Page 69 of Nailing Heat

I nod slowly, “I would agree, there’s a lot you don’t know.” Iwait to see if this comes with questions. But instead, she picks up her fork and begins to eat. So, I do the same.

I wait for her to be the next one to speak but it doesn’t look like she has any intentions of starting a conversation, so I do it.

“Did you call your family and let them know that you are injured?” I ask.

She shakes her head. “Yes, I sent my family a text in our family group chat and let them know that I would be out for bit. Or maybe the rest of the season. I didn’t really go into much detail.”

“What did they say?” I ask her, leaning slightly forward in my seat. I can’t imagine my sisters getting that message and not following up with a flurry of phone calls.

“I got a bunch of ‘hope you feel better soon’ messages, which is what I expected.”

“Who is all in this family group text?” When she doesn’t answer, I goad her with, “I told you all about the famous Langley triplets that get their names fromLittle Women.”

“Why didn’t you get a literary name?”

“Probably had something to do with my dad,” I tell her. “I think he picked the name before he split.”

Her eyes widen and she slowly puts down her fork. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize.”

“It’s fine. You didn’t know. Or maybe he knew that there was going to be a show coming out about a serial killer and everyone could equate my name to that,” I tease her.

“Ha! Yeah, I still can’t decide if I think you’re going to kill me or not,” she teases me.

“And yet, you let me kiss you.”

“I do.”

“Back to my question. Who is all in this family group text?” I ask her again.

She sighs. “Okay, well, there’s the parental units; my mom and dad. Then I have five brothers that are in there as well.”

“You havefivebrothers!” I’m shocked hearing this. She never talks about her family. I expected a sibling or two but not five.

“Yep,” she replies. “There are five of them. I’m sort of in the baby of the family. The twins are Scott and Sanders; they are six years older than me. The triplets, Ivan, Ian and Isaac, are four years older than me.

She rattles them all off without too many more details.

“You’re not too close with them, are you?”

“Not really. I picked the path less traveled and that has caused some distance.” I wait for her to continue. “My parents didn’t mind that I played soccer in college. I got an education and then they said it’s time to start working. Get yourself a job and be practical. I went with the Blaze. It didn’t sit well with them. While I know they wish me well, I’m sure they are waiting for the other shoe to drop like it did with my father.”

“Was he injured too, playing college ball?” I ask.

“He was,” she nods. “And then he lost his scholarship, and his parents couldn’t afford college, so he had to come home. Get a job and live a much less glamours life than he had planned. Or at least that is what he always rambled about when he was drunk.”

“So, that’s why you gave them minimal information, you don’t want them to think that you are going to end up just like he did.”

“Bingo, football.” She teases me.

I grin at the nickname she hasn’t used for me in some time. I’m not sure why it’s back. I could listen to her call me whatever she wants all night long. “I’m sorry that it’s like that. Families aren’t easy.”

“No, they aren’t.” She sips on her own water and stares at me intently before asking, “When you mentioned your family it sounded like you were close with them. Aren’t they sad you’re all the way in Tampa and not in New England with them?”

I shake my head, “No, not right now. They are happy to have the distance.”

“Is it the divorce?” she asks me.

I nod sheepishly. “Yeah, it’s the divorce. They aren’t too thrilled with my choices.”