Chapter 5: Red Card

"We stop," Devin said.

He had lifted me off his lap and set me on the cushion beside him.

On the TV the blue shirts were celebrating a second goal, and neither of us had watched it.

"Because of the call?" I asked.

"Because your mother is coming home next Thursday."

"She's been your wife for three years."

"I know exactly how long." He stood up and walked to the window. "I'm thirty-nine, Katie. You're twenty-two. I'm married to your mother."

"You didn't say any of that when you kissed me."

"That's my point," said Devin. "I didn't say anything."

He picked up his beer, put it down again without drinking, and stood there with his back to me.

I waited for him to say more, but he didn't.

The match ended at some point, and the blue shirts went through to the final.

I went upstairs and lay on my bed until it was dark.

Friday morning I went for a run, because running was the only thing that had ever shut my head up.

I took the long road along the creek, and I was half a mile out when a truck pulled up beside me.

I knew the truck before I saw the driver.

"Get in," said Nate through the window. "I'll drive you back."

"I'm running."

"Katie, get in the truck."

"No."

He swore, parked on the shoulder, and got out.

He stood in front of me on the gravel in his team polo, sweating, with his phone in his hand.

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