Chapter Twenty-Three

The faculty and cheer captains serving as judges were finally back from summer break and it was down to eight girls vying for three open spots on the Barracudas cheer squad. This was it, do-or-die time.

Allison lingered near the registration desk in the corner of the gymnasium closest to the exit. On the other side of the gym, Brittany waved and pointed at Allison as a show of encouragement, but Allison failed to smile back. She was too nervous. The number of people in the stands—she estimated a hundred or more—was intimidating. Didn’t they have anything better to do than watch some dumb cheer tryouts? The room was getting hot. The low rumble of voices in the crowd became amplified when it reached her ears. She heard the sound of laughter and wondered if she was the one being laughed at. Oh God. She was doomed to fail; she just knew it. It’s not worth it. It’s not worth it. She glanced toward the exit and considered making a run for it. She was about to do exactly that when her eyes met Tony’s in the stands.

Just like she’d been there to cheer him on all those weeks ago during practice, he was here to support her and tell her she can do this. Looking at his beautiful face in the fourth row, she smiled involuntarily. He returned her smile and pumped his fist in the air, reminding her she was strong, prepared, confident, and in his words, amazing. Like he told her last night, “You won’t fall and you won’t fail.” She took a deep breath and her anxiety vanished. She was ready for this—until she heard a woman’s voice call her name.

“Allison!” Looking around for the source of the voice, her eyes widened when the last person she wanted to see approached her.

“Baby!” Her mother greeted her with a hug.

“Mom?” This can’t be happening. “What are you doin’ here?” She didn’t mean to sound accusatory, but that’s how the words came out.

At forty-five, Allison’s mother was still strikingly beautiful. High cheekbones, flawless complexion, almond-shaped blue eyes. Today her hair was chestnut brown, but the color was subject to change without notice. She wore an open-weave pullover sweater in a powdery blue color that complemented her eyes. Her short, tight skirt and high-heels screamed, “Look at me, I’m still hot.” Allison felt inferior just standing next to her.

She pinched Allison’s cheek. “I’m here to cheer you on, baby.” Her eyes drifted to the top of Allison’s head and she touched her daughter’s hair. “Your hair should be up in a bun. It’s more aerodynamic that way. The judges prefer it too. I can tie it up. Where’s your hair ribbon?”

Allison reached for her ponytail and took a step back. She eyed the competition. The other finalists wore colorful hair ribbons. Her mother was right about that. It was actually listed as required attire for the tryouts, but hair ribbons weren’t Allison’s style—too babyish. The judges can think she’s a nonconformist if they wanted. “I’m fine.”

“Really? You look nervous, baby.”

I wasn’t nervous a minute ago, Allison thought to herself, but she merely repeated, “I’m fine.”

Her mother scanned the stands. “Well, I should go find a seat.”

“You’re gonna watch?” Now she was nervous.

“Of course. I drove six and a half hours just to be here for you.” She hugged Allison again, but Allison didn’t return the hug.

“I don’t understand. Why didn’t you tell me you were comin’?”

Her mother looked hurt. “Baby, I wanted to surprise you. I thought you’d be glad.”

Allison looked around not sure how to answer. She didn’t intend to be rude, but she really really really didn’t want her mother here. She spotted Tony watching her intently from the stands. She could tell he was wondering what was going on.

When the tryouts director walked to the center of the gym with a cordless microphone, Allison turned her attention back to her mother. “You’d better find a seat.”

Mrs. Martin gave Allison a kiss on the cheek, then wiped her lipstick print off Allison’s face with her thumb. “Good luck, baby.” Oh great, Allison thought. She’ll be doing the whole cheer routine with a L’Oreal Berry Blossom lipstick smudge on her cheek. If only there was time to do a quick mirror check.

Watching her mother take a seat a few rows back, Allison felt like she was eight years old again. She could hear her mother and sister laughing at her and telling her she was far too klutzy to be a cheerleader. Allison swallowed the lump in her throat and refocused on Tony, the man who believed in her. Even more than that, he’d gone out of his way to help her succeed. She couldn’t let him down.

She worked to control her breathing and mentally rehearse her steps while her competitors danced their hearts out. The two girls ahead of her had each recited a dedication before their routine. Now it was Allison’s turn.

