She really must be blind sometimes.

We’re sitting in the Kelsey’s little red Jetta on the way back to the house, Kelsey singing softly as she drives, and all I can think about is that she has his nose. And cheekbones. And mannerisms. And I have no idea how she has never seen it.

Jackson is Kelsey’s father. I’m as sure of it as I am that the sky is blue.

Today was one of the best days I’ve ever had in my life. Not only did Kelsey volunteer to show me more of her world, something I gobble up at every morsel she gives me, but I got to see one cool animal preserve. I never realized all of the grueling, exhausting work she does. It’s not just playing and petting rare animals. She actually cleans them and their habitats, keeps them on a schedule. She knows when one of them is off or sick, the exact temperature their food and water need to be.

It was like watching a surgeon cut someone open, or a conductor lead a full orchestra. She was so in her element. If my heart hadn’t tattooed her name on it two years ago, it would have surrendered itself to her today. She owned it, fully and completely.

But as we sat on that roof watching the sunset, something that should have made me damn happy because it was romantic and Kelsey wasn’t complaining, the thoughts of her real father still niggled in the back of my brain.

Jackson had given himself away. At least to me. I saw the way he looked at her from the moment he found us near Dorothy’s den. He looked at her like I figured I looked at her. With a sense of longing, a little bit of amusement, and a whole lot of love. It wasn’t the “I’ve known her since she was a baby” love either, I could tell there was something more to it.

And then he’d told me to take good care of his girl, and I’d known. It was clear as day. What he was doing working for her freak show parents, I didn’t know. To be closer to Kelsey? To be able to see his daughter? But why wouldn’t he tell her after all this time?

These were just questions I didn’t have the answers too. And until I did, I couldn’t tell her what I suspected. Even though it might be dangerous to keep my guesses from her, it was even more dangerous to lead her down a path without any confirmation. I couldn’t bear to hurt her more than she already was.

“So what did you think of the preserve?” Kelsey startles me from my deep thoughts.

“It was awesome, Roo. Thanks for dragging me there.”

Her amber eyes slide over to mine and then back to the road. “Have you thought anymore about what you’ll do once we have to move out?”

Huh? “Do you mean with us?” My defenses immediately went up, jumping straight to the worst case scenario of her trying to end this.

“No, no,” she chuckles. “Now that you caught me and you have me, you are stuck with me. I meant, have you thought about a job? Or baseball, maybe?”

I sighed. She’d been trying to talk to me about this for a month, even before we started dating. And the truth was, I didn’t want to. I couldn’t stay at school, I’d never been there for the classes. And now that we’d won the championship, Owen was leaving to pursue the majors. Minka was following him. We had decided to give up the house at the end of the summer and I needed to figure out what I wanted to do.

I couldn’t see myself going back into baseball. I just didn’t have the energy anymore to throw myself into workouts and travel and competition. As much as I loved the sport, I’d made peace at the College World Series that it was probably my last game.

But I hadn’t done anything besides baseball. Ever. It had consumed my entire life, it was the one thing that I was truly good at. Like I said, I wasn’t the smartest kid. Law or medicine were never going to be on the table for me. So I’d stuck with what I knew, excelled at it, and now that it was over, I felt a little lost.

And how do you tell your amazing, passionate girlfriend that? A woman who had her entire future, at least career-wise, figured out. I’d sound like some freeloading, lazy asshole.

“I was thinking maybe I’d just be your professional boyfriend. I think I can really master that.” I winked at her and tried to get her off the subject with my charm.

“Such wit for a jock. Seriously, Clint…come on. You have to be interested in something. Anything. If you could pick anything in the world to be doing right now, what would it be?”

I could feel the temper being lit inside of me, the flames of anger stroking over my skin. “Why is this so important to you? You just can’t stand being with some washed up meathead?”

The car paused for the red light, and Kelsey looked over at me, her fox-like features illuminated by the glowing of the dashboard. “That isn’t what I meant at all. I want to see you happy, for you to find something that lights you up as much as my work does for me. It’s a feeling I would never want you to miss out on. You dick.”

Her lips tilt up, and I know she’s only trying to help.

“You have so much to offer the world, don’t doubt that. I see a wealth of knowledge in you, young grasshopper. You just need to find the thing that helps you channel it, baby.”

She knew I would dissolve into a puddle of mush over the word baby. Her speech was all Kelsey and completely endearing.

“Thanks, baby. Don’t think you’re getting away with manipulating me with that. The truth is, I just don’t know what I want to do. And it’s embarrassing. My girlfriend is this hot vet/animal whisperer and it’s intimidating. Of course I want to find something that I love as much as you love the preserve. It’s just not that easy.”

She pulls her girly little car into the driveway and kills the engine. “I have an idea.”

I’m not sure if I like the devilish gleam in her eye, or if I should be scared as we walk into the house.

“Hey guys, where have you been—“

Kelsey cuts Owen off. “Sorry, we can’t talk.”

She pulls me along behind her towards her room.

“Go get ‘em, tiger!” Owen catcalls from the living room.

It looks like a bomb has gone off in the fifth bedroom of our house. “Jeez, Roo, can’t we at least go have wild sex in my room. It looks like a tornado came through here. And is that…day old cereal?”

