“For starters, I’d get a better place to shoot hoops when I’m here. Besides, when we finally play you guys, I don’t want my brother to miss a shot because of a bent rim. He’d never let me forget it. The man’s built like a tank, and he doesn’t pull his punches just because I’m his brother.”
Tino let his smile fade away. “I also think that you guys will take better care of the place if you’ve invested your own time and effort into fixing it up.”
Tyler still didn’t cave. “When would you be doing this? Because I might have stuff to do. Important stuff.”
Yeah, right. Rather than call him on it, Tino repeated the offer. “When the new backboards and hoops are delivered, we’ll pick a day to meet here for a work party. If I don’t see you here to set that up, I’ll send a message home with Mitchell.”
He stuck his hand out and waited for the teenager to buy in to the program. If he didn’t, there was no way the others would.
The kid eventually took that final step forward and shook Tino’s hand. “Fine. We’ll be here.”
“Good deal. Now I’ve got to go.”
Tino had been aware for several seconds that Natalie was watching the interaction from over by the door. He picked up his bag and walked over to join her.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”
She looped her arm through his as they started toward the parking lot. “I haven’t been here long. It looked like you and those boys were having a pretty intense discussion.”
“They let me join their game.”
“How did that go?”
He grinned. “It was fun. Well, other than they think I’m old. Hell, I only have about ten, maybe twelve years on them. But to listen to that bunch, I have gray hair and should be using a walker.”
Natalie frowned in a token pretense of outrage on his behalf, but her blue eyes danced with a bit too much glee for it to be believable. “So, what did you do about that?”
Tino puffed out his chest. “What I had to do to defend my manly honor. I challenged them to a game the next time my younger brother comes home for a visit. It would be me and my two brothers, my nephew, and Jay against the five of them.”
She gave him a considering look. “Old man or not, I’d pay good money to watch that.”
“Hey, now! You’re supposed to be on my side in this. Besides, whatever we might lack in youthful stamina, we make up for with bullheaded stubbornness.”
“Oh, yeah, I forgot about that. I apologize.”
They’d reached her car, but she didn’t seem in a big hurry to leave. He gave her a playful leer. “To make up for that insult, I don’t suppose you’d agree to wear a cheerleader outfit to the game.”
God, he loved making her laugh. He leaned in closer. “On second thought, never mind. It would be too distracting, and those kids already have us beat on youth and energy. And seriously, if we ever act out that particular fantasy, I’d rather it was behind closed doors.”
Her eyes flared wide with a flash of heat. “Would you wear your basketball shorts and a tight T-shirt if I agreed to let you check out my pom-poms?”
Groaning, he pulled her into his arms. “Lady, that’s just plain mean to make that offer when we’re out in public where I can’t show you just how much I’d love to get my hands on your…pom-poms.”
“Poor guy, I’m sure you can handle it.” She rose higher on her toes to press a quick kiss on his lips. “Or should I say them?”
He kissed her back, fighting the urge to lift her up on the fender and show her exactly how much he wanted to do more than flirt in a parking lot.
When they were both a bit breathless, he broke off the kiss before he died of terminal sexual frustration. He opened her car door for her. As she got in, he said two words. “Eight days.”
She blinked up at him in confusion. “Eight days? I thought our picnic was this weekend.”
“It is, and I’m really looking forward to that. However, it’s eight days until we’re having dinner at your place when it will be just you, me, and those pom-poms.”
Then he picked up his gym bag and walked away, liking the fact that she watched him for a long time before starting her car and driving away.
