my way. Kal's hand landed on my back and rubbed small circles between my shoulder blades while Ben frowned worriedly.
“You alright?” Kal asked.
I nodded absently. “Yeah, just a little tired. Long day yesterday.”
He chuckled softly. “Up early opening gifts and then partying over at your grandparents' house all night?”
“Something like that.”
“Here,” Kal murmured. He pulled the throw pillow out from behind him and set it in his lap. He tugged me down until I curled up against him. Then, he yanked the afghan off the back of the couch and spread it out over me. “There. Now, you just relax for a little while. Get some rest.”
“I'm fine,” I assured him. “I don't need any more sleep.”
He shrugged and programmed in his team's next play. “Then, you can watch me win this game. My guys need a hot cheerleader.”
A loud snort tumbled out of me, and I snuggled down beneath the blanket. My head lay cradled in his lap, and while his fingers moved through my hair, gently massaging my scalp, my headache quickly dissipated. My eyelids fluttered closed, and I drifted off to sleep long before halftime.
* * *
A moment later, my eyes snapped open. Kal and Ben were still playing their game, but everything in the room seemed different. I just couldn't put my finger on what it was, though. Slowly, I sat up, leaning heavily against Kal until the room stopped spinning. Not taking his eyes off the television screen, he slid his arm around me, nestling me against his side.
“Finally decided to join us, princess?”
I jerked upright and swiveled around. “Dad! What are you doing here? Didn't you have to work—” The words skidded to a halt on my tongue as I finally realized why everything looked so different. The room was no longer bathed in the bright shine of morning, but the golden hues of early afternoon. I whirled around to pin Kal with an icy glare. “How could you let me sleep so long?”
He just shrugged, apparently more concerned with the state of his team than my anger. “Didn't want to wake you.”
I socked him in the arm and pushed myself off the couch. “Have your game finished in ten minutes,” I fairly growled. “I'll be ready to go by then. I can't believe you let me sleep all day.” I pushed past Dad as I left the living room but avoided his concerned gaze. I didn't need to deal with his worry. Not now. Not yet anyway.
I took the steps two at a time and raced upstairs. Once in my room, I yanked a change of clothes out of my dresser and headed into the bathroom for a three-minute shower. It was all I had time for. A quick blow dry, brush of the teeth, and slather of a thin layer of foundation, and I was back in the living room. I tapped my foot impatiently for Kal to end his game.
To his credit, Kal jumped up as soon as he saw me and tossed his controller to the side. Ben grumbled about him quitting early, but Kal brushed off his comments and instead came to my side. “Ready?” he asked. The corners of his lips twitched like he was fighting back a smile.
I turned around to yell to Dad that we were going only to find him hovering near the front door. “Kal and I are going out,” I toldhim. “We shouldn't be too late, even if we were supposed to leave at ten—” I cut a quick glare at Kal. “—and it's past three now.”
Dad glanced at Kal, clearly amused. “So are you trying to tell me that you're going to be out five hours past curfew?” He shook his head, chuckling softly. “I don't think so, princess.”
“Don't worry, Mr. Gordon,” Kal laughed. “I'll have her home by midnight.” He held my coat out for me while I shrugged into it.
“See that you do.”
At that, we shuffled out of the house, across the lawn, and climbed into Kal's car. The interior was warm, the motor humming softly, indicating that Kal had the foresight to start the car up while I was getting dressed. I snapped my seatbelt into place and flipped on the radio.
“You grabbed my board
“You alright?” Kal asked.
I nodded absently. “Yeah, just a little tired. Long day yesterday.”
He chuckled softly. “Up early opening gifts and then partying over at your grandparents' house all night?”
“Something like that.”
“Here,” Kal murmured. He pulled the throw pillow out from behind him and set it in his lap. He tugged me down until I curled up against him. Then, he yanked the afghan off the back of the couch and spread it out over me. “There. Now, you just relax for a little while. Get some rest.”
“I'm fine,” I assured him. “I don't need any more sleep.”
He shrugged and programmed in his team's next play. “Then, you can watch me win this game. My guys need a hot cheerleader.”
A loud snort tumbled out of me, and I snuggled down beneath the blanket. My head lay cradled in his lap, and while his fingers moved through my hair, gently massaging my scalp, my headache quickly dissipated. My eyelids fluttered closed, and I drifted off to sleep long before halftime.
* * *
A moment later, my eyes snapped open. Kal and Ben were still playing their game, but everything in the room seemed different. I just couldn't put my finger on what it was, though. Slowly, I sat up, leaning heavily against Kal until the room stopped spinning. Not taking his eyes off the television screen, he slid his arm around me, nestling me against his side.
“Finally decided to join us, princess?”
I jerked upright and swiveled around. “Dad! What are you doing here? Didn't you have to work—” The words skidded to a halt on my tongue as I finally realized why everything looked so different. The room was no longer bathed in the bright shine of morning, but the golden hues of early afternoon. I whirled around to pin Kal with an icy glare. “How could you let me sleep so long?”
He just shrugged, apparently more concerned with the state of his team than my anger. “Didn't want to wake you.”
I socked him in the arm and pushed myself off the couch. “Have your game finished in ten minutes,” I fairly growled. “I'll be ready to go by then. I can't believe you let me sleep all day.” I pushed past Dad as I left the living room but avoided his concerned gaze. I didn't need to deal with his worry. Not now. Not yet anyway.
I took the steps two at a time and raced upstairs. Once in my room, I yanked a change of clothes out of my dresser and headed into the bathroom for a three-minute shower. It was all I had time for. A quick blow dry, brush of the teeth, and slather of a thin layer of foundation, and I was back in the living room. I tapped my foot impatiently for Kal to end his game.
To his credit, Kal jumped up as soon as he saw me and tossed his controller to the side. Ben grumbled about him quitting early, but Kal brushed off his comments and instead came to my side. “Ready?” he asked. The corners of his lips twitched like he was fighting back a smile.
I turned around to yell to Dad that we were going only to find him hovering near the front door. “Kal and I are going out,” I toldhim. “We shouldn't be too late, even if we were supposed to leave at ten—” I cut a quick glare at Kal. “—and it's past three now.”
Dad glanced at Kal, clearly amused. “So are you trying to tell me that you're going to be out five hours past curfew?” He shook his head, chuckling softly. “I don't think so, princess.”
“Don't worry, Mr. Gordon,” Kal laughed. “I'll have her home by midnight.” He held my coat out for me while I shrugged into it.
“See that you do.”
At that, we shuffled out of the house, across the lawn, and climbed into Kal's car. The interior was warm, the motor humming softly, indicating that Kal had the foresight to start the car up while I was getting dressed. I snapped my seatbelt into place and flipped on the radio.
“You grabbed my board
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