“I’m full of tricks.”
Afterward, when we both came out of the shower, I became aware of how hungry I was.
“Let’s order room service.”
She poked my abs. “Blasphemy. We’re in New York on a weekend. Do you know how many breakfast and brunch places are around?”
“I don’t actually. I don’t go out much when I’m here for a game.”
“Well, today, you have your very own guide.” Brooke lifted her arms, pointing her forefingers at her head. The towel she’d wrapped around herself slid a few inches lower, and she caught it just in time, grinning sheepishly.
“Wouldn’t mind if you’d let it drop.”
“Of course you wouldn’t. But then we’d be right back where we started, and you would still have no breakfast. Come on, no time to lose.”
We met in the lobby of the hotel twenty minutes later, after I’d gone to my room to change.
Brooke was already there, talking to Andrew.
“Hey, man,” Andrew greeted. “Brooke here tells me she’ll show you a store where you can buy that vintage stuff for Milo.”
“Yes. She’s saving my ass. Won’t have to show up with that lame shirt I bought yesterday.”
Andrew nodded. “See you at the game?”
“Not sure I’ll make it. You know I’m not a big fan. I’ll catch up with you at the hotel afterward.”
Afterward, Brooke and I headed out onto the street. “Where to?”
“How much do you trust me?” She was grinning from ear to ear.
“One hundred percent.”
“Then follow me.”
Her excitement was contagious. She’d been spot-on about New York having a wealth of options for breakfast. The problem was that everyone else seemed to know that too. The first two joints we tried were at full capacity. The third and fourth had a long waiting line.
“I’m sorry, I wasn’t expecting this,” Brooke said with frustration.
“Babe, I really don’t care what we do. All I want is to spend time with you.”
“Let’s make a deal. Just grab whatever on the street, and then we can go buy Milo’s gift.”
“Okay.”
We ended up eating hot dogs, but I honestly didn’t mind. Brooke chatted the entire time, telling me about her life as an intern here, how it compared to her stint in Washington, and then in LA. I liked learning about this side of her. I admired her for having the balls to do things her way and take chances.
Midway through our stroll, she called Coach, giving me an apologetic smile.
“I promised I’d check in with him.”
Since we were walking next to each other, I heard everything she said, and couldn’t hide my smile as she gently asked him if he’d gone to his doctor’s appointment yesterday.
Coach usually didn’t like anyone getting into his business, but I suspected he was different when it came to his daughters. Then again, who could resist Brooke?
The store where she brought me was one of those I’d found on Google but then couldn’t locate on the map. It was a hole in the wall, but a gold mine. It had everything I was looking for.
I usually went alone on my shopping trips for Milo. I’d always liked keeping family things separate from everything else, but I was glad Brooke was with me today, and that she was having fun with me. I loved that she enjoyed the things in my life that I valued, instead of scoffing at them.