Page 107 of Running Home to You
Abby raised a brow. “What is that? Book of Job?”
“You read it?” Kate’s eyes widened.
“No, I just remember you talking about it that day.”
“I remember it too,” she muttered as it returned to her. The day she knew she loved Abby. The day she knew she’d always be part of her. Their souls meeting in quiet understanding. Abby’s gaze found her in that same place, as if she also felt it tug inside.
Kate cleared her throat and returned to her pizza. “You’ve really been everywhere, haven’t you? I should toast you. Hitting home runs around the world.”
“It’s really not all it’s cracked up to be.”
“Mick says you’re kind of famous in Japan. Here.” Kate brought her napkin to the corner of Abby’s mouth and wiped pizza sauce away before she could stop herself.
“No, I’m not.”
“She says they call you something.”
“Oh God.” Abby groaned and flopped back on her pillow.
Kate laughed. “What is it?”
“Hanmagaru.”
“Hanmagaru?” She repeated it, and Abby smiled so big that Kate’s cheeks smoldered. “What does it mean?”
“Hammer Girl.”
“Hammer or hammered?”
“Depends on the hour.”
“Do you really do commercials there?”
“Yeah.”
“Do one.” Kate grinned.
“No.”
“Do it! Please!” She tugged at Abby’s arm. “Please, please, please, do it. Just for me. Just once.”
“Okay, okay.” Abby sighed and sat up. “This was my first one for Shiso-Plum potato chips. And you can’t laugh.”
“I would never.”
Abby huffed before holding an invisible potato chip by her face. “Saikyono pureiyani fusawashi, daitan na fureba.And then I take a bite.” She mimed a bite before returning to her overzealous delivery. “Homuran no aji!”
She topped it off with a swing, hitting the invisible chip out of the park, and flashed a cheesy grin for the nonexistent camera. Kate laughed so hard she thought she might pop a rib.
“They taste awful too. I must’ve done a hundred takes.”
Abby laughed with her until they wiped tears. Their hands grazed, Kate’s finding Abby’s shoulder, Abby’s drifting across her knee. They stayed like that even after their giggles subsided. Kate ignored how much she wanted to kiss her again.
“What does it mean?” she asked when she caught her breath.
“Something about the taste of a home run.” Abby chuckled. “I can’t believe Mick never showed you. She found bootlegged copies to torture me with.”
“I can’t imagine you doing commercials. Do you like it?”
