The Lonely Mile by Allan Leverone

glanced at him suspiciously, as teens everywhere do when being addressed by an adult they don’t know. Carli’s friend looked around as if to be sure the older stranger was actually talking to them. He was. Nobody else was within earshot.
    For a moment no one spoke, and then Carli answered tentatively, “Yes?”
    Martin’s heart soared. He had known his angel would be the one to answer, and she had. Her voice was sweetly feminine, melodic and pleasing, just as he had known it would be, even though an element of suspicion shadowed her tone. Kids today were so distrustful. It was a shame. Martin blamed nervous parents for that.
    This was where it would get interesting. Martin knew if he seemed too anxious or came on too strong, he would spook his new companion and her friend. “Yes…uh…” He tried to put just a touch of uncertainty in his voice. Kids ate up vulnerability. They were drawn to it. Martin called it the Lost Puppy Principle. “Um, is one of you Carli Ferguson?”
    The girls looked at each other uncertainly. “Why do you want to know?” his angel finally asked.
    “I’m sorry,” Martin said with what he hoped was a disarming smile. “I didn’t mean to frighten you. My name is Ron White, and I’m the assistant women’s varsity soccer coach at the University of Albany. You know, upstate? In New York?”
    The girls looked at each other hesitantly and he continued. “Anyway, the time must have gotten away from me. I was supposed to meet Carli Ferguson and the Athletic Director at Stockton High about a possible soccer scholarship from Albany. A full ride for four years!”
    A grin began tugging at the corners of Carli’s beautiful mouth, and Martin knew he had her. “I feel very badly that I missed my appointment, but I saw you girls walking past and it occurred to me that you,” he smiled at Carli, “look a lot like the photo I saw of the young athlete I was supposed to meet today. I guess I was mistaken. I’m so sorry to have bothered you.”
    Martin turned and took a step back toward his car. After a hesitation of perhaps half a second, Carli said, “I’m Carli Ferguson.”
    Martin smiled widely and then once again rearranged his features into a look of polite interest before turning back around to face the girls. He held the envelope out. “This contains all the details of the scholarship offer, but must only be opened by an adult of legal age. I strongly suggest Carli’s father. I look forward to working with you to develop your soccer skills.”
    After the girls walked away, Martin retreated to his car and watched them leave, his attention captivated again by that perfect figure, clad in tight, form-fitting jeans. He hoped his angel would follow his instructions and save the envelope for her father, but even if she didn’t, it wouldn’t really matter. Either way, the busybody would get to see it soon enough.

CHAPTER 19
     
    BILL BLINKED IN SURPRISE when he saw his daughter waiting for him in the hallway outside his apartment door. “Hey, honey, this is an unexpected pleasure.” He crinkled his forehead suspiciously. “Wait a minute. It’s not Friday, is it? Did I sleep through two days or something? Are you here for the weekend?”
    “No, Dad, it’s not Friday.” She shook her head with a grin. “Do I really have to wait until the weekend to see my favorite dad?”
    “You don’t even have to wait another second. Come on in!” He opened the door with a flourish, and Carli bounced inside. After she entered, he followed her in and then peered back out the door, down the dimly lit hallway. “Where’s your mom?”
    “At home.”
    “Well, then, how did you get here? Did you use her car?”
    “Who needs a car? I walked, silly. It’s not that far.”
    “Does she know you’re here?”
    “Of course.”
    Bill sighed. It was hard for him to believe sometimes how big his only child was getting. She was practically an adult. When she was a baby, he had always thought that most of