Page 18 of The False Start (Off the Bench)

Chapter Twelve

LILA

I sigh and wipe the sweat from my brow as I set the piping bag down on the counter, four dozen deviled eggs officially done. I finish packing them up in the tins I bought for the baby shower when I catch sight of my ratty hair in the mirror next to the door. I glance at my watch.

If I shower right now, I’ll still make it twenty minutes early. Not quite the hour I committed to, but there’s no way I can show up to my little sister’s baby shower with greasy hair and last night’s smudged mascara.

After a quick shower, I’m feeling slightly better, even if my hair is going to be naturally beachy with frizzy uneven curls rather than the artfully beachy I’d prefer, but with the top half pulled back in a clip, maybe no one will notice.

I jump in my Uber, the fruits of my labor—my deviled eggs—buckled in beside me and try to slow my breathing as we drive down the highway and out into the suburbs.

It’s a strange feeling, to be both happy with your life and entirely inadequate when your younger sibling surpasses your own timeline.

The very last thing I need right now is to spiral out of control and give my family one more reason to think I’m falling behind.

My childhood home is decorated in light blue and white, with balloons tied to the mailbox out front and streamers twirled around the porch railing. I sigh, pasting a smile on my face as I push open the front door.

It’s absolute chaos inside.

Blue hydrangeas have exploded over the dining room, flowers covering the table with a pile of diapers in the middle of the living room floor.

“I’m here,” I call out. “Sorry I’m late.”

“ Finally, Lila. You said you’d be here an hour ago,” my mother laments, popping out from behind the corner.

“I brought deviled eggs.” I hold up the tins of goodness and step carefully through the loose flower petals over to the kitchen. “Uhm, aren’t people coming in half an hour?”

“Wow, I hadn’t noticed,” she snaps. “You could make yourself useful and actually help you know.”

I close my eyes and count to three. This is for Kayla. “What can I do?”

She points to the dining room table turned flower garden. “Those need to go in vases and pinned up in the streamers.”

“Sounds great.”

I make quick work of the flowers, and within fifteen minutes, I have the three vases complete with bunches of the blue and white flowers.

I can’t help but notice that not one of the vases is one that I’ve made for my parents over the years and place them strategically on tables throughout the two rooms, brightening up the space.

With the rest of the hydrangeas, I pin one in the center of each knot in the streamers around the ceiling, adding some much needed depth. Gathering up the leftover stems and loose petals, I dump them in the outdoor compost bin, just as Kayla and Alex walk up the driveway.

“You might want to give it a minute,” I say as I hug her.

She groans. “How’s mom?”

“A tad stressed.”

She winces.

“Is there anything we can help with?”

“ You should sit and put your feet up. Alex, I could use.”

He gives me a salute. “Put me to work.”

They follow me into the living room, and Alex and I get to work on a diaper pyramid display while Kayla eases herself into the rocking chair. He places the last two on top right as the doorbell rings.

“Perfect timing,” he says, smiling at his wife. She really is glowing.

I open the door to my three aunts—Becky, Brenda, and Sally—each holding a giant pack of diapers.

“The presents are in the car, dear. Can you grab them?” Sally asks, before they shove past me into the house.

“Sure,” I mutter, more to myself since no one can hear anything over the cooing that has started in the living room.

I grab the three large gift bags from her SUV and set them next to Kayla in her rocker before falling into my own folding chair across the room.

Over the next twenty minutes, the house fills to an uncomfortable level.

Aunts, cousins, Kayla’s friends from over the years, and the occasional male relative crowd nearly every inch of standing space throughout the living room, the pile of presents next to the mom-to-be growing with every ring of the doorbell.

I try to make myself inconspicuous, sipping my blue mimosa in the doorway to the kitchen.

“I would have thought you’d be having one of these soon,” a nasally voice says from behind me. I turn slowly to face Alex’s mother, Felicity.

“It just isn’t in the cards for me right now,” I force through my teeth.

She clucks her tongue. “You, poor dear, you’ll find someone eventually.” I stiffen as she pats my arm, condescension oozing from every word.

“You know I’m still seeing Dennis, Felicity.” It might be a bit of a stretch of the truth, but she doesn’t need to know that. “You met him a few Christmases ago.”

“Oh, is that still going on? I thought he moved to New York.”

Our conversation has unfortunately drawn the attention of the people nearest us, and it’s not me that’s first to respond.

“They’re just doing long-distance now,” Aunt Sally responds snidely.

