Page 122 of Coach Me
Dex squeezes my hand again. “I can’t say I understand your decision, but if you’re serious about this, then I can find a way to respect it. I don’t want to take Miles away from you. That’s not something I’ve ever thought of doing. If you want to stick to our original arrangement, then great. I can still be flexible if it benefits Miles.”
Dex shuffles us in the chair again as he leans up to hold me close. “However, I am going to ask Lucie to marry me one day. One day, we might decide to grow this family. I need you to know now that our son isn’t to be used as a weapon, bargaining chip, or an opportunity to one-up each other. He’s also not a luxury you get to use when it benefits you. He’s a child who doesn’t deserve this bullshit. So we make an agreement and we respect each other's roles in that decision. No exceptions. I’m not your enemy, Kate.”
This wave of emotion hits me like a ton of bricks. Being with Dex isn’t something I ever anticipated, but being lovedby him? Hearing that he sees this future with me? At the beginning of all this, I wouldn’t have understood why he wanted all of these things with me. But now, it almost feels…right. I didn’t find myself in Dex, but he gave me a safe place to see it on my own.
Kate lets out a sigh. “Agreed. We stick to our original agreement. And when that time comes, I’ll have my lawyer draw up an addendum to add Lucie in, if that will make you feel better. I’m serious about this. Today made it abundantly clear to me that I need to be serious about it.” Kate stands from her chair. “I’ll wait till Miles gets up so I can say bye to him, but then I’ll go.”
Dex rests his head on my shoulder for just a second before speaking to Kate again. “We have plenty of food on the way, and I plan on waking him up when it gets here. You can stay to eat if you want, but if you don’t, that’s fine. We won’t tell Miles about us until tomorrow—I think he’s had enough happen today already.”
Kate gives me a thin-lipped smile. “Lucie stepped aside earlier today to let me have my mom moment, and now it’s my turn. I’ll wait inside. I have some emails to answer anyway.”
Dex simply nods, then settles back in the chair. When Kate steps back inside and the sliding door closes, Dex hauls me to his chest. “Fuck, was that the right thing to do? Should I have been angrier? I feel angry, but I don’t know if it's at her, myself, or just the situation.”
“I know…I’m sorry.” I rest my head on his shoulder. “For what it’s worth, I don’t think you should be angry at yourself—you can be upset about the situation, but it doesn’t change anything. You could be angry and try to force more out of Kate, but I don’t think that will end up any better.”
“You’re right.” Dex places a lingering kiss on my forehead. “I owe you an apology, though. I meant what I said about us, Luce. I see that future. But that probably wasn’t the best way for me to go about it. I don’t want to put pressure on you.”
“Dex.” There’s a pain in my chest as I fully register what he’s saying. I know the pressure that he felt he put on Kate was part of why he feels guilty about this whole situation, why he blames himself for it.
I lean back up so I can look at him. “Don’t do that. I get it, we’re still figuring this out, but I want that. I can see those things with you too. Don’t confuse pressure with clear expectations of what you see inourrelationship. This is a completely different situation. I know when I say this, you’ll understand what I mean…I did fall in love with Miles first.”
Dex chuckles softly. “I know you did. I think I love you more for it.”
My smile comes with a blush on my cheeks. “You told me that you didn’t need someone with one foot out the door to start. Dex, I would have never let you kiss me on your balcony if I couldn’t see this future with you. For Miles’s sake. For mine. And yours. You won’t have to blame yourself over me, Dex. When you said you might not be able to stop, I knew what you meant.”
Dex brushes my hair behind my ears before he cups my face. “You are remarkable, Lucie Anderson.” Dex pulls me in for a small kiss, and then I nestle my head back on his shoulder.
Dex runs his hand lightly on my thigh. “I know you’ve probably had enough drama for today, but do you want to talk about your dad?”
“I don’t know. I think I’m not as affected by it asWill is. I don’t think I’ve ever really gotten to be the one to take care of him like that. I have zero clue how Reagan’s going to handle it either.”
“She hasn’t reached out to you this week, right?”
The realization hits me harder than I would have liked. “No, she hasn’t. She responded to Callie and Jensen a couple of times in the group chat over stupid stuff, but that’s all I’ve heard from her.”
Dex brushes his fingers through my hair. “She’ll come around. I’ll come with you if you want to talk to her when we get back.”
A nervous laughter slips out. “She might try to scare you away.”
“Eh, I’m not afraid of her. You, though. You still terrify me.”
I sit up again with a scoff. “Dex! I’m like the least scary person ever. I think I can give you evidence of that, actually.”
Dex lets out a laugh with this adorable smile on his face. “Please, don’t. Luce, I fear how much I could love you with more evidence.”
Chapter 42
Dex
The next morning, Miles sits at the small table in the suite. His legs are swinging back and forth as he inhales his waffle. Lucie would typically be sitting right next to him, but after finally getting food in her system yesterday, her adrenaline crash finally took her out. She passed out on the couch while Miles cuddled up next to her watching cartoons.
It’s nearly nine in the morning and she’s still out like a light. Miles has asked me at least five times if he can go wake her up and even though I’m just as tempted to, I tell him we should let her sleep.
Bringing my plate over to the table, I run my hand over his head as I take the seat next to him. “You ready for today’s game, bud?”
Miles sends his bottom lip out. “Do I have to go? Can Lucie and I stay here?”
I sigh. Olsson offered me the day off and I considered it, but I don’t want to let yesterday ruin game days for Miles. “I know yesterday was scary. I was scared too, but I don’t wantyou to let what happened ruin the fun you usually have with the team and with Lucie.”
