Page 39 of The Keeper and I

He didn’t answer right away. He also couldn’t hold her gaze. For a long moment, he simply drummed his fingers on the table. “It’s also the safe way.”

“No, it isn’t. People, whether they’re your family, friends, or partner, are always going to hurt you. Or let you down. Or upset you. They’re not perfect. They’ll make mistakes. It’s our job to love them anyway.”

He stared at her. She searched his face, but his expression was stony. She feared that she had pissed him off and he would get to his feet and storm out, leaving her to handle Dane on her own. Thankfully, he remained in his seat.

“We can’t all have your optimism,” he said with a hint of melancholy on his face as he glanced out the window to his left. “I did once. I’ve tried to make it work, but…I just can’t. I’m nearly thirty, and I’ve never…”

She reached across the table and took his hand. “Never what?”

“I’ve never…” He sighed and shook his hand, pulling his hand back toward himself. “Never mind. How’d we even get here?”

“You don’t want to sleep with me,” she reminded him.

“I sure as fuck never said that.”

“Exactly, which is how we got here.”

“Laci,” he said with a stern look.

“If it’s convincing you need, I’m more than capable.”

He raised an eyebrow. “I won’t cave.”

“I think you will.”

“Try all you want,” he scoffed. “I won’t.”

“Challenge accepted.”

That night, Jordan stayed at his place. He claimed it was because he had training in the morning, but Laci suspected he was worried that the resolve he was so sure he had would falter. Unfortunately, it also meant she could no longer justify ignoring her mother’s calls. Pam Miller had been calling and texting incessantly since Laci dropped the “big reveal,” but she wasn’t sure how to explain the situation. After talking it over with Jordan and her brothers (who were sworn to secrecy), she decided she would tell her mother the same thing the rest of the world was hearing.

“I’m confused,” Pam said. “Why didn’t you tell us?”

“I dunno, Mum, it was…it wasn’t official or anything, and I didn’t want to get your hopes up or—”

“All this time, I could have been planning parties for the two of you!”

Laci rolled her eyes, grateful this was not a FaceTime call. “Mum. We don’t want any parties. We wanted to be lowkey until we were sure about each other.”

“And you’re sure now?”

“Yeah, pretty sure,” Laci said, smiling to herself.

“So…” Pam said, drawing out the word for dramatic effect. “Tell me about him. Is he as serious as he seems on the telly? Shouting at his defenders and all that? He doesn’t shout at you, does he?”

“First, all goalkeepers shout at their defenders,” Laci said with a giggle. “Second, no, he doesn’t shout at me. In fact, he’s rather kind, and funny. Quite protective, but I don’t mind that too much. Plus, he’s—”

“Proper fit.”

“Yeah, that too,” Laci chuckled.

She bit her lip, memories swimming to the surface of all the matches she watched with her mother on the couch at the estate, eating ice cream and sipping hot cocoa as they giggled about the athletes on the screen. If there wasn’t a match on, they picked a romcom, but the atmosphere was the same. Those were the times she really got to talk to her mother about what was going on in her life. It was also where Laci got her best advice. She missed it so much, she ached.

“I’m sorry I kept you out of the loop.”

“It’s alright,” Pam replied. “I’m sure you’ll make it up to me by bringing him to meet us.”

Laci could imagine the wicked grin on her mother’s face. “He’s got a busy schedule. As do I. I’m not sure when—”