When she stepped to the center of the court, she locked eyes with Tony. Just looking at him gave her confidence. “I want to dedicate my routine to my personal coach, Tony Ramos, the first person who ever really believed in me.” She blew him a kiss and got into position.

All eyes turned toward Tony, including Allison’s mother’s, who eyed the crowd until she found the focus of their attention. Allison thought she saw her mother scowl and presumed her mother saw all the negative news reports about Tony along with everyone else. Well that’s just too bad, Mom. Live with it.

The music started and Allison began her dance.

»»•««

Her mother seemed to appear out of nowhere right after the winners were announced. The newest cheerleaders were encircled by friends and family, while Allison was getting smothered for a different reason. Mrs. Martin brushed the hair from her daughter’s face. “You must be crushed, baby. I’m so sorry you didn’t win, but the other girls did perform better. Are you okay, hon?”

Allison knit her brow wondering how her mother could get so many hurtful words into just a couple sentences. “Yes, I’m fine,” she replied coldly.

“You don’t have to pretend around me, baby.”

“I’m not. In fact, I just realized that I never really had my heart set on being a cheerleader.” Allison felt like she was having an epiphany and this probably wouldn’t have happened if her mother wasn’t here. “I think I was tryin’ to live your dream instead of livin’ my own. And from now on, I’m gonna pursue my own path. I got this out of my system and I’m glad. I can put it behind me now.”

Her mother flinched. “I’m glad you’re taking the defeat so well.” But she didn’t look glad.

Allison ignored that comment. “Don’t you wanna know what my dream is?”

“Of course I do, baby.” A roar of laughter rose up from one of the clusters around the winners. Her mother looked behind her. “Why don’t we go somewhere else, get away from these crowds?”

“No, this is fine,” Allison spat with defiance. “See, Mom, I have lots of different ideas that I want to try. And as long as I have someone who believes in me by my side, I know I can accomplish whatever I want.”

Tony had been standing a few feet behind Allison’s mother, giving the two women some space. When Allison caught sight him out of the corner of her eye, her lip began to tremble. Until she saw him, she didn’t feel upset over losing.

Her mother followed Allison’s gaze to see what her daughter was staring at. Mrs. Martin glared at Tony.

He cleared his throat and hesitated for a moment before stepping forward and taking Allison in his arms.

“I’m sorry,” she said against his chest.

“Hey, you have nothing to be sorry for.” He kissed the top of her head. “You did great.”

“Not great enough to be selected. I let you down.”

He leaned away without letting her out of his arms. “Hey, never. You could never let me down. You gave it everything you had. It’s their loss if they can’t see what I see.”

Allison looked Tony in the eye and took a deep breath. “You’re not upset?”

“Me? No.” He wiped a tear away with his thumb. “I’m only upset because you’re upset.”

“Actually, I’m not that upset. At least no one laughed at me,” she said, swiping at a tear. “I just didn’t wanna let you down.”

“Allison, dear.” Her mother stepped closer and interrupted their personal conversation. “Aren’t you going to introduce your friend to me?”

Tony started to pull away, but Allison tightened her hold on him, tacitly telling him to stay put. “This is my mother, Heather Martin. Mom, this is Tony Ramos, my boyfriend.”

Tony took one arm off Allison’s back and extended his hand to her mother. “Nice to meet you, Mrs. Martin.”

Her mother barely touched Tony’s hand before pulling away. She kept her eyes on him but addressed her daughter. “Baby, you didn’t tell me you have a boyfriend. I suspect you were ashamed because his reputation precedes him.”

Tony stiffened but said nothing. “I have nothin’ to be ashamed of and neither does Tony. So don’t believe everythin’ you hear,” Allison snapped.

Her mother put her arm around Allison and gently pulled her out of Tony’s embrace. “We need to talk, baby. Why don’t you show me your suite.”

Allison looked at Tony and he nodded at her. “It’s okay. Go spend time with your mom. I’ll catch up with you later.” He kissed her cheek and nodded at Mrs. Martin before walking away.

Allison let out a heavy sigh as she watched Tony leave the gymnasium. Her mother always found a way of chasing off the boys she liked. “You didn’t need to be so rude,” Allison said through clenched teeth.


“Who, me? I wasn’t bein’ rude.” She reached for Allison’s ponytail, but Allison pulled away. “I just want to spend a little time with y’all, darlin’.”

