Page 240 of One Winter Knight
“Five more minutes,” Fiona muttered.
“Take all the time you need, Mi Reina. You have hours until you need to be at the arena.” I gave her a kiss and drank the water I’d left for myself on my nightstand.
Turning on some music, I shaved, took a long, hot shower, singing along. After I did my skincare routine, I threw on my robe,and went back into my room.
“Hi, Pumpkin.” Fiona watched me as I rummaged through my drawer for some PJ pants. I probably shouldn’t make a snack in my underwear.
Or should I?
I was still figuring out this whole living-with-people thing.
“Hi.” I gave her a kiss. “I’m going to get a snack and make a smoothie.”
“I’ll come down with you. Maybe Saoirse’s back. I got a lot of emotion from her and just an,I’m finetext.It’s probably her family being assholes again,” she replied.
Hale sat up. “That does make you feel emotions. Hey, are we messing up your pregame routine, Lalo?”
“I’ve never had a really rigidbefore I get to the arenaroutine. Now that I’m in the PHL it’s more developed. Back in high school and college, I was balancing acting, classes, two teams, and family stuff. I was always coming from somewhere, so I kept it simple,” I explained.
“Oh, okay. That makes sense. I’d hate to disrupt your routine,” Hale replied.
I sat down on the bed and held him to me. “You’re not. Even now it’s more like eat, nap, sing a little, snack, hydrate.”
“I like hearing you sing in the shower.” Fiona rolled over so she could cuddle with us.
Hale’s head tilted and he sniffed the air. “Is someone roasting a chicken?”
I grabbed my phone and looked at it.
“I don’t know. But my mom is coming to the game. She wants to bring you purse enchiladas because she needs someone to feed. Um, she always brought Gwen enchiladas in her purse, because she’s always hungry,” I explained
“Really? If she’s offering, I’ll take them,” Hale replied. “I will gladly be the student she feeds with Gwen being gone. I’d alwaysget jealous when I’d go to games with Verity and see Gwen with them in the stands, because they smelled so good.”
“I’ll let her know.” I texted her.
“We get to meet your mom?” Fiona beamed.
“Yes, along with Anita, Beatriz, Dulce, and various children and mates. I got them passes to watch warmups with you all and they’re in the family section. Though my brother-in-law is a Sharks fan.” I made a silly face.
Hale laughed. “My little brother likes the Sharks, too.”
“While we’ll go over for Sunday dinner soon, this is just a low-key way to meet them.” I thought that might be better. Dusty’s dinner with his moms and siblings for a first meeting had been a little overwhelming for the ladies. Meeting them casually at the game had actually been Mamá’s idea. I was by the other day to get some stuff, visit her, and give everyone their dolls.
I went downstairs. The aroma of chicken and spices made my nose twitch. Who was cooking?
Dusty was in the kitchen, wearing an apron as he stirred a large pot, loudly singing a silly and annoying kid’s song.
“Stop. Please.” Saoirse laughed as she sat at the breakfast bar with a mug of something.
“Oooh, more soup?” I asked. It smelled delicious.
“I saved a piece of chicken for you, if you want chicken and rice instead of soup?” he offered. “Soup is almost done.”
“A bowl of soup sounds great. I might add the chicken to it,” I replied, looking for my smoothie stuff.
While Dusty cooked, I made a smoothie to take with me.
Fiona came out dressed, and went over to Saoirse. “Is everything okay?”
