Page 148 of Over the Line

I was partway through constructing the frame when my phone pinged.

Liam

Hey are you coming to tonight’s game?

Of course.

Any plans after?

Can’t promise they’ll be as acrobatic as the other night.

LOL Pretty sure we can manage. (wink emoji)

Excellent.

Gotta run for now – assembling furniture for the grandbaby.

Sounds like fun. Just don’t hurt your fingers. I need them. (devil emoji)

I snorted as I sent back a laughing emoji, then put the phone aside and picked up the instructions again.

A quite throat-clear made my head snap up, and I realized Jasmine had returned. She studied me with an amused expression. “You didn’t tell us you had a special someone.”

“Uh… I…” The heat rushing into my face told me there was no point in bullshitting my way out of this. “Well, it’s, um…”

Right then, Chris appeared behind her, and he glanced at each of us. Furrowing his brow, he asked, “What did I miss?”

Jasmine got a deer-in-the-headlights look and turned to me, eyebrows up as if to ask what she should say.

I fidgeted a little. “Uh, well…” I cleared my throat. “Jasmine figured out I was texting someone.” I gestured with my phone for some reason. “Someone… who’s not just a friend?”

“Not just—” Chris’s spine straightened. “Wait, you’re dating someone?”

“Uh…” I swallowed. “I… Yeah. Yeah, I’ve started dating someone.”

His eyes widened. “Really? Do we get to meet her?” He paused. “Or… him? Is it a guy?”

My face was on fire now, and I nodded. “Yeah. It’s a guy.”

“Oh my God,” Jasmine said. “You have a boyfriend? That’s so cool!”

“I do, yeah.” I couldn’t help smiling even as guilt and embarrassment tried to force their way in. “It’s kind of a new thing, though.”

“Explains the heart eyes.” She looked at Chris and gestured at me. “You should’ve seen the way he was smiling at his phone when I came in.”

“Really?” Chris chuckled. “That’s great, Dad. Glad you met someone. Do, um…” His brow pinched. “Do we get to meet him? See a picture? Something?”

“Uh, well…” I glanced at my dormant phone. “It’s just… we’re not quite at the point where we want to meet families yet, you know? Just sort of figuring things out?”

“Okay, that’s fair.” Chris shrugged. “Does he have a name, though?”

“He does,” I confirmed.

They both seemed to get the message, and they didn’t push. And I… felt even guiltier. Fuck me.

Oblivious to my internal turmoil, Chris checked his phone. “I need to go take my pregame nap. Do you need anything before I do?”

I shook my head. “Nah, I’ve got this. Go crash.”