Allison hated when her mother put on that fake Southern accent. The woman was from Massachusetts, but whenever it was convenient, she adopted a Georgia twang to try and sound sweet and coy. She missed by a mile.

“Fine,” Allison said with annoyance. “I’ll show you my dorm.”

»»•««

Allison unlocked the door to her suite and led her mother to her bedroom. Mrs. Martin set her purse on Allison’s desk and sized up the place. “Are your roommates back from summer break?”

“Yes, Mother,” she replied impatiently. “Everyone’s back from summer break. Fall semester started over a week ago.”

“Then where are your roommates?”

“How should I know,” Allison answered with disdain. “We don’t keep track of each other. We’re all independent women.”

“That’s great, baby. I’d still like to meet them.”

“Why?”

She sat down on Allison’s bed and made herself at home. “Because, I’m only going to be here a few days and—”

“Days? Oh my God. You’re gonna be here a few days?” Allison panicked. She could barely stand being around her mother for a few minutes, much less a few days.

“Well what did you expect? I didn’t drive six hours just to say hi y’all and have lunch.”

“I’m busy, Mom.” She folded her arms across her chest. “I have classes. I have work. I don’t have time for—”

“For who? Me? But you have plenty time for Tony Ramos. Is that why you’re being so snotty to me?”

Allison’s eyes flashed with anger. “I am not being snotty! Well, okay, maybe I am,” she admitted. “If I’m being snotty it’s because this is how I really feel, and this is the first time I’m on my own and not livin’ under your roof where I have to follow your rules. And this has nothin’ to do with Tony, so leave him out of it.”

“Doesn’t it? I mean, why didn’t you ever mention him to me before?” Her question sounded more like an accusation. “How long have you been dating him?” Allison couldn’t believe it when her mother put air quotes around the word dating. “And why? Is this a rebellion against me?”

“What? No! Believe it or not, Mother, not everythin’ is about you.” She hated how her mother put her on the defensive all the time, but here she was, doing it again. “And if I didn’t tell you about Tony, it’s probably cuz you and me don’t communicate much these days, except for texts once in a while.”

“That’s only because you never return my actual phone calls.”

“I’m busy dammit!”

“Don’t shout at me, young lady!”

Allison closed her eyes to a count of five. She looked at her mother. “I’m sorry.” She really wasn’t, but the high road seemed in order. “I apologize. Okay? But really, Mom, you’ve been here an hour and all you’ve done is pick on me, criticize my hair and my dorm and my boyfriend. Doesn’t it matter to you that I’m happy?”

“I’m not picking on you, Allison, but how can you possibly be happy when you just lost a spot on the cheer squad?”

Allison’s shoulders slumped and she lowered her head. “Thanks for remindin’ me, Mom.” Lifting her head, she took a deep breath. “Like I said before, bein’ a cheerleader wasn’t in my blood the way it was in yours. I’m honestly and truly fine not makin’ the team.” Her mother eyed her skeptically. “I am! My life is goin’ good and I got plenty goin’ on without havin’ to attend cheer camp and practices and rallies and goin’ on the road with the team.”

“Really? Isn’t going on the road with the team precisely why you tried out?”

Sighing, Allison confessed, “I guess I was tryin’ to prove somethin’.”

“To me?”

Allison shook her head. “No. To me.” Allison smiled without realizing it. No one laughed at her today when she did her routine. No one told her she was clumsy. They applauded when she finished and even if she didn’t win, at least she was taken seriously. “And now that that’s out of the way, I can go on with my life and just be me, instead of someone I thought I was supposed to be.” Allison paused for a moment. “The ironic thing is, if I wasn’t followin’ your dream, I never would have met Tony.”

“Baby, I think you need to be careful of that boy. He’s a criminal and he mistreats girls like you.”

Allison’s whole face contorted with disgust. “Why do you always believe the gossip? Why are you so quick to judge people without knowin’ the facts? And would it kill you to encourage me instead of tearin’ me down?”

Her mother stood up. “Allison! That is not true, baby. I’m on your side, just like always.”

“No! It is true. I’m sick and tired of havin’ to justify myself to you and everyone else. You’re wrong. You’re just wrong,” she said tearfully. “Can’t you just be happy for me?”

“Not if I think you’re going to end up getting hurt.”

