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“Hush, you,” he heard Irma reply.
Jamal took a deep breath and pressed the favorite button on his phone that he added to his contacts the day he and JJ taught Cassie to play softball. His screen lit up with the word “Bambi” as the phone began to ring.
“Hello?” he heard her sweet voice come over the line.
“Hey, Bambi,” he said, releasing the breath he had been holding. “What have you been up to?”
“Not waiting foryou, to call, that’s for sure,” she said in a huff. Jamal smiled. It sounded like the dark-eyed beauty might have been missing him as much as he missed her. Normally, if it was any other girl he would try to play it cool, but with Cassie, he didn’t want to. He wanted to be totally forthcoming. He just might not tell her yet how much his heart started to race just by hearing the sound of her voice.
“Now, Bambi, is that any way to talk to the man who taught you how to dance?” he said mischievously.
“Taught me how to dance and thenleftwithout a word,” she griped. “Youkissedme and then…nothing!”
Jamal’s smile from hearing her voice faded to a frown. He didn’t know how much he upset her. The thought didn’t sit well with him. “Bambi, look. I’m really sorry. It wasn’t you. We’ve been finishing preseason and having extra practices to prepare for tomorrow night. JJ also started her fall softball league and when I have a chance I always go to those, too. I haven’t had time to talk to anyone. Trust me, you’d be the first I would have called. Promise.”
“Haven’t you ever heard oftexting?” she asked. He could feel her frown over the phone. With a sigh, Jamal drew a breath. Here goes nothing. He just hoped his honesty didn’t bite him in the butt.
“Yeah, Bambi, I have. In fact, I picked up my phone about a million times. I also put it up a million times.”
He could hear the surprise in Cassie’s voice. “Why on Earth did you do that?”
“Because I was terrified you wouldn’t want to talk to me.”
Cassie gasped. “That wouldn’t have happened. I waswaitingfor your call. It was stupid to think you were different.”
Jamal shook his head. “It’s not, Cass. Let me prove it to you.”
“And how, pray tell, do you plan on doing that?”
Jamal smiled. “Easy. You’re going to sit by JJ tomorrow night at the opening game.”
“What?!”Cassie said.
“Come on, Bambi. Take a chance. You learned all about softball the other day. That’s JJ’s game. Now you gotta learn about mine. Whaddya say?” Jamal waited, his breath held, waiting to hear her response. Shehadto say yes.
“Ok, fine.” She said. Jamal fist pumped in the air with the arm not holding the phone. “I’ve only been to a couple of games with Callie’s dad, Max. To be honest, most of those minutes I spent in the kid zone watching all the little ones play.”
“You’re breaking my heart, girl. Will you promise to stay in your seat the entire time? They’re courtside. I’m not even going to tell you how much someone would pay for them.”
“Will I get a black eye if I sit that close?”
Jamal laughed. “I’ll make sure that doesn’t happen. Meet me at my house at five. You can go with me to and JJ to the game. You’ll get to walk through the tunnel and everything.”
“Is that right?” she asked. “I’d be that special?”
“Oh, Bambi. Don’t you know? You already are.”
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CHAPTER FIFTEEN
“He asked you to go to the game with him? Girl, Isotold you.” Cassie and Natasha were standing outside their classroom doors, waiting for the kids to walk down the hall from the library.
“Why am I so nervous?” Cassie asked, blowing her bangs out of her face. “I’ve hung out with him before. Why now? This is ridiculous. I’m like a sixth grade girl with a crush on the boy who sits across the aisle from me in science class.”
“Sounds like you’re speaking from experience with that,” Natasha said, giving her a wink. “Girl, you’re nervous because you’re going to becheeringfor yourboyfriendfrom courtside seats. That’s enough to make any girl sweat. You better put on some high powered deodorant.”
“Tosh, he’snotmy boyfriend! I’ve only hung out with him, like twice.”
