Page 23 of Out of Left Field

“This is a safe space, Els. When we’re doing girl talk, everything’s on the table. And you should know your mother likes to swear about the boys she doesn’t like.”

Allie twisted her lips off to the side and nodded. “It is twisted as fuck.”

I nodded too, playing along because it was absolutely Allie’s intention to shock her daughter a little. It was her way of making Ellen feel like she was being included in something special and only for grown women. “It is twisted as fuck.”

“Wait.” Allie smacked the table. “You did it again! Stop deflecting and tell me about him!”

“Who?” I asked innocently and stabbed some salad onto my fork.

“Fine. You don’t want to tell your own sister about your love life when you know everything about mine?”

“That was against my will.” The salad went perfectly with the pasta. Why didn’t I make this more often?

“Tell me about the new job,” she sighed in defeat.

So I did. My NDA didn’t keep me from sharing that I worked for the Mantas or that I was helping the team adjust to new ownership. It was the specific details I had to keep under wraps.

“Mm. You know Shawn will want tickets. I can feel his jealousy and he doesn’t even know what you’re doing yet.”

Ellen nodded. “Dad is going to lose it. He loves the new coach.”

Allie sighed dramatically. “Cover your ears if you don’t want to hear this, baby girl, but that man is fine. I agreed willingly to watch the sports news twice this week.”

Ellen gagged.

I blanched. “Uh, yes. The new team manager is very good looking.” And the secret was out. In three, two, one…

“Oh my god! It’s him!” Her mouth hung open and her eyes turned into saucers.

I never could keep a secret after my sister put the details together. I could never, ever hide the truth when she said it out loud.

“Shawn is going to shit himself if you date Isaac Anson.”

Ellen’s eyes ping-ponged between us.

“Is it a crush? Is it mutual?” She dropped her voice to a stage whisper. “Have you kissed?”

“Yes. Yes. And no.”

She pushed her mostly empty bowl away and leaned closer. “Tell me everything.”

So for the next ten minutes I explained how we met, and then met again, how we shared dinner, and agreed to a friendly flirtation while we work together.

“You have feelings for him.”

I blushed. “I might. It feels crazy to think I might. How is that possible? We barely know each other.”

Allie tapped the table near Ellen’s hands. “Cover your ears if you don’t want to hear this, baby girl.” Then she flipped back to me. “I was so turned on the night I met Shawn. Like, whoa. Just standing near him I thought I might die. When we started talking it was clear right away we were compatible. When you know, you know.”

“I don’t think I want to come to girl’s night anymore,” Ellen whispered with a pained look on her face.

I patted her hand. “If you think this is bad, you might want to wait a few more years. Because this? This is nothing.”

“Mom,” Ellen huffed. “Why are you so weird?”

After I sent Allie and Ellen home I took a long, hot shower and began my nightly rituals of lotions, reading, and music. I really didn’t mind that Allie invaded my apartment. It was one of her quirks that made me feel loved. Especially tonight. Her reactions and advice made me realize my feelings for Isaac had been big since the moment we met. Maybe this was something special.

Time would tell.