Page 50 of Playing to Win
“Oh, yes, me too. I totally embrace my inner child and its craving for that sugary goodness. Besides, it has your daily source of fiber in it. It says so right on the box.”
With a sigh, Callie grabbed Kyle’s hand and his keys and headed toward the door. “I’m surrounded by sugary cereal idiots. Now, let’s go to Taco Bell. I’m craving a Doritos taco and nachos supreme in a serious way.”
“And you have the audacity to gripe at me about sugary cereal. You food hypocrite, you.”
“Shut up.”
Kyle knewhe was smiling like an idiot, but he couldn’t help it. Curly made him so happy it was ridiculous. He loved how sassy she was, how she didn’t fall at his feet googly-eyed because of who he was, what his stardom meant. He never thought anything, any person for that matter, would mean more to him than his family, than the game he loved, yet here he was, as soon as his feet hit the runway off the plane, headed to her apartment.
“Where are you going in such a rush, man?” Trevin had asked him.
“Why you even gotta ask, man? He goin’ to ‘hang out’ some more,” Jamal had told Trevin with a laugh.
Kyle had walked out to the sound of Jamal muttering that he was some kind of whipped, but he didn’t care. All he wanted to do was see those gorgeous green eyes, wild blonde curls, and freckles on the softest skin he had ever felt.
“Why are you smiling so big?” Callie asked him, bringing him back to the present. He grabbed her hand and entwined her fingers in his. Bringing her hand up to his lips, he planted a kiss on her knuckles.
“Just glad I came to see you instead of going home.”
“You know Garth is going to get jealous.”
“Garth and I had a talk. He understands that there’s a woman in my life now. Besides, he likes you.”
“Oh, really? You speak cat now?”
“No. But he didn’t hide under the couch and bite your ankles when you put your feet on the floor. That is an honor only bestowed upon the cherished.” Kyle was rewarded with Callie’s beautiful smile.
“I’m glad I passed the test.”
Kyle pulled into the drive-thru of Taco Bell and placed their order.
“That’ll be twelve forty-three at the window, sir,” the person taking their order said as Kyle pulled around.
“I thought you didn’t want anything, you food hypocrite, you,” Callie told him.
“It isn’t my Lucky Charms, but I figured I might as well go all out.” Kyle bent down to get his wallet out of the door of his car.
“That’ll be twelve…holy cow! You’re Kyle Kelly! And you’re at my window! At Taco Bell. Man, I didn’t figure you for a Taco Bell man. I thought you would only eat stuff like caviar and pâté or some sort of crap like that. I mean, sorry, I guess that stuff might be good—” Kyle cut off the kid’s rambling. He didn’t look a day over sixteen, his eyes wide in star-struck glory at seeing Kyle at his window.
“A guy’s got to eat, kid,” Kyle said with a smile, handing him a hundred dollar bill. “Besides, this pretty lady here wanted Taco Bell and I try to give her whatever she wants.”
“Man, lady, I sure am glad you like Taco Bell,” the kid said with a grin. “Mr. Kelly, would you mind signing this, uh, this—” The kid desperately looked around for something for Kyle to sign before handing Kyle an empty Taco Bell cup. “This cup?”
“Sure, kid. Not a problem. How about you give me a name and I’ll hold some tickets for you for the next home game in the series?”
“Oh, no, sir. I appreciate the offer, but we don’t have that kind of money. It’s just me and my mom and—”
Kyle cut him off. “Kid, I’ll give them to you no charge. My treat.”
“Really? You’d do that for me? But I’m nobody.”
“Not true. You’re the kid giving me my food, all with service with a smile while working the midnight shift on a school night. That’s hard to come by, I’m pretty sure.”
“Well, Candy called in sick and Mom needs the money, so I volunteered. It’s nothing.”
“It’s not nothing, kid. I’ll get you those tickets and I’ll get you some VIP passes so you can meet some of the other players, too. You a fan of Jenkins and Anderson?”
“Oh, my gosh! Anderson is my favorite player of all time! I-I mean, after you, of course,” the kid stuttered.
