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I might hate him, but he’s still my father, my blood. Nothing I do will ever change that.
But family isn’t always blood. Sometimes it’s the people you choose.
My hand glides over my s
tomach. My baby is still just a collection of cells, merging and growing. But it’s my shot at a family. Unconditional love.
And with Cole by side, we can be happy.
We can be whole.
It may only be a dream now, but I want it to come true.
I want the happily-ever-after.
Chapter Sixteen
Cole
“Cole, this is Chris Haughton. He’s the scout I was telling you about from Colton U.”
I rub my sweaty palms down the front of my shorts and hold one out when the man standing beside Coach, assessing me, lifts his.
“It’s good to finally meet you, Cole.”
“Y-you too, sir,” I stutter, feeling totally unprepared for this.
When I turned up at practice Tuesday morning, Coach dragged me into his office to talk about our phone call the previous week. He’d warned me that the scout was planning on coming to meet me sometime soon, but he didn’t give me a day.
As I look between the two of them now, I wonder why Coach didn’t want to tell me that it was going to be today. Did he think I’d fuck it up if I knew?
Things have changed. Coach might not have noticed yet, but getting into a decent college was suddenly about more than just my future. It was about two other people, two way more deserving of a good life than me.
“I’ve been watching you play for a few weeks, son.” I cringe, thinking of my less than gentle games of late. “I think you’ll fit in well at Colton U. We could really use a running back with your passion and determination.”
Passion? Sure, I’ll go with that.
“That sounds incredible,” I say, a weight I didn’t know was pressing down on my shoulders suddenly lifting.
Previously, I knew I wanted out and football was the way to get it, but now it’s more important than ever.
I’m having a kid. I’m gonna be a fucking dad, and I refuse to be a loser like the one I grew up with, or the distant one my real one turned out to be.
If we’re doing this, then I want to do it properly.
I want to be there for all of it. The good, the bad and the ugly. Because Hadley and I, we’re it. We’re a team, and we’re doing this together.
“I’m glad. Have you ever seen the Colts play? Been to the stadium?” he asks as we walk toward the bleachers.
“No, never. I’d love to, though.”
“We’re playing Saturday. You think you could get out to watch?”
“Yes,” I say, possibly more excitedly than I ever have in my life. “I mean, yeah, I should be able to.”
He chuckles at me. “Great. How about you come to the game, have a look around campus, get a feel for the place. I can get you in the locker room, meet the team if you like.”
“Yeah, yeah. Sounds great.” I fall silent as I try to process everything he’s telling me. “I’m sorry, I’m totally overwhelmed right now.”
