Page 51 of Succeeding Love

“That would be a sight,” I scoffed. I couldn’t even picture it in my head.

“Where’s your car?” Jessie looked around the parking lot. “We couldn’t find it.

“We took mine.” Vin stood up, coming down the bleachers, stepping over each descending bench with his thick legs. People were watching again, ready for whatever was to come next, but I couldn’t stop staring at Vin’s legs long enough to care much.

That frustration in my belly was coming back, and this was definitely not the time to be lusting over Vin. No matterhow good he looks in his fitted white shirt with his tattoos and muscles bulging out, and his faded, butt-hugging jeans.

“Hi, Jessie. It’s good to see you again.”

Jessie smiled shyly at him, and by the sparkle in her eyes, I could tell she was shy for more reasons than just Vin saying hi. She is my daughter, after all. “It’s good to see you again too.”

Vin’s smile stretched as he held a hand out to shake hers. She hesitantly took it, then tucked herself back into my side.

“Kevin,” Nick nodded tightly, tucking his hands in his pockets.

“Nick,” Vin responded curtly, his gentle expression slipping away. He rested a hand on the small of my back, and those frustrated feelings inside me resulted in my belly clenching again. I could smell his cologne, and after wondering how he was taking my ex being here, it was reassuring to feel his hand on me. “You should have said something last night about coming to the game. I would have brought extra bleacher pads.” He smiled down at Jessie. “You can have mine.”

“Thank you,” Jessie smiled shyly, looking at the seats fastened to the bleachers, then back at us. “Um, you saw my daddy last night?”

Did Nick not say anything to Jessie? Maybe he was leaving it for me to explain, even though I thought Jessie already knew. She saw the flowers and the note.

Vin tensed, so I answered the question instead. “Vin and I were having a date at home when your dad came by last night to get you clothes.” I kept my voice level, but when I saw her eyes widen when I said ‘date’, my breath caught in my chest.

She looked at Vin again with a confused look, and then it was like everything registered in her mind. “You were the one who sent mama flowers?!”

Vin rubbed the back of his neck. “Guilty.”

“Oh!” Jessie looked shocked for a second, then her face fell. She turned around and stared at her father in a way that made my chest just sink. “I didn’t know.”

Nick just smiled calmly, his hands still in his pockets and a tenderness in his eyes. “I know, sweetie. It’s okay.”

It got tense for a second, the awkward silence stretching to a full minute.

Then Sherry, praise her soul, said loudly, “Take a seat, you guys. I can’t see past your butts!”

~

Vin

This is awkward. I didn’t know how to fucking act when I saw this douchebag strolling up like he owned the place.

We fumbled for a second going up the bleachers, Lynn’s daughter taking the seat that I just left while Lynn sat back down in hers. There wasn’t much extra room, only a spot by Jessie, and Nick hurried to take it with a smug expression before I could.

“Here, honey,” Sherry, Lynn’s friend, moved up to the seat in front of her, opening up the spot right beside Lynn. “It won’t hurt me any to sit by my husband for once.”

“Thanks,” I said appreciatively. I was about to take the spot in front of Lynn and just lean back against her legs, but I guess that would be too much. Especially in front of her kids.

The need to show this prick she’s moved on is making me jittery, though. I want to just fucking grab her and kiss her senseless, making him watch as her cute little moans escape her lips and I devour them.

Her son and daughter wouldn’t appreciate that, especially since we have every other parent on these bleachers waiting for something just like that to happen. Embarrassing the crap out of them would be the worst impression I could make.

So, I grabbed Lynn’s hand instead, reveling in the minor victory of sitting beside her while her ex-husband glared a few feet away.

Lynn smiled sweetly at me, still looking adorable, with a hint of worry in her eyes. When her daughter looked down at where our hands were joined, I guessed that was why.

“So, Jessie. Do you play any sports?” I asked, to try to lighten the mood.

She bit her lip and nodded, looking like a younger version of Lynn. She was shy, and not as talkative yet, but she definitely had her mother’s features.

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