Kayla looked at Gill uncertainly as if asking for her opinion.
Thankfully, Gill nodded. “You should take him up on the offer, Kay. Not every woman gets to have a drink with football players. I’d join you too, but I’m working,” she said with a smile.
I escorted Kayla to the table where my brother had just settled up with the waiter, and I asked for another round along with whatever Kayla wanted to drink. She sat down opposite Jake, and I pulled up another chair to sit between the two of them.
“My brother and I wanted to come in and express our sincere apologies for any troubles we might have caused the other night,” I said when we were seated and alone.
“Really, it’s no big deal; it’s um...”
“Yeah, but we didn’t need to be dicks. You were working, and these arrogant men showed up and got in your face.”
“It’s fine. My dad was over the moon about getting football stars in, and he’ll be as pleased as punch to hear you’ve come back and had lunch here of your own free will.”
“And why wouldn’t we,” Jake said. “It’s a great place here with a chill atmosphere and great food. I’ll be recommending it to everyone. And it seems like half of Arlington already knows about it, as it was packed out when we arrived.”
“Kay, can I call you Kay?” I asked, and she nodded, so I continued. “You know. We’re normal guys underneath it all. We like to drink in normal places and eat normal food, but work forces us to be mindful of what we eat and drink.”
“And we like good company,” Jake added.
“And we like watches,” I added. “I notice you aren’t wearing one. Why is that?”
“It doesn’t go with the job.” She stretched her unadorned hands out in front of us. No jewelry and no watch because they get lost if you take them off or are unhygienic for handling food.” She smiled. “Not that I get my wrists involved in cooking, but I prefer to leave no room for error. And there’s a good chance of it getting damaged, submerged in water, or knocked against hard surfaces.”
I stretched out my hand, drawing attention to my new bold orange timepiece. “What you need is a tough endurance watch that can stand up to being dropped in a sink filled with hot water or crashed against a pile of dirty dishes.”
“Oh, I do, do I?” She smiled, taking the comment in the good spirit it was intended.
“Not if you don’t want one,” Jake said. “Lewis, you don’t get to dictate what a woman should have in her life.”
“Absolutely, you don’t have to have one. I’m just saying there are practical watches and dress watches and watches for literally every occasion.”
“And there are bold, look at me while I eat my lunch, watches.” She stared at my orange pride and joy.
“There,” I said to Jake. “Kay understands me.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
KAYLA MARTIN
Do I look good in this?
I can’t adequately explain how I came to accompany the Rollins Bruisers into some luxury shops near the Duck.
Jake had said something about needing to get a few things, and he’d love my opinion as if I knew shit about high-end fashion. He only needed to open his eyes and take one look at me to know he was wasting his time. I had nothing useful to say about anything like that.
On the other hand, Lewis said the passage of time was important and should be monitored, measured, and marked, so he’d love to show me some watches that impressed him.
“We celebrate birthdays and holidays and even give gifts, but every day and minute that goes by is just as important. So a watch is more than a piece of jewelry or a reminder to hurry up. It is a reminder that life is to be treasured and a tribute to every day,” he’d said, and who can argue with that?
“Is he always this philosophical?” I asked Jake.
He laughed. “Unfortunately, he is, but you get used to it.”
The twins had been together their whole lives, so it was natural that Jake would be used to it. But why would I get used to it? Surely, I’d never see them again?
Goldman’s, the independent jeweler, was a place I’d hurriedly passed every day without stopping to look. All of its merchandise was well beyond my means, and I didn’t envision ever having such vast sums of money to spare on frivolous, non-essential items. But the boys dragged me in there and had me trying on watches and rings before I realized what had happened.
Lewis insisted on a bright-colored lady’s watch that matched his own. It wasn’t me at all. Although, perhaps it was; the fact that he suggested it made me wonder. The watches bedecked with jewels were gorgeous and feminine, and I’d love something like that along with the occasion to wear it. But, considering the price tag—or lack of one—when would I ever wear such a thing? And where would I keep it safe when I wasn’t wearing it?