I spend a few minutes explaining my job. The strange part is, I don’t feel like I’m on an interview or filling space with small talk. Marnie seems truly interested and I imagine she makes a great friend.
“How long have you and Lisa been together?”
Marnie removes her mitten-covered hand and holds it up to me. A gold band circles her left ring finger. “We were married last year. We’ve been together for five.” Love beams from her face as she stares at the symbol of her commitment to another person.
“Congratulations.”
“Thanks.” Marnie turns to me while replacing her mitten. “I’ve never been so happy.”
She practically glows and a twinge of envy pinches me. I’m not an artist but the expression on her face could immortalize happiness. Like moonbeams and sunrays and rainbows might pop out of her.
I don’t think I’ve ever looked that way about anything. Or anyone.
Zebb and Lisa return with our collection of drinks and the pre-game announcements begin. Zebb excuses himself one more time to gather his brother and bring him up to our seats.
“I wasn’t saying anything to him,” Brock grumbles as they reach our bench. In the bright lights of a football stadium, I have a better view of Brock than I’d had at O’Malley’s. He’s broader than Zebb, though they’re the same height. His hair is covered by a baseball cap and the hair on his face is more stubble than scruff, as if he shaved this morning but it’s already growing back.
“Just sit down by Lisa and try to keep it together.” Zebb points to the other side of Lisa.
“Why do I have to babysit the beast?” She narrows her eyes at Zebb.
“Because I brought a date.”
My head swivels to look at him while his brother chortles.
“What a putz. You don’t bring a date to a high school football game.” The bench quakes as Brock tosses his larger body onto the seat beside Lisa and swipes his baseball cap off his head.
“And what do you know about dating?” Lisa chides Brock.
“I know plenty. And you don’t bring a woman to a high school game.”
“You don’t know nothing,” Lisa digs. “That’s why you’re still single as a Pringle.”
“I’m single because my ex-wife—”
“Just shut your kisser, mister,” Lisa scolds.
“Jesus. Maybe this was a bad idea,” Zebb mutters as he lowers beside me.
Without thinking, I reach out for his thigh. “This will be fun.” And I’m surprised I mean it. Watching him interact with his family is entertaining. As an only child, siblings are always a wonder to me.
My hand slowly slips from Zebb’s firm leg, but he captures it before I can fully retreat. “No gloves, again?” He chuckles.
Then he tugs my fingers higher up his thigh and covers my hand with his. “This reminds me of high school.”
“You played football in high school,” I jeer. He never sat in the stands.
He looks at me over his shoulder and lowers his voice. “Maybe this is one of my fantasies then.” His gaze holds on mine.
A whistle blows and the game begins. We sip our drinks. Yep, my hot chocolate is warm water with chocolate somewhere at the bottom of the Styrofoam, so I set the cup beneath the bench, out of feet range.
“You don’t like the drink?”
I wrinkle my nose. “I’m all good.”
Zebb sighs. “I really am a cheap date.”
“Isn’t that supposed to be my line?”