I sniff at the bowl of dried up, moldy looking Cocoa Pebbles.

“Whoops. Whatever, you knew I was messy when you decided to date me. Your mistake. Sit.”

She points to the bed, waiting patiently in front of the foot of it. I sit down, careful to move the yellow sneaker and pair of headphones lurking beneath the comforter. “So what’s this all about?”

Kelsey claps her hands, looking all too giddy. “Okay, we are going to play a game. I’m going to ask you a question about your future. For each question you answer honestly and without any belly aching, I’m going to remove a piece of clothing.”

My dick instantly hardens in my khaki shorts. Anything involving me getting to see some of that snowy, perfect flesh, I’m game. “Let’s do this.”

I scoot back, making myself as comfortable as possible on her bed. Which isn’t easy since it looks like a murderer has been thrashing at her sheets with a machete.

“Okay! First question…what is the most important thing you want to get out of your future job or career?”

Kelsey toes at her strappy sandal with the hot pink nails on the other foot. Just that motion has me squeezing my balls up tight to my body.

I think hard, trying to make my answer really good. Maybe I’ll get both shoes off in one swoop. “I want to help people.”

Very good, Bellows. You earn one shoe.” As she bends down, her hair brushes her cheeks.

“Come on, can’t I have two? I’m behaving so well.”

She rolls her eyes. “No cheating. Next question…where do you want to work?”

This one was no brainer. “Anywhere my sexy girlfriend is.”

Another eye roll but I earn the other shoe.

“Do you see yourself working with adults, kids, animals…aliens?”

I’ve never been one to socialize greatly with people my own age or anyone older than me. I always feel too formal. I love animals, but seeing Kelsey so passionate about them, I know I could never measure up to her level of commitment. Kids, on the other hand. I’ve always liked the rugrats.

“Kids. Definitely kids.”

Kelsey stops toying with the hem of her shirt and instead pulls it slowly up over her head. All thoughts scatter from my brain the minute I see the expanse of her tight stomach, those curvy Coke-bottle hips and full breasts nestled in a black scrap of lace.

“How about teaching?”

I try to clear the fuzz from my head. I can’t concentrate with this half naked, perfect creature taunting me from the foot of the bed.

“Umm…”

“Do I need to put the shirt back on?” Kelsey’s voice is teasing and cruel.

“NO!”

Teaching. I’d never thought about it. But now that I did, I don’t think I’d like it. Too much structure and thinking for me. I wasn’t even good at school, what made me think students would benefit from learning from me?

“No, no teaching. I could barely stand to attend school. I wouldn’t do those kids justice that way.”

“Fair answer.” She reaches behind her back and unclasps the black lace, and then I have a nice unobstructed view to one of my favorite parts of Kelsey.

She’s not a double D by far, but her round tits are just a mouthful that has my dick straining upward at the material of my shorts. It’s trying to punch through my zipper and land somewhere in the beautiful valley they create.

“What about a non-profit? Or a camp? You could work with special needs children. Or with children in need of losing weight…”

Her voice is quiet when she makes this last suggestion. I think she’s trying to spare my feelings, hoping I won’t get mad.

But I’m not mad, I’m intrigued. I sit up, barely noticing her naked form in front of me anymore.

Working at a non-profit, helping kids overcome childhood obesity. Teaching them how to eat right, how to exercise while having fun. Showing them the balance to live a healthy life. It all clicks into place, the lightbulb goes on. All of the cheesy metaphors you’ve heard before about what happens when you finally figure out what you want to do with your life? Those all hit me at once.

“Yes…” I’m not even really talking to Kelsey. “I’ll work with kids who need help getting healthy. With families who can’t afford to eat the right way. Teach them how to work the system, take shortcuts to good nutrition. How to exercise and stay active.”

When I finally look up at Kelsey, I’d swear there are tears in her eyes. “That’s what you should be doing.” She nods, coming to sit on the bed in front of me.

I grab her hands. “Thank you. For believing in me enough to force me to think about this.”

“I think it was the boobs that forced you, but you’re welcome.”

I palm her soft cheek. “I’m serious, Roo. You bring out the very best in me. Sometimes you’re a pain in the ass, but at the end of the day, I know you do it because you care. And I love that about you. I love you.”

We both freeze, our eyes locked. My heart trips over itself and then my stomach drops. I hadn’t meant to say that. Not yet. But it’s true, I love her. I’ve loved her since the first time she walked up those front porch steps and I’d looked into those hazel eyes.

“Clint, I…”

“No. I don’t want you to answer or say anything right now. I love you. I’m not saying that to scare you, or so I can hear it back. I just love you. And I want you to know that.”

To my heart’s relief, Kelsey’s lips tilt up in a tiny grin. I’m just thanking god she’s not halfway to some South American country right now.

“I’ll wait until you’re ready.” I kiss her forehead and inhale that spicy, lemony scent that is all Kelsey.

A beat of silence goes by as I keep my lips pressed to her warm skin.

“I think maybe you just said that so I’d lose the shorts and thong too.”

Her joke breaks up the tension, and I take the opening gratefully. Flipping her down so that my hand cradles her neck when her back hits the mattress, I set to finding out if her panties do indeed match that black scrap of lace.