filled
her heart, and she couldn’t shake her guilt over the deal she’d made with Frank. Cole
had probably trusted her to be genuine, and look what she’d done to him.
Her mom brought over the warm maple syrup and joined them at the table. Liza quickly
took a bite of crispy bacon. The smoky, spicy flavor always reminded her of home.
“This is delicious.”
“We certainly enjoyed the pie war last night.” Her mom looked pleased that she’d used
some hip lingo.
“Even though you didn’t vote for the Orioles one?” Liza joked.
“Fortunately,” her dad said, smiling and gesturing toward the newspapers, “they left
that little detail out of those articles.”
“It was nice to meet Mack and Brenda,” her mom said. “Frank has always been all business
with us, so I had no idea how lively he could be. And Mack is so quiet. It’s hard
to believe they’re brothers.”
Liza stopped chewing a buttery-sweet morsel of French toast. “They’re brothers?” she
asked, covering her mouth.
Sylvia nodded. “That’s what Brenda said.”
Cole hadn’t mentioned that to Liza, although she couldn’t think of a reason he would
have. She supposed it didn’t really make a difference that the two men were related,
although she couldn’t help but wonder if Mack knew about her deal with Frank. Mack
seemed like a salt-of-the-earth kind of guy who would never go for that kind of thing,
and he wouldn’t think much of Liza for going along with it, either. And Mack just might tell Cole.
Liza swallowed hard. Guilt came at her from everywhere. She was leading Cole on, lying
to Paige and her parents, and not being true to herself. Her intentions had been good—hadn’t
they? Frank’s donation to BADD would help a lot of kids.
“You missed a tight one yesterday, Slugger,” her dad said, referring to the Orioles
game. “But we’ll take a win any way we can get it, even on an error.” He drank some
coffee, looking lost in thought and shaking his head. “The Blue Jays are tougher than
they were early in the season, though. Wait till you see their lineup today.”
Liza hated to tell him and her mom she wasn’t going to the Orioles game. She was sure
they’d understand, but the games were part of their family routine and they looked
forward to going together.
Liza glanced at her mom, who gave her a knowing look, seeming to suspect what Liza
was about to say. “Um, Cole asked me to go to the Nats game this afternoon.”
Her dad lowered his eyebrows a bit. “Is that what you’d rather do?”
Crap. Had she hurt his feelings? She debated telling them the truth right now and ending
all this stress. But then she wouldn’t get the donation or see Cole again after Frank told him about their deal. “I think so.”
A bright smile lit her dad’s face. “You really like him, don’t you?”
Her parents gazed at her eagerly, thinking she’d reached some meaningful crossroad.
She hoped her conflicted emotions didn’t show on her face. She might be approaching
that crossroad—but right now she was completely lost.
“I like him a little,” she said, relieved to tell the truth for a change.
“We do, too.” Her mom reached over and squeezed Liza’s hand. “We always have, even
though we’ve drifted apart.” She gave Liza’s dad a sidelong glance.
“Because he got drafted by the Nationals?” Liza asked. “I missed the details on that.”
She shrugged. “I was too busy with my own drama right about then—with college, and
other crushes that didn’t turn out so well.” She scrunched her face. “But I remember
you guys heading down to Chapel Hill a lot during baseball season.”
“We bought into the Orioles right before he graduated, and he was busy with the Nationals
after he got drafted. It’s a shame we lost touch.” Her dad frowned ruefully. “Maybe
we can make up for some of that lost time with you two hitting it off like you are.”
They
her heart, and she couldn’t shake her guilt over the deal she’d made with Frank. Cole
had probably trusted her to be genuine, and look what she’d done to him.
Her mom brought over the warm maple syrup and joined them at the table. Liza quickly
took a bite of crispy bacon. The smoky, spicy flavor always reminded her of home.
“This is delicious.”
“We certainly enjoyed the pie war last night.” Her mom looked pleased that she’d used
some hip lingo.
“Even though you didn’t vote for the Orioles one?” Liza joked.
“Fortunately,” her dad said, smiling and gesturing toward the newspapers, “they left
that little detail out of those articles.”
“It was nice to meet Mack and Brenda,” her mom said. “Frank has always been all business
with us, so I had no idea how lively he could be. And Mack is so quiet. It’s hard
to believe they’re brothers.”
Liza stopped chewing a buttery-sweet morsel of French toast. “They’re brothers?” she
asked, covering her mouth.
Sylvia nodded. “That’s what Brenda said.”
Cole hadn’t mentioned that to Liza, although she couldn’t think of a reason he would
have. She supposed it didn’t really make a difference that the two men were related,
although she couldn’t help but wonder if Mack knew about her deal with Frank. Mack
seemed like a salt-of-the-earth kind of guy who would never go for that kind of thing,
and he wouldn’t think much of Liza for going along with it, either. And Mack just might tell Cole.
Liza swallowed hard. Guilt came at her from everywhere. She was leading Cole on, lying
to Paige and her parents, and not being true to herself. Her intentions had been good—hadn’t
they? Frank’s donation to BADD would help a lot of kids.
“You missed a tight one yesterday, Slugger,” her dad said, referring to the Orioles
game. “But we’ll take a win any way we can get it, even on an error.” He drank some
coffee, looking lost in thought and shaking his head. “The Blue Jays are tougher than
they were early in the season, though. Wait till you see their lineup today.”
Liza hated to tell him and her mom she wasn’t going to the Orioles game. She was sure
they’d understand, but the games were part of their family routine and they looked
forward to going together.
Liza glanced at her mom, who gave her a knowing look, seeming to suspect what Liza
was about to say. “Um, Cole asked me to go to the Nats game this afternoon.”
Her dad lowered his eyebrows a bit. “Is that what you’d rather do?”
Crap. Had she hurt his feelings? She debated telling them the truth right now and ending
all this stress. But then she wouldn’t get the donation or see Cole again after Frank told him about their deal. “I think so.”
A bright smile lit her dad’s face. “You really like him, don’t you?”
Her parents gazed at her eagerly, thinking she’d reached some meaningful crossroad.
She hoped her conflicted emotions didn’t show on her face. She might be approaching
that crossroad—but right now she was completely lost.
“I like him a little,” she said, relieved to tell the truth for a change.
“We do, too.” Her mom reached over and squeezed Liza’s hand. “We always have, even
though we’ve drifted apart.” She gave Liza’s dad a sidelong glance.
“Because he got drafted by the Nationals?” Liza asked. “I missed the details on that.”
She shrugged. “I was too busy with my own drama right about then—with college, and
other crushes that didn’t turn out so well.” She scrunched her face. “But I remember
you guys heading down to Chapel Hill a lot during baseball season.”
“We bought into the Orioles right before he graduated, and he was busy with the Nationals
after he got drafted. It’s a shame we lost touch.” Her dad frowned ruefully. “Maybe
we can make up for some of that lost time with you two hitting it off like you are.”
They
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