Page 20 of Fast Break

Twenty

Palmer

I've just finished back-to-back road games, and we have a rare weekendbreakwhen my mother summons me to the estate.

It's Father's Day, and I'm hard-pressed to come up with an excuse to skip out on a barbecue for my dad without looking like a brat.

Charlieis spending the weekend in Annapolis with his own dad, anyway, so now is as good a time as any to face my parents.

Traffic into Frederick is slow, and I find my thoughts drifting toCharlie.

It's been two weeks since the first night we hadsex, and since then, we've spent every night together except on road trips, where I shared a room withTishaifCharlieaccompanied us.

I've been having the best games of my life and when I'm notplayingor atpractice, I'm withCharlie.

Last week, he cooked me one of his Abue's recipes, and he introduced me to her over FaceTime when he had to call for some last-minute advice on seasoning.

I also finally met his brother,Matt, who was just as handsome asCharlie.

Unfortunately, I met him in the middle of the night when I went to the kitchen for a glass of water, wearingonly one ofCharlie'sdress shirts.

He was a gentleman, pretending not to notice while I scampered back toCharlie'sroom for a pair of shorts. I'm still a little mortified.

Afterpracticethe other day,Tishaasked me if I was abandoning myplan."Meeting the family? Spending most of your time together? It'sstartingto sound like a commitment, not afunfling."

"It may seem like it, but it's not,"I assured her, retaping mystickon the sidelines.

"In fact, it's goingexactlytoplan. Sure, I met his grandma and his brother, and yes, we're sharing a bed more often than not.

But do you see me on Pinterest looking for weddingpartyideas or bookmarking baby names?

No, you do not. We're friends havingfuntogether, having a lot of greatsex. But no one's catching feelings."

"You sure about that?"she asked, scooping balls and dropping them in the bucket.

I recalled Liberty's warning to me and howCharliehad said, verbatim, the same thing to her he'd told me."Positive."

"Mm-hm."She nodded to the other side of thefieldwhereCharliestood with some of the other staff listening toCoachspeak. He was looking our way and waved."If you say so."

A text pings after I park the car along the side of the house. I smile as I read the message.

Charlie: My mother is sending me home with her Tres Leches Cake and instructions forMattand me not to eat it without you. I may lose a hand, but I'll keepMattaway.

He follows up the text with a picture of him with a pained expression holding a cake with one hand, his other one in his brother's mouth.

Charlie: Come over later? I don't know how long I canholdhim back.

Ilaughas I type out my reply. If I survive this day with my parents, I'll be home around seven.

Charlie: Debuting thepinkstreaks to the 'rents. Good luck. Remember, it's YOUR hair and it looks stunning on you.

I send back a kissy-face emoji anddropmy phone in my bag. WithCharlie'sencouragement, I took the plunge and dyed hotpinkstreaks in my hair. Everyone loves it, especially me. But I brace myself for what my mother will say.

I don't have to wait long to find out. She's lying by the pool when I enter the backyard, and Iwalkover to the chaise tokissher hello.

"My God,Palmer. What did you do to your hair?"Shesitsup and inspects the colored locks."It's temporary, right?"

"If you mean, will it eventually grow out? Then sure, it's temporary."I look around."Where's Dad? I want to give him his gift."

She clicks hertongue."Honestly,Palmer. I don't know how you expect to find someone respectable. Your father is in the back trying out his new set of putters."

Iwalkout past the pool to the end of the property, where Dad had aputtinggreen put in near the treeline."Happy Father's Day, Dad."

He sinks a shortshotand smiles at me."Palmer. Glad you could make it. Come give your old dad a hug."

We embrace and when hepullsback, he squints at me."Something's different."

I lift apinkstrand."I dyed my hair."

"No,"he says, tilting his head. He tucks his new putter under his arm."I mean, I'm sure that's true. But something else. You look–"

"Tired? Blotchy?"I gesture to the gauzy palepinksundress I chose for today."Too pale?"

"Content."Hegivesme a warm smile and drapes an arm around me."Walkme back to the house. I have to change before the Wainwrights arrive."

"Mom didn't mention they were coming,"I say.

"We've become good friends. They're good people. That son of theirs is an outstanding young man."

I roll my eyes."Please don't tell me you're helping Mom fix us up."

"Wouldn't dream of it,"he laughs."That's your mother's domain."

