Page 80 of Last Fall

“That we’d study you guys and give you a report! Yes. We accept!” Lauraexclaimed.

For the next hour we sipped cocktails and cooked, all while the anticipation grew to epicproportions.

“Is he as sexy as he seems in SportsIllustrated?”

“When you say patient you really meanpatient?”

“Where ishefrom?”

“What does he do in the offseason?”

“Are any of his brotherssingle?”

I answered the ones I could and ignored the ones that were flat out wrong. “His older brother is divorced, but I’m not sure he’s over hisex-wife.”

“Rats,” Laura sighed. “I love a good rebound. Bonus points for being a former athlete. Bonus, bonus points for being a sexycoach.”

“You’ve lookedhimup?”

She held up her phone. “Wikipedia, baby! If only he was aginger...”

“Sex truck! Sex truck! This is not a drill!” Alexandra yelled from the front window.Sex truckwas an old joke we couldn’t let go. It was also very applicable to the situation. Erik drove a big fancy pickuptruck.

My heart jumped into my throat. This was it. For the very first time I was introducing a guy to myfriends.

No notaguy.Myguy.

The girls lined the front window giving me a play by play of hisarrival.

“His truck is so nice andbig.” That wasLindsay.

“Oh, his foot is so nice and big, too. I wonder if everything is...oh, yes, yes it is,” Juliasighed.

I peeked over their heads in time to see Erik step out of the truck and slam the door looking kind of like a giant in his Mantas-blue t-shirt and matching ball cap. My mouth went dry. He made jeans and ball caps look as good as any suitandtie.

“I’ll get the door!” Mary offered very helpfully considering the rest of us were behaving like a pack of kids. She flung it open just as he stomped up the woodensteps.

“Hey there. I’m Erik,” he said with alittlewave.

“I’m Mary, nice to meet you.” She shook his hand and welcomed himinside.

Even though we were all crowded into the large living room with the expansive ceilings and beach-chic white paint, he seemed to fill thespace.

Laura immediately started gigglinguncontrollably.

My nerves went haywire as it all really sank in thatthis was happening.I liked a guy and he liked me. He was here with the people I loved, seeing me in work mode. In a lot of ways this whole weekend for me was like a three-game seriesforErik.

I hurried over and took his hand. “Welcome to the beachhouse.”

He squeezed back, dropping a kiss onto my cheek. “Thanks.”

My cheeks turned pink as everyonestared.

Andstared.

So before things got anymore awkward I began introductions. “You’ve already met Mary. This isLaura.”

Moregiggling.