Page 21 of Playing to Win
“Oh, girly. You know how bets end with me. You sure you want to take that chance?”
With a smile on her face, Curly stuck out her hand. “Win or lose, I’m never one to squelch on a bet.”
Callie couldn’t believehow smoothly all of this was going. She honestly thought her dad would have been so nervous to talk to Kyle that he would have bumbled around like an idiot. But here they were, on her back porch, acting like old friends. It was disconcerting and Callie didn’t know why.
Yes, you do.
The annoying little voice was back in Callie’s head. She bet there was a good chance it was going to try and convince her that Kyle was the answer to all her love problems.
Just look at how great he is with your dad. How great he was with your roomie. And that Bernie guy. And the kid at the college. Does that seem like someone who’s a jackass? No one could be that phony all the time just to impress some girl.
“Knock it off!” Callie sighed, looking up at the sky exasperatingly and waving her hand.
“Knock what off, Curly? Your dad and I were just talking about the playoffs.”
“Oh, well, uh, I think a stupid mosquito was flying around my head. Those suckers love me.”
“In March?” Kyle raised a lone eyebrow, a puzzled expression on his face.
“Don’t believe a word that comes out of that pretty mouth when it’s said like that, kid,” her dad said, nudging Kyle with his elbow. “Word to the wise about my girl. She often gets these thoughts in her head. Conversations with herself, if you will.”
“Daddy, you can’t—”
“And when she doesn’t like the answer her head’s giving her, she looks to the sky, waves that hand of hers, usually blows those crazy curls out of her eyes and gives her head the what-for.”
“I do not!” Callie vehemently objected. Her face, however, told a different story.
“Then why are you blushing, Curly?” Kyle asked, pulling on one of her locks. “As long as that mind of yours is telling me I’m a really good guy, I think you should be polite and listen.”
“Daddy, I think the burgers are burning,” Callie said, pushing Kyle away and walking over to the grill.
“Shoot fire! Thanks, Callie, my girl. I’d hate to make a bad impression on our guest here. I’m known around these parts for my burgers.”
“Only because that’s all you can make,” she said, nudging him with her hip.
“Careful, girly! You’ll make me drop the burgers and then we’ll hafta eat Captain Crunch!”
“Daddy, how many times have I told you to eat something healthy like Cheerios! You’re not a ten-year-old kid.”
“Just because I’m an old geezer doesn’t mean I have to eat like one.” Her dad held the door open with his foot and the burgers in his other hand. “Now get in here, son, and let’s eat. I won’t have a guest of mine eat a cold burger.”