“Tony won’t hurt me,” she shot back. “He happens to be the best thing that ever happened to me. If you’d just open your eyes instead of rubbin’ your hands together when you hear some gossip, then maybe I’d have some respect for you.” By now, Allison was so angry, her face was hot and she was shaking. “Instead of jumpin’ to conclusions and assumin’ the worst, why don’t you ask me about him? Ask how we met, how I got to know him. Ask me why he resisted my advances instead of jumpin’ at the chance to get laid. It’s because he respects me.” Before her mother could turn that statement around and tell Allison how naive she is to believe that, Allison said, “I know what you’re thinkin’ and I don’t care.” She looked at her mother’s grim face. It was like she wasn’t even hearing Allison. “You know what? I’m done tryin’ to convince you. It’s not worth it. All that matters is I love Tony. That’s all you need to know.” Allison headed toward the door and reached for the knob.

“Baby, wait. Don’t leave like this. Where are you going?”

“For a walk. I need some air.” She opened the door. “There’s fruit and yogurt in the fridge. Have what you want.”

»»•««

Running along the paths between campus buildings, Allison was getting strange looks from fellow students. She didn’t have a chance to change out of her cheer outfit before storming out of her dorm. Right now she needed to see Tony. He was the only one who could erase her mother’s nasty insinuations from her mind. He was the one person who could make her world feel less caustic. All the emotions of the day were welling up inside and she was about to lose it.

She rapped on his door, but there was no answer. He just has to be here, she thought to herself. She needed him so badly right now. “Dayum.” She took her phone out of her pocket and texted Tony, saying the words out loud as she typed. “Where R U?”

She remained focused on her phone’s screen, waiting for a reply, but heard a voice instead. “Right behind you.” Allison spun around and a feeling of relief washed over her.

His tank top was soaked in sweat and it looked like he’d just come from a workout of his own. “You okay?” he asked.

“I am now,” she said.

Tony cocked his head toward the door. He unlocked it and Allison walked inside. “She’s makin’ me crazy.”

“I figured. What’d she do?” he asked as he shut the door behind them and set his key card on a table.

“She just thinks the worst. Like always.”

“About me, you mean.” He said it as a statement, not a question. Allison shrugged but didn’t say anything. “Can I ask a question without you getting mad?”

“Of course.”

He scratched his head. “I know I’m not your mom’s idea of an ideal boyfriend. Hell, I’m no mother’s ideal. But am I maybe your way of getting back at your mother?”

Her jaw dropped. “Tony!”

“Hey.” He held up his palms. “You said you wouldn’t get angry.”

“I’m not angry.” Choking back tears, she explained, “I’m just disappointed you would even think that.”

“I had to ask.”

“No. You didn’t.” She looked into his face and he seemed so serious. She reached for his hand. “What we have has nothin’ to do with my mother, and she was definitely not on my mind while we were gettin’ to know each other. So no, you are not a prop in some stupid revenge plot against my mother.”

He smiled and was about to hug her but stopped himself. Looking down at his tank and shorts, he wrinkled his nose. “Um. I’m pretty rank.”

Allison laughed for the first time all day. “Between tryouts, my mother showin’ up, and the run from my dorm to yours, I’ve done my share of sweatin’ today too.”

“Hmm.” Tony looked at her from her feet to her chin and a mischievous little smile crossed his face. Allison’s brow knit, wondering what he was thinking. He took a step closer and leaned toward her ear. She was expecting a kiss, but instead, he whispered, “I have an idea. Do you trust me?”

“Always,” she said. “What do you have in mind?”

“This.” He leaned closer until their lips met. Then he wrapped both arms around her and lifted her off her feet like she was weightless, carrying her into the bathroom without breaking the kiss.

As soon as her feet touched the tiled floor, he pulled his tank up over his head, tossed it aside, and kicked off his shorts and running shoes. Following his lead, she kicked off her shoes, but before she could get to anything else, he clutched the bottom of her spandex top and rolled it upward. She lifted her arms in the air to make it easier. He pulled her sports bra off in the same motion and threw it on the floor. She wriggled out of her fitted shorts.

The look on Tony’s face excited her. She could see in his eyes how much he wanted her, and he wanted her right now. He pulled her into the shower stall, wrapping her body in one arm and twisting the shower knob with the other. The cool tile beneath her feet and his warm body pressed against her made her tingle with anticipation.

