In the Red Zone by Crista McHugh

bed and flung his arm over his eyes. His face burned. “It was for the Kiss Cam, Mom.”
    “Isn’t that the excuse Ben gave for the night he met Hailey?”
    What his mom meant to ask was if his evening ended the same way his brother’s had. “Mom, I did not take her back to my place.”
    Of course, if he’d had his way, his evening would’ve gone exactly like Ben’s had, ending with some unforgettable sex. The only difference would be that he’d make sure to wear two condoms. He was way too young to be saddled with a kid.
    “Oh, really?” His mother actually sounded disappointed. The woman wanted grandkids so badly, she didn’t care how she got them. She’d made a huge fuss over Jenny’s baby, and it wasn’t even Dan’s. He only hoped it would ease up once his brothers gave her what she wanted.
    “Mom, can we please stop talking about my personal life?”
    “Very well,” she said with a heavy dose of resignation. “Have you been staying out of trouble?”
    “Yes, Mom, I’ve been a good boy. I’m even down in Orlando for some charity work.”
    “And would this charity be in any way related to Kiana?”
    His mother was too smart for her own good. “Yes, Mom.”
    “You’ll have to tell me more about it.”
    “Maybe later. It’s late, and I have some early meetings in the morning,” he lied, using the excuse Kiana had given him the night of the game.
    “Are you sure you’re feeling okay, Frank?”
    He wanted to tell his mother about the odd ache in his gut and the way his breath quickened whenever he was around Kiana, but it felt too personal, especially when he wasn’t quite sure what to make of it himself. “Yeah, I’m fine. Why?”
    “I’m just not used to you acting so…um, responsible.”
    Everyone was a comedian, especially when it came to picking on him. “Would you prefer I revert to my old ways?”
    “No, no, no. I’m just very proud of you, dear, that’s all. You’re finally growing up into the fine young man I always knew you’d be.”
    “As opposed to the screw-up I was before?”
    “I’d never say a three-time Pro-Bowler was a screw-up, dear.”
    His lips twitched into a half-smile. Mom always knew how to make him feel better. “Just trying to make you proud.”
    “You always have. And I hope to hear more about this young lady you’re seeing. Maybe I can plan a little trip down to Atlanta in a few weeks. I’ll even bring Jasper with me.”
    “Hold on a minute, Mom. Let’s take things one step at a time. I need to make it to a second date first.” And he definitely didn’t need his mother’s big, slobbering dog shedding all over his place if he wanted to have a chance of convincing Kiana to stay the night.
    “But he’s such an excellent judge of character.”
    “Chill, Mom.” Frank rubbed his chin, though, as he thought about it. Maybe the Jasper test would be faster than waiting to get the truth from her.
    “Yes, dear. In the meantime, you get some rest, and don’t forget to give me a call every now and then.”
    Ugh! The guilt. He’d forgotten how good his mother was at dishing it out. “Yes, Mom.”
    He hung up before his family found something else to tease him about and stretched out on the bed. Life would’ve been so much easier if Kiana had just accepted his invitation. Instead, he was left hanging in the balance and unsure of what he needed to do next.
    ***
    Kiana hung up the phone after accepting Frank’s dinner invitation and fanned her flushed face. She’d just started getting Savannah ready for bed when he’d called, and she’d been so scared her daughter would start wailing in the background. But her fears were unfounded, as Savannah had remained perfectly silent after she’d slipped out of the nursery.
    Maybe it was time to tell him about her daughter. Before she got in over her head. Denise had said to listen to her heart and her gut, but it was her raging hormones that were driving her decisions right now. And all her hormones told