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Her hair is pulled back in a ponytail, and she pushes a rogue curl behind her ear as she turns to face me.
“Are you coming over here to pay up?”
“We never agreed on terms.” Thankfully. She kicked my butt in our first Words battle. She came up with words I didn’t know existed in the English language. I would’ve accused her of cheating, except I looked them up. “I have no doubt that worked in my favor.”
“Ha,” she brags, her eyes glancing at the kids behind me who are cracking up at Tyrell’s dramatics. “It’s really nice of you guys to take the time to visit. They’re going to talk about this for weeks.”
“They’re great kids.” I turn to face them, watching a little boy pretending to lob a ball to Tyrell.
She moves a little closer to me, and her sweet scent, which I now know contains a hint of peppermint, wafts around me. “The best. You’re good with them.”
“You sound surprised.”
“I am. I just didn’t know there was all that smiling and laughter in there.” She taps my chest with the back of her knuckle, and that tiny bit of contact shouldn’t make me feel like I was hit with a shot of adrenaline. “I’m surprised to see you here. Didn’t you just get back from…where were you?”
I look down at her, finding it interesting that she’s following our games. “Houston.”
“Huh. Well, thanks for making the time. It means the world to them.” Her bright green eyes peer up at me. “I gotta get going.”
“I met your dad out there,” I blurt, wanting her to know just in case I completely misread the situation.
She exhales a long breath, her head falling to the side, and she scratches at her neck. I notice a tiny curl coiled at the base of her hairline, and I want to pull it and watch it bounce back.What the hell am I doing? I’m not doing this.
I should not be noticing Andie’s impeccable ass or thinking about her thighs and how they fit in my hand. It should not feel like someone popped me with jumper cables from one small bare knuckle bumping my chest. I cannot be staring at curls, wanting to know just how soft they really are.
She halts my scolding mind. “I’m…going to guess he shook your hand and thanked you for coming.” Her head falls forward as she kicks the toe of her black lace-up boot into the floor. Her tone is filled with sadness, and damn it, I don’t like the tug it generates at the center of my chest.
It was one hug in a moment of emotional overload, and now my body is taking liberties like we’re really doing the things people say we are. The joke’s on my hormones. This woman barely even tolerates me.
I force myself to get it together. “Something like that. When I saw him, I expected something different than a handshake.”
“Yeah, well, when this hospital consumes your whole life, not much of the outside world filters in. Anyone he works with would be too considerate to bring up his daughter’s tabloid escapades.”
Her shoulders sag with what looks like sadness, and there’s a finger poking at that big muscle in my chest, wanting it to wake up and pay attention.
“Alright, kiddos.” A nurse in blue scrubs walks into the room. “I hate to break up the party, but lunch is coming around, and it’s time for vital checks.”
There’s a collective groan as kids turn toward the door. “Will you guys come to see our rooms?” One little girl asks as she’s wheeled by.
“Sure,” I say. “We’ll make the rounds in a few minutes.”
She grins as she’s pushed out the door.
Tyrell joins us, and I suspect letting him anywhere near Andie will be a mistake, but it’s too late.
“So I understand your elevator time with this ray of sunshine just keeps bringing you more joy.”
Andie laughs. “Seems so. The stories just keep getting better.”
“Tyrell, this is Andie.” I give him a look, asking him to behave himself, which I know will be ignored.
He sticks out his hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Andie.” He’s wearing a smug grin I’d love to wipe from his face.
“Your reenactment over there was uncanny,” Andie says, referring to Tyrell’s touchdown.
“You’re a Tigers fan? Man, I knew I liked you.”
“I’m only a fan ofsomeTigers.” Her eyes roam to me briefly. “One of your running backs is looking tired and…old.”
