Page 23 of Hometown Halftime

It’s just a touch, barely anything, really. And yet every nerve ending in my body seems to wake up. It’s as if my body has Riley Radar and goes into full girly butterfly mode when he’s near me. He moves even closer, his chest flush against my back as he reaches past me and easily grabs the box from the shelf.

“Got it,” he says, just inches from my ear.

I brace my body against the shiver that wants to rush through me. His hand lingers a little longer than necessary before dropping away.

I clear my throat and take the cereal box from him. “Show-off.”

“Height advantage,” he teases.

I turn to face him and realize we’re standing closer than we should be. For a moment, neither of us move until Brooke's voice echoed from the front of the building.

“Coach! Tara wants to know if she can go run laps outside.”

Riley exhales a quiet laugh and steps back. Suddenly, I can breathe again. I take a deep breath and try to collect myself as we return to the task at hand. Riley tells the girls to start on another stack of boxes before he slides a row of cans into place and wipes his hands on the sides of his jeans.

“Do you want a big family?” I ask.

He glances over. “What?”

“When you have a family.” I gesture loosely toward him. “Do you want a bunch of kids like you grew up with?”

His mouth curves in a thoughtful smile.

“I mean…I like my family,” he says. “But I don’t know if I want to recreate it.”

I tilt my head, curious. “So, what do you want?”

For a second, he studies the shelf in front of us like the answer might be hiding between the cans of corn and green beans.

“I think I’d rather have a life where it’s just me and someone else,” he says finally. “Travel a little. Have a quiet, calm home. See places that aren’t a football field or a grocery store aisle.” His voice softens. “Build something good together—just the two of us.”

“No kids?” I ask.

He shakes his head. “I don’t think so.”

That answer takes me by surprise. Most of the men I’ve interacted with will say something like someday or maybe. They give vague answers, leaving the door of possibility open.

“You’re twenty-two,” I say lightly, sliding another box of cans onto the table to unpack. “Your mind might change.”

He chuckles. “I’ve always been pretty sure about that subject.”

Something in his tone makes me pause.

“Really?”

“Yeah.” He meets my eyes then. “I think everyone gets pressured into the whole get married, pop out some kids, drive a minivan image of life. I just want something different from that.”

I nod slowly. “Fair enough.”

He nudges the next box toward me. “What about you?”

The question slips under my defenses before I’m ready for it.

“I’ve never wanted children,” I say simply. “It’s nice being the fun aunt. Like I love Cam and Kate’s kids, but I like to give them back at some point.”

Riley laughs as he breaks down an empty box. “I get it.”

I blow out a breath. “It’s cost me some relationships in the past, but I don’t want to compromise my wants to appease someone else’s, ya know? Especially with something as life-altering as having children.”