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“I’ll bring you a beautiful bottle of red.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
A night all to myself?I’d rather have another night with Reed.
Little does he know I shared an incredible night with his left winger just last night. My body warms recalling how Reed touched me. How his gaze seared his name on my skin.
I’m able to relax knowing that Reed has a film session at two, so I won’t run into him, so I clock out, go to my playwriting class, and then swing by the daycare early to pick up Caleb.
We go home and snuggle on the couch until he falls asleep, then I place him in his green dinosaur bean bag chair. I pack an overnight bag, including swim trunks and a beach towel, and wait for Dad.
It’s nearly four in the afternoon when Dad waltzes in and sweeps Caleb up in his arms. “Are you ready, little man?”
“Will we see a T-wex?” His chubby little fingers grab my dad’s cheek to make sure he heard him.
“Of course.”
Caleb claps and pumps his fist. “Tywanasaors Wexesare my favorite.”
God, I love how he mispronounces words. But each day, I notice that words he couldn’t say a month ago are coming out clear and correct. Why does my baby have to grow up so fast?
“Are you coming, Mommy?”
“No, sweetie. I have a big play this semester, and I have to write, and you’ll have special time with Grandad.”
“Let’s go. If we’re late, the dinosaurs might eat us for dinner.”
Caleb’s mouth makes a big oval as his eyes widen.
“Grandad is teasing. Love you.”
As I’m pecking Caleb’s cheeks, Dad reaches into his Stallions parka and pulls out a phone. “Here. It’s a prepaid. I had the clerk at the store set it up for me. I have the number programmed into my phone. Hopefully, you’ll get your phone back soon, but you need to have one.”
“Thanks, Dad. What would I do without you?”
“You never have to worry about that. I’m Team Brooklyn every day of the week.” He stops and hands me an envelope. “Your surprise. It’s thirty minutes away.”
With a gentle peck on my cheek, my dad ushers Caleb out the door, his overnight bag in tow. In that moment, I’m reminded of just how fortunate I am to have such an incredible father. While my relationship with my mother leaves much to be desired, my father's love and unwavering support have been a constant source of strength for me.
Despite his initial anger at my disregard for his warning to stay away from his players, I’ve never questioned my father’s love. Once Caleb was born, Dad and I became even closer, despite his attempts to manipulate me to accept his money and other little things to make it easier on Caleb and me.
I wish he had more time to spend with Caleb, but what time he does have is quality. And Caleb adores him.
Now that I have the house to myself, how am I going to get in touch with Reed?
Chapter Twenty-One
REED
It’s a sucker punch to the mid-section. I didn’t want to believe my gut feeling when I picked up Brooke’s phone—she has a son. Nausea flitters through my stomach and travels up my throat.
Coach messages her, asking to take Caleb, I’m assuming that’s her son’s name, to a dinosaur show. Of course, she can’t respond since I have her phone. There’s only one thing to do—take it to her after practice.
Somehow, I manage to get to the facility, leaving her phone in my car. While I walk inside the arena, I read her text to me once more.
Brooke:I had a great time. No, that’s not the right words. I’m not sure there are words, but I have to get to work so I arranged for an Uber last night. If you want to see me again, there’s something you need to know.
My thumbs typed, deleted, retyped, and deleted several times, wanting to respond, but like she said, there are no words to describe the warring emotions, and she wouldn’t get the message anyway.