Wewalkinto the kitchen and while he takes out two beers, one for each of us, I extract the Father's Day card from my bag. He slides me abottleand I hand over the card.

"I got you something. I thought you might want it now."

"Thankyou, sweetheart,"he says, opening the envelope. Hepullsout the card and opens it, removing the paper inside."What's this?"

"A private reservation at The Barn,"I say."I heard Mom say you were having trouble getting a reservation anytime soon."

"How did you manage this?"heasks.

I tip thebottleto my lips and take a sip."I have connections."

My connection beingCharlie, of course, who calledMissAnnabelle on my behalf and was able to secure a reservation for four next Friday night at the Chef's Table.

My parents and their guests, probably the Wainwrights, will have a front-row view of everything happening in the kitchen, plus access to a special menu.

He hugs me and plants a smackingkisson my cheek."This is wonderful. Your mother will flip."

"Jeff,Palmer!"my mother calls from the back."The Wainwrights are here."

I take Dad'sbeerfor him while he grabs a tray from the refrigerator with steaks and vegetable kabobs to be cooked.

We head outside to greet the guests. I haven't spoken to or seenBoonesince thedinnerparty, but it's like we're old friends.

I exchange aquickhug with him and accept cheekkissesfrom his parents.

It's weird to see my parents interact with the Wainwrights.

Patsy and Ned are just as well-off as we are, but so much more down-to-earth. It's rubbing off on my parents.

"Ned, want to help me with the grill?"My dad pats his friend on the back and the two of them get busyputtingthe steaks on.

"Elaine, you have to see the sketches the interior designer came up with for the new houses,"Patsy says, joining my mother at the table under the umbrella.

"Can I get you abeer?"I askBoone.

"Sure."I lead him into the kitchen and open a coldbottlefrom the fridge."It's an IPA, hope that's all right. My dad loves the local brewers and it's pretty much all he drinks during the summer."

"This is fine."He takes a sip and leans against the breakfastbar."So, how have you been? Yourseasonis going well. What are you, 7 and 1 now?"

"I'm impressed you're keeping up,"I say."8 and 1, now. We won our last roadgame."

He clinks the neck of mybottlewith his."Kudos."

"I think the kids say 'bet' now,"I say with a chuckle.

"I'm thirty-four, so I don't think I can be confused for being a kid,"Boonesays.

I put mybottledown."Shut up. I didn't think you were more thantwenty-five,twenty-six."

He shrugs."I have a baby face."

"Huh."I take a seat."So what have you been up to,Boone?"

"Oh, up to my armpits in blueprints, permits, and design details. We've changed the scope of the project somewhat."

"How so?"

Boonesets hisbeerdown and takes his phone out.

"Here's an artist rendering of the planned community.

See here,"he points to a drawing of a maze of interconnected streets lined by large, McMansion-style properties,"this is the original vision.

A gated, exclusive community. Fewer houses, but with larger footprints.

Startingin the high six-figures to low-seven. "

I whistle."Fancy."

He scrolls to a different rendering. This one shows the same network of streets, but with more houses occupying smaller individual footprints.

"After doing some research into the area and talking to my father and the other investors, I've convinced them the smarter approach would be a planned mixed-income community.

There will still be a few larger homes with bigger yards for sale, but most of the single-family homes will occupy about a quarter-acre of land and be affordable for those making around the median wage in the county.

We won't earn as much profit right out of the gate, but we will qualify for some state grants to lower construction expenses.

Plus, it's the right thing to do. The last thing this county needs is more housing only people working in DC can afford. "

He turns off his phone and puts it away with a self-deprecatinglaugh."Sorry. I'm boring you. This cannot be interesting to you in the least."

I put my hand on his arm."I know a lot of people who had to move further north and west and commute into Frederick for jobs. It will mean so much for people to be able to actually live where they work."

"That's theplan. So when is your next homegame?"

"We have two this week. Thursday and again on Saturday."

"Yourseasonmust be almost over. Don't the playoffs begin in July?"

"We have about six more regular-seasongames,"I confirm.

"Once webreakground, I won't have a whole lot of time,"he says."Think I can comewatchyou play this week?"

"I'd love it. Want me to leave you tickets? Thursday or Saturday, or both?"

"How about Thursday?"

My smile wavers a bit at the familiar bite ofhurt, but I cover it with an even biggergrin."Absolutely. I can't wait."