I thought this class would be the best place for them to meet. It’s open, easy, and with Ella off working with the coaches, she’ll have the space to settle in while Jamie finds his footing too.
When the session starts, some of the dads even like to step in to help. That gives Jamie the opportunity to interact with her without the pressure of too much talking, but maybe I’m getting ahead of myself.
I should probably introduce them first.
Shit. How do I even introduce Ella to Jamie? I can’t call him her father yet, can I? No. No, of course not. He needs to earn it, and as much as I believe he wants to, I need actions more than fancy words now.
God, I hope he’s not playing me because I will feel like the biggest fool if he is.
My eyes flick toward the parking lot checking for Jamie, but when I see a familiar figure instead, I freeze.
“Reese?” I whisper, and he lifts a hand in a lazy wave before shoving both hands into the front pocket of his sweatshirt.
Ella follows my gaze and squeals with delight. “Reese is here!”
“That he is,” I murmur under my breath, my stomach flipping. As if talking to Jamie wasn’t enough of a minefield. Now I get to do it with Reese watching. Perfect.
He reaches us with that easy, unbothered smile of his and immediately crouches down to high-five Ella.
“Hey there, Football Star. You ready to kick some serious butt today?”
Ella beams. “I’m gonna score five touchdowns!”
“I bet you are.”
I cross my arms, trying not to sound as thrown as I feel. “What are you doing here?”
Reese straightens, raising his hands. “I’m not stalking you, I promise,” he says, his tone a little sheepish. “I’m a coach, and it’s part of the outreach program I’m in.” There’s a faint blush coloring his cheeks as he scratches the back of his neck. “I honestly had no idea you were coming today.”
I wince, thrown off by the guilt in his voice. “It’s okay.”
He points a thumb over his shoulder. “I can see if one of the other coaches wants to switch classes with me. There are a couple here for the older session.”
“No. No. Why would you do that?” I ask, trying to sound normal, but feeling anything but.
He drops his hand and lets out a little breath of hesitation. “I don’t know. Just seemed like you maybe didn’t want me here.”
And that statement alone makes me feel like shit.
“No. I want you here. Ella does too,” I blurt. It’s too fast. Too eager. My chest tightens with worry because how the hell do I explain to the guy who kind of asked me out this week that Ella might be meeting her biological father today?
“Uncle Zach!” Ella shouts, her voice cutting through the field. I whip around, and then my stomach hits the fucking floor.
Zach is here, too?
Zach is here, and—
Oh. Oh no.
Zach is here with Jamie.
My brain short-circuits trying to make sense of the image in front of me. Zach, my ride-or-die cousin, and Jamie, the man whose name I’ve barely been able to say out loud for four years, are walking side by side. Not just coexisting. Not even arguing. Walking. Like some unholy truce has been called, and I was never given the damn memo.
I freeze. My breath gets stuck somewhere between my ribs and my throat as dread seeps through my veins.
This wasn’t the plan. This was never the plan.
I hadn’t even told Zach Jamie was here. I was still fumbling for the right words, trying to figure out how to soften the blow for the man who’s been the only father figure Ella has ever known.