Dominique looked between the men, giving a surreptitious wink to Jake for successfully switching the focus away from their kissing. “Who’s Ashley?”

Silence.

“Justin ...” Dominique used the authoritative mommy voice that said he’d better answer, drawing out his name in an implied threat.

Justin made a face and looked out of the window. “One of my girlfriends.”

“One of ... !” Dominique looked from Justin to Jake and back to Justin again. “How many girlfriends do you have?”

“I don’t know.” Justin shrugged and then added matter-of-factly, “They all like me.”

Dominique and Jake exchanged looks before Jake changed the subject. He and Justin started talking football but Dominique didn’t really hear them. She was too focused on the past moment’s revelations that, one, Justin had a girlfriend whom Jake knew about and she didn’t and, two, her eleven-year-old son was obviously still very interested in the opposite sex. She knew that men and women were different but considering how boys were the last thing on her mind when she was eleven, she was finding it hard to wrap her mind around Justin’s casual comment that they all like me.

“Dominique, did you hear me?”

Jake’s question pulled Dominique from her reverie. “No, Jake. What did you say?”

“I asked if you wanted to stop off and grab a bite to eat before I dropped y’all off.”

“I want a burger!” Justin yelled from the back, casting his vote for Jake’s idea.

Dominique looked at her watch. If she got to the office within the next thirty minutes or so, she could put in a solid four hours of work. “I can’t, Jake. It’s getting late and I have to—”

“Never mind,” Jake interrupted. “It’s cool,” he added.

Dominique took one look at his countenance and felt that it was anything but.

They reached Dominique and Justin’s home. Jake pulled into the driveway but did not turn off the engine.

“Get your things, Justin,” Dominique said. “And don’t forget to thank Jake for what a wonderful time we had.”

“Thanks, Coach,” Justin said, after he’d followed Jake to the trunk and pulled a small carryon and duffle bag out of it.

“You’re welcome, Justin. And remember, we’re going to keep this little trip between us, right? Don’t want the other players feeling bad that they didn’t get to go.”

“Right.”

The two men exchanged a pound.

“Go on in, Justin. I’ll be there in a minute.” Dominique watched her son until he’d disappeared behind the front door. Then she turned to Jake. “Thanks again, Jake. I meant what I said earlier. I had a wonderful time with you this weekend, the best time I’ve had in years.”

Jake’s eyes raked over her, pausing on her lips before returning to meet her eyes. “When am I going to see you again?”