“I never understood long-distance dating,” Aunt Becky chimes in. I clench my jaw, reminding myself once again that today is not about me.

Aunt Brenda has to add her two cents in. “It just seems a little backward at this point, sweetie.”

“Well, good thing it’s not your relationship then,” I snap, finishing off my drink.

“Oh, honey,” Aunt Brenda chides. “We didn’t mean to upset you.”

“I’m not upset.”

“Hmm.” Aunt Becky purses her lips together.

“Well, he’ll need to move back if you want to start a family, you know,” Aunt Sally points out.

“I know,” I bite out.

“And it would be ever so nice to have baby Gregory grow up with cousins around his age,” Felicity chimes in.

I blink at her, pressing my lips together, because thinking of Gregory as the name of an infant makes me want to do nothing but laugh.

“Right. Well, if you’ll excuse me, I think I should freshen up Kayla’s juice.

” I step quickly away from them, feeling significantly worse than I did fifteen minutes ago, and grab the orange juice from the kitchen to fill my sister’s half-empty glass.

I shamelessly fill the rest of the two-hour party sulking in the corner behind Kayla’s chair where thankfully there is only space for one person, pausing my personal pity party to take notes on who gifted what. And finally— finally— it’s time to leave.

I’m gathering my empty trays when I spot something that gives me pause on the muted TV in the kitchen: a replay of an interview with the Chicago Avalanche from earlier today, a bold headline scrolling across the screen.

CHICAGO’S MOST ELIGIBLE BACHELOR CONFIRMED SINGLE

My breath hitches when the photo of Cal pops up, and I turn up the volume on the TV just as the interview starts playing.

“You’ve been notoriously single for years but have been photographed with one Victoria Winston, can we put the rumors to rest?”

Cal smirks at the reporter, and my stomach does a weird sort of flop.

“Tori and I are old family friends. She’s definitely not my girlfriend . . .” The interview continues, but I turn the TV off, the roaring in my ears too loud to handle the additional noise.

“Ooh who is that? He’s cute,” Aunt Becky coos from behind me.

“Just a friend.” Shit . I should definitely not have said that.

“Lila, don’t be silly, that’s an NFL player,” Aunt Brenda scolds, popping in beside her sister.

“Yes, he is. He’s also friends with Katie. You know I’m actually friends with Theo McClane too, right?”

They snicker.

“Well, confirmed single or not, that man can have me ten ways to Sunday,” Aunt Sally jokes, and disgust roils through me at that wonderful mental image. Her sisters cackle in agreement, and I flee the kitchen before I’m forced to hear anything more.

“Sorry, mom, I have a work thing, so I can’t stay to help clean up,” I call over my shoulder trying not to break into a dead sprint toward the Uber waiting at the curb. I sink into the backseat of the Toyota Corolla that has just become my lifeline as it takes me back to civilization.

The ride back feels like it takes both five minutes and five hours, but when I’m finally home, I close the door behind me and slide down to the floor, my face in my hands taking deep breaths to keep the tears at bay.

Something about spending a few hours with my family always causes the need for an immediate release of pent-up emotion.

Maybe it has something to do with the absolute train wreck of emotional stability coupled with the fun competitive edge my parents always drove into us. At least Dad has always meant well.

After a few minutes I shakily get to my feet and gather my thoughts, the interview playing over in my head.

They aren’t together then. He really is single.

He wouldn’t lie about something like that in an interview, right? There was no room for ambiguity in his answer. Definitely not, his girlfriend.

Definitely not .

I can’t help the small smile that breaks over my face.

My fingers hover over my messages app, and I steel myself.

Hey, how’ve you been?

I mentally kick myself. That’s the best I could come up with? Even so, he replies almost instantly.

Cal

Hey Lila

I’ve been alright, busy I guess.

That’s good, staying busy I mean.

Yeah, we’re looking pretty good this year so everyone’s pushing extra hard in practice to prep for the next few games.

We really want to claim that playoff spot.

Oooh yeah, makes sense. I believe in you guys though, the last couple games you’ve looked really good.

Oh really?

I flush, grateful he isn’t here to watch me fluster.

You know what I meant

But I won’t pretend that I don’t pay special attention whenever you’re on the field.

Cal

Everyone needs someone to play for.

And who do you play for?

Ask me again when you’re ready for the answer

I smile, a wamth blossoming in my chest that feels like coming home after a long day and fall into a blissfully comfortable sleep.