Offside

Nicole handed the baby back to Ron then placed her hand gently on my chest and pushed me from the doorway onto the porch. She closed the door softly behind her and looked up at me.

Claws still out.

“I'm going to try to work this out,” she seethed, “but you have really, really made this difficult! Why couldn't you just trust me, huh?”

“I trust you,” I replied.

“The hell you do!”

“I do!” I

said more adamantly.

“Then start acting like it! When Sophie gets back from work, I'll talk to you. For now—go!”

She turned around and went back into the house, shutting me out as I stood there on the porch with my mouth hanging open.

I closed it, turned around, and walked slowly back to my car.

For some reason, Shakespeare whispered in my ear the phrase “not so much brain as ear wax.” Somehow, I thought I might have run out of “Get Out of Jail Free” cards in this Monopoly game.

Now, was she going to take my queen?

CHAPTER 19

THE TWELFTH MAN

My phone meowed just as I was pulling out of the driveway.

I had left it on the passenger seat when I went to find Nicole.

Two missed calls.

I checked the number.

Shit, shit, shit.

Before my shaking hand could hit the recall button, the phone was meowing again.

“Hey, Dad.”

“Don’t you ‘Hey Dad’ me! Why the fuck weren’t you at practice?”

“I…um…”

Shit. I was not ready for this.

“Fucking answer me!” he screamed through the phone. “Were you out boning that bitch, because I told you no fucking distractions! Ten days, asshole! Ten days before the Messini brothers come to see you. Ten fucking days!”

“I know, Dad…I was just…”

“Just what?”

I didn’t want to do it, but I only had one card to play that didn’t lead to total disaster.

“Just…not feeling well.”

“Not feeling well?” he repeated. His voice dropped significantly in volume. “You sick?”