Page 53 of Wildflowers and Wide Receivers

“Yes.”

“When that movie came out, I might have looked up on the internet to see if their tail has bones in it, and it does not.”

“You like bones a lot.”

“I do.”

“Their tails kind of go like this.” Vivi raises her arm in the air and waves it back and forth.

“Just like the guy at the aquarium told us today. Cartilage is bendy. Okay, you owe me one more thing about your mom.”

Vivi lowers her arm as she thinks about this.

“Her name was Ashley Lynn Dallmann.”

“Ashley is a really pretty name.”

“It’s my favorite name.”

“I think that would make your mom very happy.”

Vivi smiles, then she scoots a little closer to Sophie. Sophie, doing what comes naturally, starts running her hand up and down Vivi’s back.

Chapter 21

Sophie

After getting Vivi to bed, Jonah finds me slipping into the hot tub on the back porch. My head tilts a little as he opens the sliding glass door and makes his way outside to join me.

“How’s the water?” he asks, his eyes roaming over what he can see.

“Perfect. You should get in,” I tell him, hoping he will.

He’s not wearing a swimsuit, but he has on athletic shorts. Not that I would mind him dropping both and just climbing in with me. Without hesitation, he reaches behind his head, grabs his T-shirt to pull it off, and tosses it onto one of the lounge chairs. Leaving on the shorts, he carefully swings one leg over the edge and climbs in. He slides over so he’s closer to me and not on the other side. The whirling of the jets replaces the sound of the water lapping on the shore.

“I really do love it down here,” I tell him after he settles, and I look out at the water. Tonight was a night I will never forget. As I lay under the stars with the two of them and Vivi curled up against me, she’s quickly secured a place in my heart. It really is devastating for everyone. Obviously for Vivi but for Ashley too. She will never see what this amazing little girl has become or what she’ll grow up to be. I know it’s the same for Jonah’s brother, John, but from one person who lost their mother to another, I understand.

“We do too. Especially Vivi. We’ve actually talked about maybe buying a place here so we can come more often.”

I turn back to look at him and laugh. Steam floats around him, starting to make his skin glisten. No guy should look as good as he does. It’s a crime for all other guys in the world.

“What?” he asks, one side of his mouth tipping up into a grin.

“Not many people just say, ‘Wanna buy a beach house tomorrow?’ and then do it.”

“I’m not going to apologize for working hard for what I have,” he says, flicking water my way.

“You absolutely shouldn’t. You’re living the dream of so many who wish to play a professional sport.” I flick some water back.

“Don’t think it was easy to get here because it wasn’t.”

“Oh, I’m not saying that. I'm very aware of how dedicated and hard you all work.”

I spent an entire year studying just pediatrics and sports medicine. I know without a doubt on the adult level and at the high-performing level that he is, the work on his body to keep it healthy and at its full potential is intense.

“I do love it, though,” he says as he hesitates, then brings his eyes to mine. “Thank you for talking to Vivi tonight. Sometimes she opens up to me, but not a whole lot. It’s good for her to talk about things, and I appreciate how you handle her. It means a lot to me.”

“Jonah, she’s incredible, and I know I’ve said this before, but you really are doing a wonderful job with her.”