In Too Deep(29)

When are you going to stop calling me that? I'm not Japanese, for f*ck's sake.

About the same time you stop calling me youngster. Good night.

I shut down my computer and went to bed, first checking the security system and making sure I was prepared for the night. I pondered for a moment, Was this a mistake? It’d been so long, and I thought I was in the clear. Should I have stopped myself from getting so close?

Melina's body made a soft lump under the blanket, and I snuggled in behind her, promising myself that I’d protect this woman with everything I had.





* * *



"What is it, Javier?"

Javier was a kid on the team. I’d been impressed with his work ethic since I put him in his place. He was always skilled, but now he was showing something more important than just raw talent. He was showing me grit.

"Coach, I know you don't want me slacking off, but I'm struggling."

I nodded. I noticed that over the past few days he'd been taking longer to warm up, and his performance was dropping. I’d hoped he was just getting through a late summer cold, but if he was saying something, I had to take it more seriously. "What's the problem, Javier? I noticed you've been going to your left less than before. Is your left leg giving you trouble?"

He nodded and winced. "My big toe's been hurting me for two or three days."

"Well, I'm no doctor but let's take a look at it," I said. Javier sat down and unlaced his shoe, which I noticed were pretty worn down. "How long have you had those shoes.”

"Beginning of last season," he said simply. I didn't say anything else, understanding. His family had moved to town because his father got downsized in Albuquerque, but was able to get a job with one of the hot spring resorts in T or C. The family was hardworking but wasn't rich by a long shot. Then again, most of Truth or Consequences wasn't. Javier most likely got the shoes as part of a team booster club deal in Albuquerque and had worn them ever since.

Peeling off his sock, I winced at what I saw. His big toe was red and inflamed, probably from being jammed against the rest of his foot while his feet were being crushed in the now too-tight and worn down shoes. "Jesus and you said this has only been the past few days?"

"Well, I mean it would ache a little after most pickup games and stuff, but yeah, it just started hard the past few days."

I nodded. "All right. Do you have any other shoes you can wear?"

He looked a little grim. "I've got some flip flops. But I can't play ball in those."

"You're right, you can't. I'm not asking you to. But what you are going to do is throw these shoes out. See if you can dig up something to wear to practice tomorrow, but you’ll just be lifting and stretching, no running. I’ll see what I can do about some shoes.”





Chapter 19





Melina




“I’m so glad you’re back. I did a little decoration while you were gone, god knows this place needs it!”

Cam chuckled and nodded. "Okay. Show me, I'm prepared to be impressed."

I actually hadn't done much, just adding a bit of color to the living room curtains with a new topper, and I changed out the tie rope that was used. "I was thinking of changing the blinds, maybe go with a different color, but I didn't know for sure, and I didn't know what color you'd go for."

It wasn't all I'd done, but I was worried that I was overstepping my bounds. I mean, I'd been here less than a week, and here I was already changing the decorations, or lack thereof. I wondered if there was an inner Bridezilla lurking inside me, but I dismissed it the moment it came to mind. We were nowhere near that, were we?

Cam looked over the curtains, then nodded in approval. "All very nice. I guess I was living a pretty monochromatic life, wasn't I? I've never been very good at interior decoration."

He turned to me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and kissing me on the cheek. "It's great, Melina. And don't sweat it."

I wrapped my arm around him and squeezed, enjoying my hunk on my arm. "Sounds great. Uhm, before dinner, do you mind if we just go for a walk around the neighborhood? I'm feeling a bit of cabin fever, not knowing the town or anything."

"Sure, let me change my shoes."

Five minutes later we were walking down the street, holding hands like any other couple.

We walked in a soothing silence, just enjoying the time with one another. Reaching the turn off to the river, Cam glanced over. “Try the river again? This time, we could go all the way down to it if you want."

I nodded. "Sure. It has to be better than the main road."

We walked down to the river before having a seat on a large, flat piece of sandstone. "The river will swell again in the spring," Cam said contemplatively. "When the snows melt and fill the Elephant Butte reservoir. Melina, this may sound a little deep and out of nowhere, but have you ever done something you really regret?"

What a strange question. "Well, of course. Hasn't everyone?"

Cam looked over at me, nodding. "Yeah, I guess. What’d you do?"

I looked out at the river and smiled, thinking of the incident. "Well, back in High School, I did happen to go out one time with a friend of mine. It was a party, I'm sure you know the type."