Page 39 of Her Football Star Ex

“So, is it for you then, Janet?” I asked.

But Janet just shook her head and said, “No, honey. Sadly, if I was to get a blood test right now, it would most likely come back with a high concentration of diet Coke.”

“Then who drinks it now?” I asked. Was it for Janet’s sisters and their husbands who had flown in from Alabama to watch the game and would be here soon?

“Well,” Janet said, setting her coat over the arm of a chair. “I think Vincent asked the caterers to keep those in there for you.”

“He did?” My eyebrows knitted together. “But I told him I couldn’t make it today.”

Had he not heard me right on Friday?

But Janet just gave me a sad sort of smile and said, “I think that son of mine hasn’t quite come to terms with everything yet.”

Was she saying Vincent had been hoping I’d come to a game for a while then?

“Are you saying these are here each game?” I asked. “Not just today?”

Janet nodded, her expression careful. “He told them at the beginning of the season to keep everything the way you liked it.”

“H-he did?” I stuttered, my body feeling tingly with those words.

Janet just looked at me with sad eyes. “He probably wouldn’t like me saying this, since he’s supposed to be this big, tough guy on the field, but I think he’s still having a hard time accepting that he’s divorced.”

Oh.

I looked down at the can of sparkling water in my hand and willed my heart to go back to its regular speed.

Vincent was still having a hard time with everything?

I knew he’d said he still hadn’t started dating yet, but I thought that was just because he was busy with football and Jaxon.

“I know what he did was nearly unforgivable and that he hurt you terribly, Emerson.” Janet stepped closer and rubbed my back with her hand. “But I guess maybe all of us wish things could have turned out differently.”

“Yeah.” I bit my lip and ran my finger along the rim of the aluminum can, not able to meet Janet’s eyes in that moment because I didn’t want her to know how many times I had wanted things to be different over the past year.

It took a minute to regain control of my emotions, but I was able to meet her gaze again and said, “I wish things had gone differently, too.”

Because even though Vincent had broken my heart, I still missed him sometimes. And when I was being truly honest with myself, I knew there was a part of me that would always love him.

He’d been my first love. And though we’d had our struggles, especially during those few months leading up to when he cheated, most of our marriage had been good. We were best friends. Possibly even soulmates.

Soulmates that turned out were only meant to be married for four years.

I opened my can of La Croix and took a sip, suddenly wishing it was red wine instead.

Janet must have picked up on my mood, like she always did, because she put her arm around my shoulders and pulled me closer. “It’s okay to miss what you had.” She gave me a squeeze. “And even if you aren’t Vincent’s wife anymore, you’re still one of my favorite daughters. So how about we celebrate being together today instead of dwelling on the past or worrying about anything else?”

I rested my head against her shoulder momentarily and sighed. “I think I’d like that.”

Heaven knows I already had enough to think about at the moment—online dating, a creepy doll with a note. I really didn’t need to worry about the dynamics between me and my ex.

So instead of thinking about my worries, I forced my mind to live in the present moment where I was hanging out in a beautiful suite with my adorable son and two women who still felt like family, and cheering on the team that was still my favorite in the NFL.

14

Vincent

“Thanks for a great season, Coach,”I told our head coach, Steve Anderson, on my way out of the locker room.

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