Page 14 of Scoring with the Coach's Daughter

Ellie peeks her head around the corner, her grin is as mischievous as ever. “Are you gonna stay, Jake?”

“Yeah, kiddo,” I say, smiling. “I think so.”

I follow Sam to my room and it’s as cozy as I expected. If I’m being honest, it’s a slice of country life with an overstuffed chair in the corner, a king-sized bed with a quilt on it, and an antique desk.

“This is nice,” I murmur. I toss my bags on the bed.

“Please check in at the desk. I have to get to work,” she states before she abruptly disappears.

I unpacked before I returned downstairs to find Ellie waiting for me.

“What do you want to do?” she asks and I realize she’s glued herself to me like peanut butter on toast as she ushers me toward the restaurant.

5

JAKE

When Elliefirst invited me to “family night” I pictured some kind of formal, over-the-top event. Maybe with white tablecloths and stuffy fake candles lighting the place. But stepping into the restaurant, I feel the opposite. The place is cozy, warm, and alive with personality.

The tables are simple—elegant. The wooden finish has just enough polish to make them look special without feeling like they’re too pretty to use. String lights hang across a wall with a huge picture window, and the smell of fresh basil and garlic fills the air.

Ellie runs ahead of me and her long hair flies behind her as she bursts through the swing doors and barges into the kitchen like she owns the place. And honestly, it seems like she does. The staff greets her with warm smiles, some reaching out for high-fives, and she laps up the attention more exuberantly than a puppy eagerly chasing a ball. She’s quite the firecracker.

Sam steps front and center wiping her hands on a towel. The moment she sees me, she pauses. I guess she wasn’t expecting me. Her lips press together like she’s not sure whether to greet me or tell me to get out.

“Jake is coming to dinner!” she announces.

“Ellie,” she says, her voice already carrying that “mom” tone. “What did I say about inviting people to dinner without asking me first?”

Ellie doesn’t even pause to acknowledge the warning in her Aunt’s voice. “But it’s family night!” she says brightly, grabbing my hand and pulling me forward like a prized guest. “Jake’s here. Isn’t he family?”

I swear her face is so adorable I’d be hard-pressed to punish her.

Sam’s eyes glance at me. I catch a hint of pink in her cheeks before her expression relaxes. “Jake isn’t?—”

“Sam,” I say, cutting her off with an easy grin. “I’m here to see an old acquaintance, besides, I can help.”

“Help,” she repeats, arching an eyebrow.

“Sure,” I say, shrugging out of my jacket and rolling up my sleeves. “You can put me to work. I’m great at... taste-testing.”

Ellie laughs at that, and Sam sighs, clearly trying to decide whether to argue or let me stay. I see the exact moment she gives in because her shoulders drop, and she gives me a knowing look—like the cat that got caught with a broken jar of milk. She waves her hand and motions me in.

“Fine,” she says. “But if you’re in my kitchen, you’re helping.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” I say with a wink. Her jaw tightens just slightly, and I’d like to think she finds me irresistible. However, I get the impression that I’m making more points with Ellie than Sam.

The kitchen is spotless. Too spotless. If she’s anything like her mother, I can eat off the tiled floor because it’s probably cleaner than most people’s tabletops.

Sam moves through the space like a conductor— each movement has a purpose. She’s efficient and I’dexpect nothing less. Her father is good at directing as well. I see a pattern forming before my eyes. Sam likes to be in charge. The way the staff moves around her can only be described as cautious. Which is strange. I know many business owners and so I assume Sam is similar to them—meaning she has an attention to detail that is second to none.

“Maggie,” she says, “can you pull out three pizza pans?”

“Yes, chef,” Maggie says with a smile while winking at Ellie. She grabs the pans and hands them off to Ellie who dutifully delivers them to Sam. Ellie then gives me her megawatt smile. She’s proud of herself. I for one, know that it’s important to give kids simple tasks they can complete as it builds confidence. If I had my guess, Ellie has that in spades.

This isn’t the type of kitchen where you just wing it. The staff moves like a well-greased machine and they aren’t chatty. They work with their eyes remaining focused on their tasks. I’m not used to employees being so mindful of their roles outside of an important football game.

There are the normal workstations one would expect. The garnishes are near the food line which is covered by whomever is waiting for an order to pop up. I can’t dismiss the fact that the staff is peering at me and perhaps they would have approached me if it weren’t for Sam being here.

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