at the table shifted around so that Meg could squeeze in beside Trace’s chair and they could fit in a couple more chairs for her friends. Introductions were made and everyone settled in. Meg knew it would take a while for her to remember so many names. The waitress brought over more mugs and Scott and Kai poured beer from one of the pitchers. Trace made sure Tobi’s wine and Meg’s diet soda were ordered.
Trace leaned over toward Meg, “Sean decided not to come by too?”
Meg rolled her eyes, “He was sitting right there with me at the lunch table when you called and he seemed interested in coming. But then Steffy gave him the stink eye and he backed down and said they had other plans. I told her she was welcome too, but she wasn’t going to let him come, so I just dropped it. Sorry.”
A pretty Hispanic girl, Valeria, two seats down from Meg, handed a tray of nachos to the man between her and Meg, “Here, Javier, pass these over to Meg. Show some manners.” She peeked around him to smile at Meg.
“Sheesh, Val, I was getting to it. Here you go, Meg.”
“Thanks,” Meg said as she grabbed an empty plate from the center of the table and filled it with some of the nachos.
She looked around and noticed everyone was either visiting—mostly the women, or glued to the game—mostly the guys. Valeria leaned around Trace’s teammate, Javier Gomez, again. “So, Meg, I hear you’re a dancer. That’s awesome. I always wanted to take lessons as a kid, but never had the chance.”
Meg smiled, “Yes, I am. You know it’s never too late. You should look into it.”
“Well . . . maybe I will, but not for a while.” She patted Gomez’s back. “Javier and I are expecting our first baby in about six months.”
He looked over at her, “Huh? What? Do you need something?”
She laughed, “Never mind. Go back to your game.”
“That’s so exciting. Congratulations!” Meg exclaimed.
Val looked back over at Meg. “Your partner . . . he couldn’t make it tonight? I think everyone wanted to meet Trace’s brother.”
“No. He’s hanging with a new crowd these days.”
“Does that bother you?” Val asked.
“Not really. Sometimes there can be too much togetherness,” Meg laughed.
Val laughed along. “I hear that same thing from Javier. Usually when he wants to go paintballing with the guys instead of shopping with me.”
They chatted a while and pretty soon had their chairs pushed back from the table with some of the other ladies joining them. They had a lot of questions about her stint at SDDI and she and Tobi filled them in.
Besides Val, Meg met the SEAL team leader’s wife, a very glamorous blonde named Trish, who owned an upscale boutique. At first glance they seemed a mismatched pair, her ice blue eyes and corn silk hair contrasting with JoJo’s mocha colored skin and bald head—but they were obviously very much in love. She also met a sweet wholesome-looking elementary school social worker, Beth, who had been dating another of Trace’s friends, Titus, for almost a year. There was also a quiet girl, Kelli, who was apparently there on her second date with Charley. She seemed a little overwhelmed by the group, but the girls were all doing their best to make her, Meg and Tobi feel welcome.
Halftime rolled around and the guys came out of their fog and stood up to stretch their legs. A couple of them came over to check on their girls. Trace was standing to one side discussing the first half of the game with a group of guys, which included Kai and Scott. Scott said something and they all laughed as Trace looked over and winked at Meg. He walked over and squatted down beside her chair.
“You doing okay?” he asked.
“Oh, yeah. I’m having a great time. These are some great girls,” Meg answered.
“Good. So I don’t have to feel guilty for ignoring you, huh? Should I apologize?”
“No. It’s Monday night football. Nothing takes precedence over that—especially me.”
Trace squeezed
Trace leaned over toward Meg, “Sean decided not to come by too?”
Meg rolled her eyes, “He was sitting right there with me at the lunch table when you called and he seemed interested in coming. But then Steffy gave him the stink eye and he backed down and said they had other plans. I told her she was welcome too, but she wasn’t going to let him come, so I just dropped it. Sorry.”
A pretty Hispanic girl, Valeria, two seats down from Meg, handed a tray of nachos to the man between her and Meg, “Here, Javier, pass these over to Meg. Show some manners.” She peeked around him to smile at Meg.
“Sheesh, Val, I was getting to it. Here you go, Meg.”
“Thanks,” Meg said as she grabbed an empty plate from the center of the table and filled it with some of the nachos.
She looked around and noticed everyone was either visiting—mostly the women, or glued to the game—mostly the guys. Valeria leaned around Trace’s teammate, Javier Gomez, again. “So, Meg, I hear you’re a dancer. That’s awesome. I always wanted to take lessons as a kid, but never had the chance.”
Meg smiled, “Yes, I am. You know it’s never too late. You should look into it.”
“Well . . . maybe I will, but not for a while.” She patted Gomez’s back. “Javier and I are expecting our first baby in about six months.”
He looked over at her, “Huh? What? Do you need something?”
She laughed, “Never mind. Go back to your game.”
“That’s so exciting. Congratulations!” Meg exclaimed.
Val looked back over at Meg. “Your partner . . . he couldn’t make it tonight? I think everyone wanted to meet Trace’s brother.”
“No. He’s hanging with a new crowd these days.”
“Does that bother you?” Val asked.
“Not really. Sometimes there can be too much togetherness,” Meg laughed.
Val laughed along. “I hear that same thing from Javier. Usually when he wants to go paintballing with the guys instead of shopping with me.”
They chatted a while and pretty soon had their chairs pushed back from the table with some of the other ladies joining them. They had a lot of questions about her stint at SDDI and she and Tobi filled them in.
Besides Val, Meg met the SEAL team leader’s wife, a very glamorous blonde named Trish, who owned an upscale boutique. At first glance they seemed a mismatched pair, her ice blue eyes and corn silk hair contrasting with JoJo’s mocha colored skin and bald head—but they were obviously very much in love. She also met a sweet wholesome-looking elementary school social worker, Beth, who had been dating another of Trace’s friends, Titus, for almost a year. There was also a quiet girl, Kelli, who was apparently there on her second date with Charley. She seemed a little overwhelmed by the group, but the girls were all doing their best to make her, Meg and Tobi feel welcome.
Halftime rolled around and the guys came out of their fog and stood up to stretch their legs. A couple of them came over to check on their girls. Trace was standing to one side discussing the first half of the game with a group of guys, which included Kai and Scott. Scott said something and they all laughed as Trace looked over and winked at Meg. He walked over and squatted down beside her chair.
“You doing okay?” he asked.
“Oh, yeah. I’m having a great time. These are some great girls,” Meg answered.
“Good. So I don’t have to feel guilty for ignoring you, huh? Should I apologize?”
“No. It’s Monday night football. Nothing takes precedence over that—especially me.”
Trace squeezed
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