The water rained hot and heavy from the shower head, washing away their sweat and grime. He instantly crushed her lips with his mouth, pressing them to her face and neck, devouring her shoulder with tiny bites. His body arched away from her leaving only enough of a gap to give him access to the rest of her body. The shower stall was clearly meant for one person, forcing the exquisite proximity. Trapped in a corner, she closed her eyes and propped her hands on the walls of the small shower stall for support.

He pressed a hard object to her body leaving behind a trail of soap lather. “Ooh.” She moaned when he rubbed the soap bar over and around her groin. He laughed with delight at her reaction. She took the bar of soap out of his hand to give his body the same attention he’d given hers. She lathered his nooks and creases and covered his shaft in suds.

The soap dropped out of her hand when he pressed his mouth against hers. Trailing his lips down her chest, he stopped at her breast and began to tongue her nipple relentlessly and didn’t stop, even when it grew as tall and hard as it could possibly grow. Each flick of his tongue intensified her pleasure exponentially. “Oh God, Tony,” she uttered. She wrapped her hand around his length with her slick fingers, and he reacted by changing from licking to sucking her breast hard. He tormented her by wiggling her other nipple between his fingers. “Yes, yes,” she cried, her voice echoing off the tiles. She held the back of his neck, urging him to continue.

What he was doing to her upper half lit a fire in her lower half. The juncture between her legs pulsated like the mouth of a hungry fish searching for food and, if it got too close, the food would get drawn in, deeper and deeper until it was swallowed. She was yearning to feel Tony inside her, dying for release, yet not wanting the pleasure to end.

She got her wish when Tony dropped to his knees and gripped her thighs. She gasped when his tongue began giving her a new kind of pleasure, the likes of which she’d never felt before. She dug her fingernails into his shoulder and threaded her fingers through his wet hair. Every movement he made was deliberate, heated, experienced—quick licks, slow swirls, hard jabs, soft bites. Her body convulsed each time his tongue hit her most sensitive spot. “Oh God,” she cried. Her knees weakened and she gripped both his shoulders. He worked his way back up and captured her lips. He bent his knees and clutched Allison’s behind, lifting her onto his shaft. She wrapped her arms and legs around his torso, urging him to do as he pleased. He pressed her against the tiled wall behind her and plunged his length inside her again and again. He was in total control of her. He owned her body completely and she was savoring the power he had over her.

He pulled out right before he came. Winded from the invigorating workout, he gently set Allison back on her feet and pulled her to his chest as they both caught their breath.

He leaned away and looked at her without saying a word. He gave her a soft kiss, twisted the knob to turn off the water, and stepped out of the shower. He grabbed a towel off the towel bar and quickly dabbed his face with it, then rubbed his head before draping it around his neck. He lifted a terrycloth robe off the hook behind the door and spread it open for Allison to step into. She smiled and slipped her arms inside. She started to tie the sash when he swept her up in his arms and carried her out of the bathroom to his bed.

He climbed onto the bed and laid down behind her, his hair still damp and his body wet. He spooned her body and slid his hand inside her robe, caressing her stomach. Closing her eyes, she nestled into him and smiled, spent from the emotional day, and content that no words were needed.

»»•««

Allison knew she should get back to her mother, that she was being rude by ignoring her, but right now she cared more about the man snoring softly behind her than she did about her mother. Lying in his arms like this was the warmest feeling in the world and she didn’t want the moment to end. She looked down as his strong dark arms locked around her, protecting her from the world. It didn’t matter what anyone else said. This was, without a doubt, where she belonged. She sighed contentedly and nuzzled into her pillow.

“Hey.” Tony kissed the back of her neck and loosened his hold on her.

She rolled over onto her back and grazed his cheek with her fingertips. “I didn’t want to wake you. You were sleepin’ so peacefully.”

He clutched her hand and kissed it before holding it to his chest. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep.” He looked over his shoulder and reached for his phone on the nightstand to check the display. “Four thirty.”

“Ugh.” She looked up at the ceiling. “My mother’s probably wonderin’ where I disappeared to.” She turned her head toward Tony. “I should go.”

He pulled her into a deep kiss and, in a throaty voice that was impossible to resist, he said, “You. Should. Stay,” punctuating his words with kisses in between. He leaned away and looked at her with concern.

“What’s the matter?” she asked.

“Don’t you—”

“Don’t I what?” she asked.

