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“You’re telling me. Maybe number seventy-two will be lucky.”
“Hang in there.” Reid gives me a sympathetic look. “The right person is going to come along soon.”
“Love that optimism, but I’m not getting my hopes up.” I kiss the top of June’s head and hold her close to my chest. “Say bye to Uncle Mav and Uncle Reid, JB.”
“Bye bye.” She waves to the guys then buries her face in my shirt. It’s past her bedtime, and I know she’ll be asleep the second I get her in her car seat. “Love you.”
“We love you more, June Bug.” Maverick grins, and he turns his attention to me. “We love you too, Dal. We’re here if you need us.”
“Thanks, y’all. I appreciate you.”
I slip out of the restaurant, grateful when the sticky July air hits my face.
Tomorrow,I think.
Tomorrow something good is going to come my way.
It fucking has to.
FOUR
DALLAS
“I’m really hopingyou have some good news for me.” I sit in the chair across from Shawn after dropping June off at the stadium nursery and put my elbows on my knees. “Or I might actually cry.”
Shawn winces. “Define good.”
I groan. “How is this so difficult?”
“I’m sorry, Dal. I’m still looking. Lacey has some babysitter recommendations from people around her office, but no one is old enough to stay overnight while you’re out of town. What about bringing June on the road with us?”
“And, what? Start a daddy daycare with all the free time I have between film review, traveling, practices and switching time zones? No way. I’m not letting her development suffer because of me.”
“I admire how committed you are to her,” Shawn says. “It says a lot about your character.”
“Are we just going to wait for someone to bust through the door?” I laugh and shake my head. “Shit like that doesn’t happen in real life, Coach, and unless we figure this out before the season starts, I think it’ll be best for me to take a spot on the inactive roster.”
“I’m not?—”
The door to Shawn’s office flies open. Someone tumbles inside, a flurry of limbs and blonde hair and irritated sighs.
“Holy shit,” I whisper. “Did I just speak something into existence? Am I a prophet?”
Maven Wood walks into the room. She drops her bags at her feet—there are five of them that I can count—and groans.
“I am so pissed off,” she says. “Why can’t anything go my way?”
Shawn’s eyes bounce to me, and he mouthssorry.I wave him off, unbothered. It feels good to know I’m not the only one who doesn’t have my shit together.
“Mae. I’m a little busy right now,” Shawn says. “Can you come back later?”
Maven turns her head and spots me for the first time. Her mouth pops open, and her eyes turn into wide blue saucers. She blushes, and my lips twitch in amusement.
“Hey. We’re really not good at this whole running into each other thing,” I say.
“Shit,” she curses. “I’m so sorry. This is so unprofessional. I didn’t mean to disturb anyone.”
“It’s fine.” I rub my thumb across my jaw and try to hide my smile. “I’m having an existential crisis myself. Want to stay? We can compare stories and see who has it worse. It could be fun.”
