"I will have one glass," he said. "Then I leave. Gabe, do you have glasses?"

Gabriel got three, and his hands were not quite steady.

Nico poured and handed me one.

"I have a question for the daughter," he said.

"Stepdaughter," Gabriel said.

"Stepdaughter. Are you happy?"

I thought about it.

"Yes," I said.

"Good." He nodded slowly. "Then I will say one thing, and I will never say it again."

He turned to Gabriel.

"I knew in the first minute of the match. I will not tell your wife, and I will not tell anyone."

"Why?" Gabriel said.

"Because I played four years next to you, and I never once saw you look at anything the way you looked at her."

The room was quiet.

On screen the match was in extra time, and neither of us watched it.

Nico finished his wine in two swallows and stood.

"I am staying at the Marriott by the stadium. If you need to talk, you call. If you need nothing, then I enjoyed the show."

"Nico," Gabriel said sharply.

"Goodnight, Lainey." He kissed my hand, and his mouth was warm. "You have good taste."

Gabriel walked him to the door.

When he came back, he stood at the edge of the room with his arms crossed.

"He's going to be a problem."

"He's going to be fine."

"You don't know him."

"I know he didn't tell my mother," I said. "Which is more than I can say for you."

"What does that mean?"

"It means you haven't called her once since Monday."

His face closed.

"The match is over," he said. "The ball isn't in play."

"No."

"So you go to bed."

"Okay."

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