BLACK CAT.✔

Chapter Twenty-Nine

"How about an ice cream." Rob caught the ball and grinned at Linc. He looked like he'd had a lot of fun but Rob didn't want him to overdo it. Having Becky in the game made it more exciting. Though they hadn't said much more to each other it seemed to have worked well and she had laughed a lot.

"Yeah... I'll have an ice cream." Linc looked over at Becky. "Can we, Becky? Do we have enough money?"

Rob watched Becky bite her lip and nod stiffly. Something was up. Maybe the kid had a milk allergy and he should have asked before opening his mouth. Perhaps she didn't have enough money but didn't want to say. "Come on. My shout," he said.

"No!"

"You don't want an ice cream?" Rob studied her face trying to work out what the problem was. If it was money, he'd just solved it. If it were an allergy, surely she would say.

"I'll buy the ice creams. You've spent enough of your time I don't want you to spend your money too." She gave him a little smile and started up the stairs. "What flavour do you want?"

"I'll have a Drumstick. Chocolate!" Linc scrambled up beside her.

"I wasn't asking you." Becky scoffed with a grin on her face. "I know what you like." She glanced behind her and caught Rob looking at her legs. Becky tweaked her head and cocked an eyebrow. "Rob!"

He screwed up his mouth and chuckled. "I'll come and have a look."

They grabbed their towels and headed to the kiosk. Linc took a Drumstick. Becky chose a lemonade water ice block. Rob wondered if it was a money thing because of her choice. He chose a Rainbow Paddle Pop.

"You can have a Drumstick if you like." Becky frowned at him wondering if he had been paying, would that be the ice cream he'd choose. Maybe he'd picked up on her hesitation because she realised he was very good at reading people even if he did let his mouth run loose.

She thought about some of the stuff he'd said to her. Truth was she didn't think he had ever spoken without thinking. When she thought about it, every one of his comments had been in response to her smart remarks or calculated to hit her hard where it hurt. So much so, that now she was on edge and looking for hurtful things in everything he said. Like the smile comment.

It hadn't been hurtful but because of the way she was feeling she had taken it that way.

Becky followed Rob and Linc to the tree. Linc was babbling on about all sorts of stuff. Rob laughed at the appropriate times and answered Linc's comments with enthusiasm. She was amazed at how caring he was. No other boy she knew would give up their own time for a kid they had only known for a couple of weeks. She sat down in the shade and licked the melted ice block drips from her fingers.

Rob watched Becky's tongue run up the side of her hand. He swallowed the lump caught in his throat and had to look away. Thank God she hadn't worn swimmers. Those legs just kept going. He couldn't help but look at them as she stepped out of the water. He grinned knowing she'd caught him. What to say now? Linc was too busy eating his ice cream to fill the silent void. "So... are you working tomorrow?"

Becky shook her head and sucked on her ice block. Rob's face coloured. He hung his head. When he looked up his eyes were glinting. Becky peered at him. What was he thinking? She sucked again. Oh... no... A light switched on in her head. She felt her face burn. "I gotta go wash my hands."

Rob chuckled as he hung his head again. She'd picked up what he was thinking. He drew in a breath. Man... what was he going to do about her? When she came back, he said, "Why aren't you working tomorrow?"

"I worked Friday arvo instead."

"So, you don't work every Friday?" Rob cocked his head in question, leaned back on his elbow and stretched his legs.

Becky sucked her top lip into her mouth, dropped her head, and fiddled with the edge of the towel. "No. One of the girls was sick so they did a swap."

"Okay." Rob wondered what was going on with her. "Can we make Tuesdays and Fridays at the school pool a regular thing?"

"Doesn't hockey start soon?" Becky looked up at him. "Won't you need Friday afternoons to get ready for the game?" She quickly glanced at his body and long legs then she focused on his face. He didn't seem to pick up that she'd been looking. Becky sighed. She was so going to have to keep her distance at school.

"The game never starts before six. We can start straight after school and train for an hour. That'll give me plenty of time." Rob smiled. He had a feeling she'd been looking at him. At least he hoped she was. He watched her nod and stand up.

"Okay. Tuesday and Friday." Becky lifted her towel and shook it. "Come on Linc we better get home."

"Aw... Becky. Can't I go back in?"

"No. I've got stuff to do."

"I gotta go to the toilet."

Becky nodded and finished packing her bag so Rob collected his gear and stood beside her. "Do you need a lift home?"

"No." Becky swung the pack on her back. "Thank you." She hung her head, sighed, and looked back up at him. "Thank you for today and the other day." She smirked. "For working with Linc. If you can't do it or want to stop that's okay. I could probably do it now that I've watched you. I don't want you to feel you have to continue." Wow, this was hard. How do you thank someone for giving up their time and going out of their way like he was?

"It was my idea, Becky. I'm good with it. If I can't make it on certain days I'll let you know." Rob looked across at Linc limping into the toilet block. "He's got great ball skills. Truth is if I can't get him to be more flexible I don't know how he's going be able to play."

"Oh." A twinge of sadness caught in her throat. "He'll be really disappointed."

"We've got two weeks before their first game." Rob shrugged. "I'll start him as a fullback to see how he goes. At his age level it'd be the best position for him but his ball control is forward or half material."

"So that's a good thing, yeah?" Becky frowned up at him not really understanding hockey lingo.

"Yeah. That's a good thing." Rob smiled down at her. "Can you get him doing those exercises more often at home?"

"I can do that." Becky started to move off to meet Linc outside the toilet block. She lifted her hand. "Thanks."

Rob waved then had a sudden thought. "Hang on!" He trotted towards her and pulled out his phone. "How about you give me your number and I'll give you mine." He cocked his head. "Just in case you need to ask me anything."

"I don't have one."

"What?"

"I don't have a phone." Becky moved off and waved again. "See ya."

Copyright © 2017 by Donna Fieldhouse. All rights reserved.

In case you don't know Drumsticks and Paddlepops are milk ice creams, and ice blocks are popsicles here in Australia. A Drumstick is in a wafer cone and a Paddlepop is on a wooden stick.

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I'm so happy with how Black Cat is turning out.  I hope you are too.

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