I note the sadness in her tone despite the smile she pastes on her face.
“What’s up with the black eye?” I whisper so Avery can’t hear me.
“Tell you later.”
“So, you’re a school librarian, huh?” I nudge her with my shoulder. “Sounds like one of my fantasies.”
“Lower your voice,” she hisses.
I press my lips against her ear and whisper, “This better for you?”
Her body shivers before she shoves me away. “No.”
I grin and return my attention to the field. Alyssa stands there looking like a badass with her goggles and mouthguard, but her stance is all wrong and she’s holding the stick in the wrong places.
“What days are you free this week?” I gesture to the field. “I’d like to give ‘Lyss a few pointers.”
Presley’s eyebrows shoot up. “Aren’t you busy? You have a big game coming up this weekend.”
My chest warms at the fact that she knows my game schedule. “Not too busy to make time for my girls.”
“I don’t understand the two of you,” she murmurs.
Two. Me and Chance.“He’s been to your house again, hasn’t he?”
She nods.
Jealousy streaks through me, but something else is there as well. Something that makes me feel like I’ve missed out on not just time with Presley, but with Chance. With the both of them, together.
“What’s to understand?” I lean my elbows on the seat behind me. “We missed you. Isn’t it obvious?”
“Yes, but we’re not in the same situation we were in.” She turns her head to look me in the eyes. “This isn’t college.”
“That doesn’t change a thing.”
She purses her lips. “It changes everything.”
The opposing team gets possession of the ball, charging toward Alyssa’s goalie. I jump to my feet and cup my hands around my mouth. “Stop them! Get in there, Alyssa!”
One of the kids winds back to make her shot, but Alyssa jumps in front and smacks the ball away. One of her teammates runs it back down to the other side of the field, and the crowd cheers. Alyssa’s head snaps over to me and she lifts her stick over her head in celebration.
“Woo! That’s my girl!” I clap as I lower myself back onto the bleachers. “She’s a natural.”
Presley laughs, checking her phone to make sure she got the play on video. “She’s my spirit animal.”
I pull out my phone and snap a couple of pictures so I can show Alyssa later. A few small adjustments to her stance, and she’ll be unstoppable.
“I’m going to get closer so I can get some better pictures,” Avery says as he stands.
Presley squeezes his hand. “Thanks, kid.”
Once he’s out of earshot, I ask the question that’s been on my mind since I met these kids. “Where’s their father?”
Presley hikes a shoulder. “Off traveling somewhere with his flavor of the month.”
My brows pinch together. “Does he ever see them?”
“He’ll send money for the holidays, but he stopped making time to see them years ago.” She rolls her eyes. “My sister divorced him when the kids were little, so they’re used to it by now.”