“Don’t you think it was kind of nice for your mother to come all this way to support you today?”

“You’re kiddin’!”

“I mean, my mother never did anything like that for me,” he reasoned.

Sitting up partway, Allison shook her head no. “She was probably just bored and wanted a little Floridian vacation.”

“Wow. You really hate her.”

She looked down and plucked at the sheet covering the mattress. “No. I don’t hate her. We just have history.”

“Do you think—” He scratched his forehead. “—Do you think your mother being there threw you off today?”

She shrugged and laid down again. “I dunno. Probably, but I’m not gonna blame her for not makin’ the team. I’m not what they’re lookin’ for and it’s okay. Even if my routine was flawless, I don’t have that rah-rah spirit. Never did and never will.” Tony was about to say something, but she cut him off. “It’s true. You were right when you told me routines could be learned, but there’s more to bein’ a cheerleader than just goin’ through the motions. I couldn’t even bring myself to wear the freakin’ hair ribbon.”

He looked at her with mild skepticism. “Are you really as okay with this as you sound?”

“I really am.” She drew an imaginary heart over his chest with her finger. “So, Mr. Ramos, it’s time to look forward, not backward. And I’m lookin’ forward to watchin’ you play in the first game of the season next week.” Tony got quiet. “What’s the matter? Did I say somethin’ wrong?”

∙•∙

“No. No, it’s nothing.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her hair.

Tony never told Allison he lost his starting quarterback job. He didn’t tell her and he didn’t tell his grandmother. It was too tough to say the words out loud, too embarrassing. After all the hard knocks he survived in his youth, he finally had the world in his hands and he let it slip away.

If he were to tell Allison he was benched for being late for practice, she’d ask a million questions. When? What? Why? How? He couldn’t lie to her so he’d end up telling her it happened the day she dropped the tray at Old Smoky’s. He stayed to help instead of rushing off to practice. No good deed goes unpunished for someone like Tony. Other guys would get credit for not leaving a damsel in distress, but between Tony’s history as a slacker and his reputation as a womanizer, he’d run out of second chances.

If Allison knew what really happened, there were three possible outcomes and none of them were good. One, she’d feel guilty about it, same way he felt guilty for months about messing up her tryouts last May. Two, she’d be disappointed in him for failing. Or three, she’d pity him. He didn’t like any of those options.

She’d find out soon enough. It will be pretty obvious when the offense takes the field and he’s not among them.

“You know, you don’t have to come to Opening Day.” He didn’t even have a ticket to give her. He traded a pair of sunglasses, a six-pack of beer, and a tray of his grandmother’s baked ziti for the four tickets he gave Bob. One teammate actually wanted nothing in return—Matt Warner, the guy who took over his starting quarterback job. Funny, he used to think Matt was his mortal enemy, yet he’s the one who handed Tony one of his tickets, no questions asked.

“What? Are you kiddin’, sugar?” Allison asked incredulously. “Of course I’m comin’.”

“I just don’t want you to feel you have to come to every home game or anything. You won’t hurt my feelings.”

“I wouldn’t dream of not bein’ there for you.”

Time to change the subject, he decided. “Hey, I have an idea. Why don’t we all have dinner?”

Allison gently pushed Tony away. “All who?”

“The three of us. You, me, and your mom.”

She gulped. “Why?”

Half-laughing, he said, “So she can see for herself that I’m not a stereotype. I’m just a guy who’s crazy about her daughter.”

Her expression softened for a moment as she brushed his hair back with her fingernails. “You are so sweet, but I don’t know.”

“Come on, babe.” He opened her robe and pressed his lips to her bare chest. Looking up at her face, he said, “This way I can pay you back for sitting through dinner with my grandmother.”

“Yeah, but your grandmother is a good person.”

“So let’s give your mother the chance to prove she’s a nice person too.”

“Ha! You’ll probably turn old and gray by the time that happens.”

“I’ll take that chance. For you.” He leaned closer and kissed her lips.

Playing with his earlobe, she relented. “Well, when you put it that way…how ’bout lunch instead?”

“Why lunch?”

“It’s faster than dinner.”

He laughed and was about to kiss her when he remembered something he’d been meaning to ask her. “Hey, Coach Fairchild takes the team out the night after our first regular season game every year. You know Rusty’s? It’s a pretty nice restaurant on the lake, kinda woodsy.”

