Jack tilted his head and examined the object she was holding under his nose. It was wooden and round with colorful threads and feathers hanging from the tips. The main body consisted of a yarn-like spider web decorated with beads.
“What is it?” he asked, frowning. It looked like a kindergartener had created it. Or Dax.
“A dream catcher!” Penny stated, as if everyone should know what it was. “It catches bad dreams and helps you sleep better. The children in Argentina made lots of these things. I thought this one was pretty.”
Jack snorted even though he felt a smile threatening. “How can you believe in the god of statistics and dream catchers, at the same time?”
“I don’t believe in dream catchers. I think they’re pretty,” she told him. “And since we talked yesterday about how bare and ugly our apartments were, I thought…well, I thought it could beautify the living room. Make it a little more comfortable. A little more like a home. Since I’m…” She cleared her throat, and her cheeks turned pink before she lowered her voice. “Probably staying in LA longer.”
A smile spread across Jack’s face. “Is that so? You want to stay longer?” he asked slowly, forcing his arms to continue hanging loosely by his body instead of wrapping them around her shoulders.
She rolled her eyes. “Well, there are a few things I wouldn’t want to leave behind,” she then murmured.
“Like what?” he asked innocently as they walked through the first revolving door into the hall of the small, private airport the Hawks used.
“The team.”
“Ah, yes. That’s important.”
“My family.”
“At least as important.”
“The pretty dream catcher that I’m going to hang in the window.”
“You seem to have grown very fond of it in such a short time.”
“Yes, and not just it,” she whispered, smiling.
God, he would love to kiss her now. He wouldn’t care if the entire team and management were present if he pulled her up on her tiptoes and showed her how ridiculously happy she made him with her words. But he couldn’t, so he just tightened his grip around the handle of his suitcase and smiled down at her. “That’s good to know,” he whispered. “I’ve grown fond of the dream catcher, too.”
She chuckled softly and the warmth in her eyes sent a pleasant shiver down his spine. “The dream catcher is happy.”
They continued walking through the second set of doors to the underground parking garage…when flashbulbs pelted down on them like a torrential rain.
Reporters crowded toward the team, shouting wildly as the lights of the raised cameras blinded them. Their screams grew into a roar, but Jack couldn’t understand a word they were saying.
“Wow, what’s going on?” Penny asked, astonished. “You wouldn’t normally have so many reporters congratulating you on your victory.”
“What the hell is wrong with them?” Fox shouted from Jack’s other side, pushing his shoulder forward.
“I have no idea,” Jack said, looking around. What were the reporters holding in their hands? Obviously, cameras, but also…was that a photo? A newspaper article? Definitely something printed on paper.
“Dude, I think they’re here because of you,” Leon said, his mouth gaping as he pointed at Jack and Penny.
“What?” Penny asked, perplexed…but then Jack heard it too. One shout was clearly distinguishable from the others.
“Hey, Ms. Clark. Do you make it a rule to sleep with your players or is the Saint someone special?”
Penny paled and Jack abruptly stopped.
“Ms. Clark, is that why you came back from South America, to sleep your way through the team?”
“Hey, Saint, do you have to take off your halo before you go to bed with her, or does she like it when you leave it on?”
“What are they talking about?” Leon asked, confused.
“Is that a picture of you?” Fox asked, his mouth gaping.
