Chapter Twelve
CHARLIE
April 2017
“Hey Coach D?”
I turn at the sound of my name, poised with a clipboard and pen. I know I look ridiculous in my striped referee shirt and a whistle wrapped around my neck, but I can’t help that these kids made me want to learn about basketball.
That’s right… thekidsmade me want to learn about basketball. It wasn’t Jeremy.
Definitely not.
“Yes, Jaime. What can I do for you?”
While Jaime launches into a detailed backstory before asking his question, I let my eyes drift over across the court to where Jeremy is working with a group of kids on free throws.
God, he looks delicious in those little shorts. I don’t know where guys got the idea that women appreciate really baggy clothing, because I can guarantee it isn’t true. Who wants to see some guy with a droopy ass? No. Keep those shorts short, baby.
Jeremy doesn’t subscribe to the mentality that the typical male college students do. His outfit fits himjust right. His basketball shorts look fit but comfortable, are an appropriate length, not showing off 10 inches of underwear or hanging down to his ankles. His LA Galaxy tank is also just loose enough to give his body some breathing room without being grotesque in how much muscle is showing. But you better believe it does that too. And I can’t keep my eyes off him, even though Ishouldbe focusing on keeping the kids moving through their drills rotation.
It’s been about a month since his little declaration over burgers, and I’ve had to work very hard not to let myself get bowled over by him.
Because,damn,the man is doing everything in his power to win me over. And what’s worse? I don’t think he even realizes that what he’s doing is starting to win me over.
Because he isn’t doing anything blatant. He isn’t asking me on dates. He isn’t declaring his love for me. He isn’t trying to prove to me that he’s changed his playboy ways.
He’s just… changing.
I haven’t seen him parked outside of our house asleep. He shows up to every practice with that positive energy that was missing after everything that happened with RJ. He takes me for dinner after every practice and we just talk, our conversations staying light and fun. And on the one night I had to miss practice because I couldn’t swap shifts, he drove over to my hospital and dropped off dinner for me. The little note inside the bag saidBecause we couldn’t have dinner together tonight, I’m dropping off a sandwich for you. I’m eating one too – feel free to give me a call if you want to chat on your break.
My break that night was at 2am, so I’d shot him a text to let him know. Much to my surprise, I got a call from him at 2:01. His sleepy voice was so sexy over the phone and yanked me back down memory lane, to the one and only morning I woke up in his bed.
“Does that sound okay?”
Jaime’s question snaps me back to the present and I glance down at him. I saydownlike the 12-year-old isn’t barely an inch shorter than me, which is ridiculous. I’m fucking tall.
“I’m sorry, what?”
“Can my brother Andre join the team?”
“Isn’t your brother, like, in the third grade?”
He shrugs.
“Jaime, there are definitely chances for him to get involved. There’s a team for his age group. If you want, I can make sure the guy in charge gives your parents a call?”
He shakes his head. “But the kids his age pick on him. I want him to be here so he can know he’s safe, you know?”
I wrap my arm around Jaime and give him a squeeze, so touched at his desire to protect his younger brother. “Sweetie, I know that must be hard on you. And it would be really easy to blow it under the rug and say they’re just teasing and it’s just what happens in elementary school. But sometimes getting picked on makes going to school and stuff theworst.”
Jaime nods.
“But think about myself and Coach J, okay? Do you think we would stand for that if someone was getting picked on at practice here?”
He shakes his head.
“Exactly. And there’s a team of two in charge of the team that will be the right age group for Andre. Wanna know what else? There are kids from all of the school districts on this team. You and Cruz have been getting along great, right?
