Page 62 of Playing It Forward

Pain lights up his eyes. “I’m sorry I hit you. I’ll never forgive myself for nailing you in the face when you’re pregnant.”

“But you’re okay with nailing me in the face when I’m not?” I tease because I can’t stand the guilt painting his face. I can tell him it was an accident until I’m blue in the face, but he’s not hearing me.

He grunts. “Not funny.”

“Come on. We need to get the pirate quarterback challenge set up.”

He grabs my hand and we walk together across the field. I should pull my hand away. We’re not a couple. But I can’t. I love the feel of his hand in mine. His callouses that prove he works hard for a living. His warmth.

“What’s my job?”

“You’re going to coach the kids in how to toss a football through a hanging barrel or knock over a pirate ship or hit a treasure chest with a pass.”

He scans the set-up. “This is fun. The kids are going to love this.”

My heart warms at his enthusiasm. He came for me, but he’s staying for the kids. Does this mean he’s going to be a good dad? My hand strays to my stomach.

He drops his bag and removes a chair from his back.

“You were carrying a chair on your back?”

He unfolds it and sets it on the ground. He adds a beach umbrella. “There. You’re all set to watch and stay cool.”

“I’m supposed to be helping.”

“I asked Jade. She said you’re only helping set up.”

I lift an eyebrow. “You asked Jade?”

He shrugs. “I was worried about you running around in the sun in your condition.”

I want to yell at him for being controlling but I can’t. He’s taking care of me the only way he knows how. How can I be mad at him for caring? I can’t. Not when I’m beginning to suspect I care about the quarterback way more than I intended to.

Jade hurries over. “The first kids are arriving. Are you ready?”

Nolan salutes her. “Ready, captain!”

“Have fun!” she yells as she scurries away.

Nolan spins a football absentmindedly while we wait for the first group of kids to arrive. It isn’t long before he’s swarmed by adorable little boys and girls.

He smiles down at them. “Who’s ready to learn how to throw a football?”

They cheer.

He holds up a football. “This isn’t soccer. We grip the football near the top, fingers across the laces. Got it?”

He hands out footballs. “Don’t strangle it. The football’s not trying to escape.”

A little girl giggles and he rubs a hand over her hair.

“Let’s try a few throws before tossing the football through the hanging pirate barrel.”

The kids don’t wait. They throw their footballs. Although, throw is a big word considering most of the balls don’t make it further than their feet.

Nolan kneels in front of a boy who’s glaring down at the football. “Let’s try it again.” He picks up the football and hands it to the boy. He lifts the boy’s elbow. “This way. Pretend you’re throwing over a pirate ship, not into the sand.”

A woman sighs behind me. “He can throw me into the sand any time.”