Tackling Love - Kathleen Kelly Page 0,14
stay under the spray until it goes cold, wracking my brain as to what place I can take her where we won’t be bothered.
Drying myself off, I go into her bedroom and dress. Skye’s back in the bathroom, drying her hair. I pick up my phone, call Gray, and he answers in a sleepy voice.
“What?”
“Gray, where’s a good place to take someone and not be harassed by fans or the media?”
“Seriously? You wake me up for that?”
“Come on, Gray, help me. My mind is blank,” I plead.
“Take her to the café on Louis Street. They don’t allow press inside. Most of their clients are upper class. They probably won’t like you there either unless they follow football.”
“Thank you, Gray, and how do you know it’s a she?”
“Man, you’ve been hooked on that teacher for weeks. Doesn’t take a brain surgeon to figure it out. Yeah, and you can thank me by being on time for the game,” quips Gray as he hangs up on me.
I have on dark glasses, a baseball cap, and the collar turned up on my jacket. Skye is dressed in a floral print dress that clings to her curves, sunglasses, and a large, floppy white hat with all of her hair tucked up under it. We walk into the café, and the hostess recognizes me immediately.
“Mr. Anders, how are you?”
Grinning, I say, “Good, thank you. Table for two… somewhere private?”
“Of course.”
She grabs two menus and hurries us toward the back of the café, through a door, and out into the sunshine. There are about a dozen tables, and she sits us in the corner away from everyone.
“If you need anything, and I do mean anything, Mr. Anders, please let me know.” She smiles seductively at me. I chuckle and wink at her.
As soon as she’s gone, I look at Skye who has a scowl on her pretty face.
“What?”
“What? Flirt much?” Skye asks quietly.
“What? It was nothing. I’m not interested in her.” I take off the cap and glasses. “How could you think I would ever be into someone like that when I’m with the hottest female here?”
Skye smiles. No, she beams at me, and my heart melts.
“Hottest female?”
“Sugar, you have to know how beautiful you are.” I reach across the table and hold her hand in mine. “Sorry about the wink, unless it’s you, it’ll never happen again.” I chuckle.
“Thank you, and the way she kept smiling at you was kind of funny. What’s it like to be you? To have people fall at your feet?”
“Some days, it’s amazing. You get the best tables, the best seats, but the flip side is people don’t leave you alone. It’s hard to go on a date, and it’s harder to keep your private life, private. You sure you’re up for this?” I ask candidly.
Skye stands and takes two steps away from the table. I think she’s leaving, but she surprises me by turning around and sitting in my lap. With her arms draped around me, Skye says, “Yes, yes, yes. We’ll see where this goes, warts and all.”
“Wait, you have warts?” Skye laughs and goes back to her seat. “No, really… this is something a guy should know.”
“Shut up and order me some pancakes with extra syrup.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
SKYE
It’s been a week of bliss seeing Colt. We’ve managed to avoid the reporters and most of the fans. It’s Sunday night, and I’m watching the game on television. I must confess I have no idea what’s going on, but I’m enjoying watching Colt and his teammates run around the field in those tight-fitting pants. Damn, those boys look good.
Tomorrow, the team is going over the game to see where they can improve, so I won’t be seeing Colt tonight, but he’s promised to call. It’s halftime, and my phone rings.
“Colt?”
“No, honey, who’s Colt? Someone I should know about?” asks my father.
“Daddy! Sorry, I thought you were someone else,” I answer with a laugh. “Where are you?”
My father travels the globe going from one dig or monument to another. He was a professor of English before he won a large sum playing the lottery. Most of his money is invested, and he gave a lot away. Dad lives on a modest income and has traveled the world. When I take my vacation, I try to catch up with him wherever he is in the world.
“Honey, I’m in England. Do you know they have over thirteen hundred stone circles, sort of like Stone Henge? I’m going to visit all of them.”
It’s so