“Sounds manly,” she laughed.

“It is, but I think you’ll like it anyway. It’s Sunday night and the guys are allowed to bring dates. I never had anybody I wanted to bring before, but if you can get the night off from work, I’d really like you to come. People will think better of me with you on my arm.”

Allison’s brow knit. “What are you talkin’ about? Your team loves you.”

He shook his head. Allison had a much higher opinion of him than most people. In her mind, he was well-liked. “Not the coaches. The only guy they like less than me is our kicker. He makes maybe thirty percent of his attempts,” he said with a forced chuckle.

“Well, I’d love to come with you, sugar. I’ll see if I can switch with someone and take the earlier shift that day.”

A buzzing sound caused Tony to turn around and reach for his phone on the nightstand. He looked at the blank display. “I didn’t think that sounded like any of my ringtones.” He set his phone down and pick up Allison’s. “It’s yours.”

He handed her the phone and she looked at the display. “Ugh. My mother.”

Clutching the phone in her hand, she rolled on top of Tony on her way off the bed.

He caught her in his arms before she rolled off. “Do you really have to go?”

Gazing into his eyes, she sighed. “I don’t wanna, but I should. I need to get ready for my shift anyway.”

Her breasts dangled above his chest and he fondled them before she pulled away. “Any way I can persuade you to stay?”

She closed her eyes. “Mmm. You have the most persuasive ways.” She opened her eyes and saw the desire in his eyes. “Okay.” She slipped the robe off her shoulders. “But this has got to be fast,” she teased.

He wrapped his arms around her and rolled her onto her back. Kissing her lips, he whispered, “That’s not gonna be a problem.”

»»•««

Even before she inserted the key in her door, Allison heard laughing coming from inside. Ah, her mother must have met her roommates, Allison decided. As she entered the suite, she realized the voices were coming from her bedroom. Once she got to the doorway, she was shocked at what she found. Her mother and Brittany were sitting on her bed chatting and laughing and swapping cheerleader stories like they were best friends forever.

And just like that, Allison felt like an outsider, same way she did when she was a preteen watching her mother and sister doing cheer routines, telling her she didn’t measure up. Looking at the scene in her bedroom, it occurred to Allison that her mother would have much preferred Brittany as a daughter than the one she got.

“Hey.” Brittany rose when she saw Allison in the doorway. “I came by to see how you’re doing.” When Allison didn’t respond, Brittany touched Allison’s shoulder. “Sorry you didn’t get a spot on the squad.” Allison crossed her arms and glared at her mother. Brittany turned to look at Mrs. Martin, then back at Allison. “Well okay then. I guess I’m gonna go.” As she walked past Allison, Brittany commented, “Your mom’s really nice.”

Her mother grew formal after Brittany left, crossing her legs as she sat on Allison’s bed. “You were gone quite a while. You were with him, weren’t you?” Before Allison could answer, she said, “I suppose he wanted to make sure I wasn’t poisoning your mind against him.”

Allison came further into her room and mindlessly picked up her tablet from the desk. “That could never happen and he knows it. And he didn’t call me, if that’s what you’re thinkin’. I went to him because I needed him.” Putting the tablet down, she turned to face her mother. “You wanna hear somethin’ funny? He suggested we all go out to dinner together, the three of us. He thinks I should give you a chance, and he wants you to see he’s a good guy. I was actually gonna agree to it, but ya know what? I changed my mind. I don’t wanna have dinner together because you’re just gonna be testin’ him the whole time and makin’ snotty little comments like you did in the gym, and I refuse to subject him to that. He doesn’t deserve it.”

“I see,” her mother replied without emotion.

Allison probably should have left it at that, but she had more to say. She’d spent too much of her life keeping her emotions to herself, which had clearly done her no good. “So until you’re ready to accept me the way I am and support my decisions and welcome my friends into your life, we have nothin’ to say to each other.”

Her mother stood up from the bed and reached in her purse for a set of keys. “I made a reservation at a hotel for tonight and I’ll be driving back home tomorrow.”

Allison exhaled. She didn’t mean to appear so relieved, but she couldn’t help it.

“You’ve given me a lot to think about on my drive home.” She looked at Allison. “I want you to be happy, baby. Of course I do. But you can’t expect me not to be concerned. I’m your mother, and I love you.” She kissed the side of Allison’s head before walking out of the suite.