Page 82 of Off Season

“I’m just looking after Jackson’s kids for a few hours while he’s at a meeting. This is Isabela,” I introduce her. She gives him a shy smile and waves before hiding her face in my neck, her fingers still twirling the hair on the back of my head. “Ryan’s watching TV. Can I get you a drink?”

He shakes his head, rolling his lips inward as if he’s unsure. I don’t like how guarded he’s become around me. It’s like we’ve gone back to when we first met. When he was hesitant and unsure around me. When he didn’t trust me.

This is all on me.

My behavior and my actions caused this, and I fucking hate that I’ve dimmed the light of my sunshine.

“No, I’m fine, thanks.”

Leading him into the living room, Isabela still hanging onto me, I carefully sit down, pulling her into my lap. I glance down and see she’s eyeing Jacob.

“She’s adorable.” Jacob smiles, causing her to go all shy again and hide her face in my neck.

“Yeah, she is. I don’t know why she’s taken to me the way she has.”

He looks startled. “Why wouldn’t she?”

I shrug. Clearly, the Wilde shrugging has rubbed off on me. “I don’t know. I didn’t grow up around kids, so I don’t really know what I’m doing most of the time.”

“She probably knew you secretly had a fun side behind that grumpy exterior,” he grins.

“Maybe,” I grumble. “She’s a big fan of Elliot too.”

At the sound of his name, Isabela raises her head. “We see Elliot?”

I chuckle. “I don’t know if he’s home.”

She huffs, her shyness suddenly disappearing and Jacob laughs.

“I don’t think you have anything to worry about,” he proclaims.

“What do you mean?”

He motions between me and Isabela. “You said you weren’t sure whether you would make a good father. I don’t think you have anything to worry about. You’re a natural.”

I glance down at the little girl in my arms. Her big, brown eyes shift from Jacob to look up at me. She instantly liked me when we first met, and she was the first kid who ever did that. She seemed nervous and shy around everyone except me and Elliot.

Ryan was a little…startled at first, and he kept asking Jackson if I was really me, but as soon as he realized that I was just a regular guy, he relaxed. Now I always try to join Jackson on their scrimmage, and I’ve kind of taken on the Uncle role.

I guess I never really noticed how easily that happened or how much I like it.

“Do you mind just keeping an eye on them for a minute while I try and wash this off?” I point to my arm.

He eyes the colorful ink, his lips twitching. “How did that happen?”

I point a finger at Isabela. “Shehappened. She decided her coloring books weren’t good enough.”

“You have pictures?” She asks Jacob, pointing to his arm.

“No, I don’t.” He shakes his head. “But I think you’ve done a beautiful job coloring in Ethan’s pictures.”

She giggles and slides off my lap, immediately grabbing hold of her coloring book and pens and climbing back onto the couch next to Jacob. She shoves a pen in his hand and points at an empty page.

“Help?”

Knowing she’s in good hands, I get up, ruffling Ryan’s hair as I pass on my way to the bathroom. I fill the sink with some soapy water, and I’m scrubbing my arm hard with a washcloth when Jacob calls out.

“Ethan?”

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