Page 78 of You're All I Need

“Hey, buddy. Great game,” I say, grabbing his hand and pulling him into a bro hug.

“Thanks, Uncle Caden. We didn’t do too bad.”

“Hell no, you didn’t. This tourney is huge, with lots of great teams and players. You guys hung right in there until the very end and came out on top.”

He nods. “Yeah. Too bad we lost that second game yesterday. Otherwise, we would have been battling for the championship trophy today.”

“I hear ya, but you can’t win them all.”

He nods in agreement, but I can still see the dejection in his eyes. He looks over at Adrienne and gives her a smile. “Thanks for coming this weekend.”

“Absolutely. You played great. You have real talent,” Adrienne says.

“Thanks. I learned everything I could from my uncle,” Joshua says, elbowing me in the arm.

I give him a smile, recalling all the time we spent in the driveway, shooting hoops and practicing. From the time he could hold and dribble a ball, we’ve been playing together. “We’re gonna head home,” I tell him.

He pulls me into a hug and gives me a tight squeeze. “Thanks for always being in the stands.”

My throat is suddenly tight. I nod and say, “No place I’d rather be. I’ll always be there, cheering you on.” I can’t help but think about who’s noticeably absent this weekend. His father, the big fucking douche canoe.

“Hey, Mom, do you think we can watch the final game? I want to see which team pulls it off, the Bulldogs or Rush.”

“Absolutely,” Scarlet replies. “We can hit the concession stand before we head inside the gym.”

“We’ll get out of here so you can feed the boy. He’s growing, you know,” I add.

Joshua rubs his stomach. “I’m always hungry.”

Scarlet chuckles. “No kidding. You remind me of Caden when he was your age. That boy ate for three every meal.”

I roll my eyes. “It wasn’t that bad.” Then, without giving it a single thought, I reach for Adrienne’s hand. “Ready?”

She nods, her long fingers entwining with my own. “Yes.”

“See you guys later. Be safe driving home,” I tell my sister and nephew. “Oh, and good luck tomorrow at your interview, Joshua.”

He flashes me a quick, easy grin that resembles my own. “Thanks.”

I watch as they take off toward the concession area before leading Adrienne into the crowd shuffling outside into the parking lot. It’s hot, the summer sun is still bright, despite the fact it’s approaching six. We’ve got about an hour and a halfdrive home, which seems long and daunting now that my mind is spinning.

We’re on the road to Stewart Grove, the silence in the vehicle almost deafening. I’m lost in my own thoughts, but I can still feel her eyes on me every now and again. Yet, I keep my focus ahead of me, even though traffic isn’t terrible on the two-lane highway.

“So, what are your plans when we get back to town?” she asks.

“I was just gonna head home and maybe crash early. We’ve been doing a lot this weekend. I’m pretty beat,” I tell her, even though it’s not entirely true. Sure, I’m a little tired, but the reasoning has everything to do with spending time with her the entire weekend. In fact, I had a great time. More fun than I’ve ever had with a woman. First time I’ve ever taken one away with me too, especially for something involving family.

Another reason I need to put some distance between us.

Stat.

“I have some laundry to do when I get home,” she says casually.

“Yeah,” I reply absently.

“I’ll be in the office for a few hours tomorrow,” she continues. I can feel her eyes on me again.

“Okay.”

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