Playing For Keeps by Stephanie Morris

needed to prepare for tomorrow. She had a feeling that it was going to be an interesting week.

    * * * *

    Keirra sighed as she sat down at the table joining her sisters at Sam’s Café. It was their weekly hangout during the week. She appreciated it even more now that Kristen wasn’t living with them anymore.

    Keirra looked over at Kristen who was glowing. With her sister looking so happy, she couldn’t be upset that things were no longer the same. She also noticed her sister looked so content with the way that things were. It was mainly due to Randy. She had her own sense of contentment, and as much as she didn’t want to admit it, Eric was the reason behind that.

    They talked on the phone last night before she had gone to bed, and half of her night had been spent dreaming of him. Even now he was dominating her thoughts. She rotated her head from side to side to clear it.

    “So was anyone’s day as interesting as mine?”

    Both sisters groaned in reply, and Kristen sighed before she spoke. “Yes, but let us share good news first, if there is any.”

    Kayla spoke first. “Jamie Feldon was enrolled into my class today.”

    Keirra laughed. “Jana Feldon was enrolled into my class.”

    Kristen joined Keirra. “Jenna and Josh Feldon were enrolled into my day care today.”

    Kayla’s mouth dropped open in shock at the major revelation. “He has four kids?”

    Keirra nodded, trying to keep her own shock at bay. A man with four children would be a challenge, but her perfectionist sister would find a way to manage.

    “Seems like it,” Keirra murmured.

    Kristen sighed. “I hate to spread gossip, but Zebbie said that he moved back here to help Mr.
    Feldon recover as well as himself.”

    Kayla’s eyebrows rose. “From?”

    Kristen’s expression was full of sympathy. “His wife died in a car wreck about six months ago.”

    “Oh, that is awful, ” Kayla exclaimed.

    Keirra couldn’t agree more. It was awful. No one should have to experience a tragedy like that. They all knew it first hand. Nadia came up to the table and took their orders. Once she left the table, all eyes fell on Keirra. She held her hands up in surrender since she knew what was coming.

    “I had a good time. Can we just leave it at that?”

    “No,” Kayla and Kristen replied simultaneously.

    She sighed as Kayla proceeded to fill Kristen in on Keirra’s weekend. By the time Kayla was finished, Kristen sat there smiling. Her gaze turned to Keirra.

    “See, I told you Eric wasn’t a bad guy.”

    Keirra rolled her eyes. “I never said he was.”

    And she hadn’t. She just thought of him as a bad guy for her. His reputation was a little disconcerting to her at times. Their food arrived saving her from any more torture until she had a full stomach. Maybe then she could think. They all began to dig into their food. Most of their food was gone before anyone spoke again, and it was Kristen who did so first.

    “Before I forget, I want to invite you guys over to the house for dinner sometime this week.”

    Keirra thought that it was sweet that Kristen wanted to invite her sisters over to her place for Thanksgiving. This was going to be the first holiday that they had spent apart in their entire lives otherwise. Hopefully Kristen would stop worrying about them so much and concentrate on herself.
    Even as she thought it, she knew it would never happen. Kristen was very maternal even though she was the youngest, and she knew her sister always would be. Still she was very happy Kristen and Randy had been able to overcome their past to step forward together to the future.

    A smile came to her face as she thought about Eric. As much as she didn’t want to admit it, she was starting to think Eric was the man she needed in her life. He was good for her because he challenged her. She needed to be challenged. She thrived on challenges. Eric would also keep her grounded when she was out of control. Most importantly, he would test her need