AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You may not knowhow to cook, but you sure know how to pick out delicious snacks,” Carlee says, seated next to me on the blue checkered blanket I’d placed in the basket. She tosses another piece of caramel popcorn in her mouth. It’s one of her favorite snacks. Everything I purchased for today is a favorite of hers, including the brand of water bottle tucked underneath the ice packs.
“Thanks,” I say around a bite of powdered donut before I shove the second half of the processed treat into my mouth.
Carlee shakes her head with a chuckle. “Morgan would be mortified to see a professional athlete eating like that.”
I take a sip of water to wash down the powdery goodness. “How is her certification going?”
“Good. With any luck, she’ll be able to start looking for work with a sports team this summer.” A breeze rolls over the top of the hill, blowing loose strands of hair across Carlee’s face.
“Has she contacted anyone at the Lonestars?”
Carlee frees the bun on top of her head and gathers the loose strands with the rest of her hair, securing it all in a high ponytail. “Not yet, but I think she will. Her dream is to work for the Ranchers, though.”
“The hockey team?” I’m surprised. I would’ve thought football or baseball would be Morgan’s favorite sport. She was born and raised in Texas, after all.
“Yeah. Her dad’s cousin was a big-shot hockey player back in the day. Her family is obsessed with hockey.”
I had no idea. “Well, Carter knows Dane Larson. Maybe he could help hook Morgan up?”
“Maybe,” she says. “But Morgan can be stubborn about accepting help. She wants to do this on her own.”
“I can respect that.”
“Me too.”
Comfortable silence settles. Carlee and I continue to snack on the array of food I ordered through the local grocery store’s app earlier this morning. The items were delivered by a driver from a different app within ninety minutes, along with the picnic basket from a different store. Gotta love technology.
“So, Erika called me the other day,” Carlee mentions the director of Soup Soul out of the blue. “She asked if I could help stuff Easter eggs this week for their event next weekend.”
“She did?” I lean over and rest my elbow on the blanket, admiring how the sun highlights the strands in Carlee’s hair. “I’m offended I didn’t get a call.”
“Well, she probably thinks you’re busy. What with being the star pitcher of the Lonestars and all.”
“Hardly the star,” I counter. Before she can object, I say, “I have the week off. I’ll double-check the practice and travel schedule, but I should be able to help out.”
“Are you sure?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“I don’t know. What if someone recognizes you and leaks it to the press?”
I bet it’s hard for Carlee to know I don’t want recognition for my work with the soup kitchen, but I appreciate the fact she’snever pressured me about it. Her job is literally to help repair my image and show me to be a valued member of the community. Volunteering at Soup Soul would kill two birds with one stone. But that’s just it… I don’t want to use Soup Soul as a prop for my public image.
“The volunteers at Soup Soul are like family,” I tell her. “None of them would expose me like that.”
“Okay,” she says. “If you say so.”
“I do.” I reach for one of the chocolate-covered almonds and pop it in my mouth.
As I chew, Carlee asks, “Can I ask you a question?”
“You just did.”
She rolls her eyes. “Cute.”
I grin. “You can ask me anything, Carlee.”
She hesitates then asks, “Have you spoken to your dad lately?”
