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Holy shit, Drew Montgomery cankiss.
Rome:Sorry, can’t make the game today. Work complications. I’ll come see Caleb later.
I sigh as I read the message from my brother, send a quick reply, and toss my phone into my handbag. Caleb is running on the field, kicking the ball and pointing at one of the other kids. He obviously wants to pass to the other boy.
“You’ve got this, Caleb!” I yell out and clap my hands. It’s chilly this morning, but it’s November in Seattle, so that’s a given.
I’m just grateful that it’s not raining.
“Can I sit here?” I tip my head back and look up into the bluest eyes in the country.
“How did you know we’d be here?” I scoot over, making room for Drew.
“Caleb invited me yesterday,” he says. “It wasn’t hard to figure out where you’d be. Is it okay that I came?”
“My son will be thrilled.”
“How did you sleep?” he asks, passing me a cup from Starbucks.
“I actually slept like the dead.” I sip the coffee and look up at Drew in surprise. “How did you know how I take my coffee?”
“I read the sticker on yesterday’s delivery,” he replies easily, watching the boys run around on the field. “How are you today?”
“I’m fine. A little tired and a bit mentally drained from all those people, but otherwise, no complaints. How about you?”
“Same as you.” He frowns when he sees Caleb fall, but then relaxes when my boy gets back up again and continues down the field. “Where’s his dad?”
“I’m surprised that wasn’t your first question last night.” I take a sip of my coffee and sigh. “Caleb’s dad wasn’t a bad guy. I was rebellious in high school and in college. I loved dating guys that my dad didn’t approve of. Theo definitely fit that bill. He was wild and loud and silly. But he could be really sweet and kind, too. I got pregnant at twenty-one, and boy, did that piss my dad off.”
“Was that the goal?” Drew asks evenly.
“Probably, at that time. I liked making my dad mad. It was the only time he paid attention to me. I made it clear that I’d be keeping the baby, but Theo wasn’t ready to be a dad.”
“He split?” Drew asks.
“Kind of. He and I broke up, but he still took an interest in the baby. He helped with things, but I didn’t need or want his money. He loved holding Caleb while he slept. And I didn’t mind having him around.”
“So, where is he now?”
Watching my son laugh with his friend, I blow out a breath. “Well, he got mixed up with some bad people, developed a drug addiction, and overdosed when Caleb was three.”
“Jesus, London, I’m sorry.”
“Me, too.” I smile over at him. “I really am sorry that Caleb won’t ever know him because, despite the demons he fought, he was a good person. But we have Rome in our lives, and he’s a great male figure for Caleb.”
“What about your dad?”
I snort and shake my head. “He may have a house here in Seattle, but we don’t see him much. My dad would say that’s not true, and I think that he loves Caleb as much as he’s able to love anyone.”
“You and your dad have a…different relationship.”
“Yeah. We do. This is a really deep conversation to have over soccer.”
That makes Drew smile. “Sorry, I just had questions.”
“I don’t mind answering them.”
“I want to see more of you, London. I want to see a lot more of you.”
