“Who was that?” Dax asked as I walked back into the living room where he had opened a bottle of red wine and poured us each a glass.
“My mother,” I said, setting my phone down and accepting the glass he held out to me.
“What did she want?” he asked as he sipped from his glass.
“She told me I was obligated to attend home games, and that there would be consequences if I didn’t,” I said, curling up in a spot at the end of the couch with my wine.
“What did you tell her about our contract?”
“I’ve told her nothing about it,” I said sipping from my glass. “It’s none of her damn business, and besides, she doesn’t care about whether I’m there or not, only that we’re presenting a united front for the team. I’m sick and tired of it all!”
Dax observed me silently as I ducked my head and thought about how I was going to deal with the situation. Neither one of us spoke a word, but the air was thick with tension. After a long time, Dax took a deep breath and then spoke.
“Payton, do you trust me?” he asked.
“I don’t know, should I?”
“I’m serious,” he said, holding me captive with his dark eyes. I could feel something inside of me twisting and churning as I stared back at him. I wanted to trust him, and I knew that I probably should trust him, but something told me that it was too soon. I didn’t want to mistake lust for something more than what it actually was, and, as I constantly reminded myself, we had made a deal and signed a contract. And trust definitely hadn’t been a part of that.
“I want to,” I said, holding his gaze. “But I don’t know if I actually do, yet.”
A warm smile spread across Dax’s lips as he set his glass down and moved toward me. He sat down, took the glass out of my hand, and set it on the coffee table before taking both of my hands in his. He leaned forward and softly kissed my lips before he said, “I want to take you to meet someone. Will you go?”
I felt my heart beating madly as I nodded, and when I did, Dax leaned forward and kissed me again.
Chapter Thirty-One
Dax
I made a couple of calls and a few hours later, Payton and I were in the backseat of the Navigator headed west to Gram’s house. The whole ride toward my old stomping grounds, Payton had simply stared out the window, watching the scenery change from skyscrapers to three-flat apartment buildings to the two-story houses that lined Gram’s street. She twisted her hand in her lap as she silently took in the landscape of the Back of the Yards. I wondered if she’d ever been out this way before, but I didn’t want to break the silence by asking, so I kept my thoughts to myself.
As we drove down 47th Street, she turned and looked at me for a moment, but said nothing. I turned away before she could ask, not wanting her to see the mixture of pride and shame that spun inside my brain. I was proud of the fact that I’d grown up in a tight-knit community that looked out for its own, even as it subjected its members to the brutality that came with belonging, and I was ashamed of what the neighborhood had become.
“This is it,” I said, gesturing to the small stone house flanked by larger, newer buildings. I ushered a silent Payton up the front stairs and knocked loudly as I called, “Gram, we’re here!”
“Good Lord, David, no need to shout,” Gram laughed as she came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dishtowel. She had dressed up for the visit, and was wearing a carefully pressed apron over her good Sunday dress. I smiled as I took in all of the details that might otherwise go unnoticed, and wondered if Payton would be able to see the care with which Gram had prepared for her visit.
“Hello, Mrs. Connor,” Payton said with a smile as she held out a bouquet of lilies. “It’s so good of you to invite me to visit your home.”
“Oh, aren’t you sweet!” Gram exclaimed as she took the flowers from Payton and pulled her in for a hug. “Please, call me Sally — or Gram. Mrs. Connor was Bull’s mother and she never liked me very much.”
“Okay, Sally, but only if you’ll call me Payton,” she said as she smiled warmly at my small grandmother. I felt relief flow through my body as Gram took Payton’s arm and led her to the kitchen.
“Are you two hungry?” Gram asked as she bustled around the room, stirring a pot on the stove before cracking the oven to check on what was inside. The kitchen was full of delicious smells, and I could feel my stomach rumbling knowing that Gram had probably made most of my favorite dishes.
“I’m starving, Gram!” I interjected.
“Oh, you sit down and be good,” Gram chuckled as she threw a potholder at my head. “When are you ever not hungry?”
Payton laughed aloud at this, making both Gram and I grin. I could feel Payton relaxing and I followed suit as I sunk down into one of the dinette chairs. I nodded as I gestured toward the chair across from me as Gram swiftly smacked the back of my head with her hand.
“Ouch! What’d you do that for?” I protested holding a hand to where she’d hit me.
“Get your ass up and pull out her chair, you lazy bastard!” Gram scolded. “I love you more than life itself, but I’ll not tolerate rudeness in my home! It’s as if your grandfather and I never taught you any manners.”
“Jeez, Gram,” I pouted as I got up and pulled out a chair for Payton and waited for her to sit down. The wide smile she wore made me resentful about being scolded in front of her, but I didn’t want to let her know so I leaned over toward Gram and said in a loud whisper, “Is that better now? You happy with how your trick pony performs?’
“Oh, get over yourself,” Gram laughed as she reached up and pulled my face down so she could kiss me on both cheeks before smacking my head, lightly this time.