Page 19 of Bittersweet Redemption

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The next day, I’m anxious the entire morning until Roman and I leave for soccer. I can’t believe he invited Kai to his game, and I can’t believe Kai said yes. What kind of alternate reality am I living in?

As I get Roman in the car, I glance at Kai’s driveway and see that his car isn’t there. I wonder if he’s already on his way. Or, more realistically, if he’s not coming and doesn’t want to be around when we’re leaving so he doesn’t have to see Ro’s disappointment.

But I don’t have time to worry about that. I get Roman strapped in, and we make our way to the park. When we get there, I put Roman’s shin guards and cleats on and hand him his ball. He runs off to join his team.

I look around the field, but I don’t see Kai anywhere. He’d stick out like a sore thumb because of his height, the ink running up and down his arms, and his drop-dead gorgeous face. It’s really not fair that my mortal enemy is that attractive.

I sit in the grass on the side of the field like I normally do and scroll through my phone for a few minutes before leaning back on my hands to watch the practice. Fifteen minutes in, a husky voice asks, “You don’t have a chair?”

I look up to see Kai standing there, looking out toward the field. He’s got on jeans, a black T-shirt, and a backward baseball hat. I hate that my core tightens and my thighs clench when I look at him. I hate it, I hate it, I hate it.

“Um, no. I’m fine in the grass.” As soon as I say it, I see an ant crawling on my hand. A strangled sound comes from my mouth as I fling my hand through the air to get the ant off.

Kai chuckles but doesn’t say anything else. For the first time since Roman joined this team, I feel people staring. They’re finally noticing me and, even more so, staring at the gorgeous man next to me, checking out my proximity to him.

We don’t say anything else while we watch the practice. Kai stands with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face like he’s focusing really hard on the field in front of us.

When the practice is over, the kids have a five-minute water break before the game starts, so Roman runs over to us.

“Mr. Kai. You came!”

“Told you I would, kid.” Kai reaches out and ruffles Ro’s hair. I hand him his water bottle, and he takes a few small sips before he has to go back to his team. “Alright, kid. Let’s see what you got. Remember to keep ’em on their toes.”

Roman smiles at Kai, and my freaking heart wants to burst. He’s so excited that a practical stranger is at his game. I know he loves me, and I know I’m a good mom, but this just shows me how badly he needs a father figure. Even before Nick and I separated, he never really spent one-on-one time with Roman. He was too busy with his friends or work or whatever petty crime was next on his list. It’s just bad luck that Roman is looking up to a man who wants to be as far away from me as physically possible.

“Thank you for coming,” I say to Kai before I lose the nerve. “It means a lot to him. His dad never comes when it’s not his weekend, so I think he just wanted a guy to watch him play.”

He looks down at me and asks, “What about your dad?”

I shrug. “Never met him.”

“Brothers?”

“As far as I know, I’m an only child.”

He looks back to the field. As soon as he does, one of the players kicks the ball to Roman, who kicks it right into the goal.

I jump up and clap, whooping it up so Roman can hear me. Kai claps next to me and shouts, “That’s what I’m talking about, kid!”

Roman looks over at us and gives us a thumbs-up.

We spend the rest of the game standing next to each other, arms crossed, not saying a word to each other but cheering loudly and often for Roman. I can’t imagine what we must look like to the other parents.

When the game is over, Kai waits long enough to tell Roman he did a good job before taking off.

Roman recaps the game the whole way home and then tells me how excited he was that Kai came to his game. It breaks my heart all over again that I’m the one who gave him a shitty dad. I chose Nick as a partner, and, in return, Roman got the short stick in the father department. Another bad decision for my ever-growing list.

* * *

Two days later, I get home from the salon to get Ro off the bus, and something is propped up against my front door. I walk to it slowly, looking around to see if anyone is still in the area. When I get close enough, I see that it’s a folded-up camping chair. The kind I’ve been telling myself to buy for Ro’s games but never bringing myself to do it.

Who on earth would give me a chair?

My eyes immediately fly to Kai’s house.

I grab the chair and march over there before thinking better of it. I knock loudly on his front door.