Page 44 of Scoring with the Coach's Daughter

I forced a smile, pushing my doubts aside. “It’s amazing, sweetheart. Amy is going to love it.”

Ellie beams, and Jake gives her a high-five. “Told you it’d turn out great.”

As they celebrated her success, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt. Watching Jake and Ellie together is something I’d always wanted but wasn’t sure I could find. He’s good for her, no doubt about it. But Dad’s words echoed in my mind, and I wondered if I I’m making the right decision.

13

JAKE

The warm nightis thick with the scent of jasmine that floats on the light spring breeze rolling in from the forest around us. The rain from earlier has left the earth damp, and the crickets have returned, filling the night with their rhythmic song. Fireflies flicker in the tall grass along the fence, and their golden glow dances in slow, lazy patterns. The full moon casts silver light across the porch, casting a pale light that illuminates the dark wooden planks beneath my bare feet. I could get used to this, but I have a team I can’t let down. I’m also too young to retire, but retiring and living somewhere like this would be nice if I were ready for it.

Sam sits beside me on the steps, her knees are pulled up slightly and her fingers curl around a steaming mug of tea. I know she won’t finish it—she never does. It’s more about the ritual, of something warm to hold to keep her hands busy. I know Sam and she’s not one to sit still. She’s a workaholic and maybe it’s a good thing Ellie keeps her so busy.

I lean back on my elbows, stretching my legs out, and letting the silence settle between us. It’s not uncomfortable likeit would be with someone else. With us, silence can be a conversation. But tonight, something feels different.

I glance at her and observe the moonlight on her soft skin, and how the shadows from the inside house lights add a sexy ambiance to her beautiful face. Her expression is distant, and her eyes are fixed on something I can’t see.

“You okay?” I ask, my voice low.

Her lips twitch into something that isn’t quite a smile. “I don’t know. Some nights, I think too much.”

I nod, because I know that feeling. “Yeah. I get that.” It’s not like I can forget my team. I’m also curious how my return to the field will pan out.

She shifts slightly to look at me. “What keeps you up at night, Jake?”

I huff out a quiet laugh, rubbing a hand over my jaw. “Lately? You.”

Her breath catches, just for a second, before she looks away. I can see the conflict in her shoulders, and it’s evident in the way she grips her mug a little tighter. She wants to tell me I shouldn’t say things like that. That this—whatever this is—has an expiration date. But she doesn’t.

Instead, she lets the silence stretch again and the harmony of the crickets fills the spaces between us.

Then, finally, she speaks.

“I think about my sister a lot,” she confesses as if she’s only just admitting it to herself. “And it’s sad she never got to see Ellie grow up, not really.”

I don’t push for an answer, deciding to wait instead.

“She was… electric. The kind of person who walked into a room and turned every head without even trying. I was in awe of her. She was so different from me—so fearless. I think I admired that most.”She pauses, running her thumb along the rim of her mug, lost in the memory. “She was adreamer and a rebel,” she says. “Always chasing something bigger, something brighter. And for a while, I thought I could be part of that. That we could chase something together. But the truth is… she didn’t want to be caught. Not by me. Not by anyone.”

Her fingers tap the side of the mug in her hands.

“When Ellie was born, she tried. For a little while, she really tried. But I think deep down, I knew she wouldn’t stay confined by society's rules. She loved Ellie, I know she did, but love wasn’t enough to keep her grounded and safe. She was a thrill seeker.”

I’ve seen the way she is with Ellie—the way she protects her, pushes her, and loves her for every ounce of who she is. And I understand why she’s protective. She feels if her sister were more conventional, she would be here today.

“I spent so long trying to be everything,” she continues, her voice thick with emotion. “Her mother and father. Her protector. Her provider. I worked so hard to make sure she never felt like she was missing something. And sometimes, I wonder if I’m just trying to make up for what she lost.”

“You did what you had to do. No kid could ever feel unloved with you as their mom.”

She gives me a small, sad smile and nods. “I just don’t want her to grow up thinking she has to be perfect to be loved.”

I let her words sink in, absorbing them in the quiet of the night.

“Ellie has everything she needs—she’s got you.”

She looks at me then, really looks at me, and I see something in her eyes. Gratitude, maybe. But also fear. And I know what she’s afraid of.

Because this isn’t just about her past. It’s about her future. It’s about what happens next.

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