Page 9 of Second Down Scrooge

Barring Mia, of course. And now, if I can just get her mother on board, we could really have it all.

I can’t wait to tell Kelly that I’ll be starting this week. I can’t wait to play the little game of catch I’ve started playing with Mia when I have my time with her.

She sits on the floor, and I roll a soft, squishy pink football to her. She picks it up and tosses it anywhere but at me, and I lunge and stretch to try to catch it before it hits the floor as we both laugh and laugh.

I head straight for Kelly’s place after practice. If anything, I’ll get a little extra time with my daughter and her mother, and maybe we can celebrate together after we get Mia down for bed when I tell her how I earned this the right way—no sabotages, no advantages, no bribes.

Just honest to God hard work.

Maybe that’ll be enough for her to see that I’m working hard to change. Maybe it’ll be enough to win her back.

After all, becoming a starter is going to solve all my problems…right?

It’s what I’ve always told myself, anyway.

When I ring the bell, I wait a full minute. No one answers. I suppose I’m a little early, though I never really said what time I’d be over—justafter practice. Maybe I should’ve texted that I was on my way.

I try knocking, and a breathless Kelly throws open the door a minute later.

She’s wearing a bathrobe, and her hair is tied up in a towel. If only I could slip her out of that bathrobe…

Her face is freshly scrubbed without makeup, and she’s panting as she says, “You’re early.”

I can’t help but think about how many times she’s been beneath me panting.

It’s been a while. Far too long, actually. We had a lot of fun last year and even a bit into this year after Mia was born, but it’s been months.

Which means it’s beenmonthssince I’ve been with anyone.

I used to play the field, and then I caught feelings for Kelly Kaplan.

And now…well, I’m holding out for her, I guess. I haven’t had time to fuck around. When I have free time, I spend it with Mia. No other woman has caught my interest since I met Kelly, and I fucked up by not telling her that when I had the chance.

I fucked up by prioritizing myself over her.

I fucked up by hurting both her and the people she cares about.

I fucked up by losing her trust.

I’m hopeful that sharing my news with her will be the ticket to turning things around. I’m hoping she’ll see that I’m changing for the better—that I’m earning things on my own merits and skills for a change.

I just want Kelly to see that I’m working hard to turn over a new leaf to be a better person—one Mia can look up to and respect.

“Sorry,” I say as my eyes move up and down her robe. I don’t bother hiding the fact that I’m checking her out and wishing I could touch what she has beneath the robe again. “Did I catch you in the shower?”

She nods and opens the door a little wider.

“Damn, I should’ve shown up a few minutes earlier.” I smirk at her, and she rolls her eyes as I walk into the house.

She closes the door behind me, and I wander down the hall and into the family room, where I stop and take it all in.

The house looks like a winter wonderland, but this one doesn’t give me those same feelings of disdain that I had at the charity event.

A beautiful Christmas tree sits in one corner with colored lights wrapped around it and ornaments sparkling and glowing. It reminds me of my childhood—of the Christmas I found out about my parents’ divorce. Before the whispered fight in the hallway, the day was going well, and it’s one of the few happy memories I have of my childhood before everything went to shit.

She has wreaths on the walls and garland along her mantle, and candles are lit as soft Christmas tunes play in the background. It’s warm and comfortable in here, and for just a second, I wish we lived together. I wish I could wake up in this Christmas wonderland, that we could make love beside the tree while the baby sleeps in her room and when she wakes, we could go together and take her from her crib.

I have no Christmas decorations in my house. I always say it’s because I don’t have the time to put them up, but if I were really so inclined, I could hire someone to do it. I’ve just never been inclined.

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