Page 19 of Coach Me
“Hey, bud, I came to check on you,” I say as I reach them. I squat at the end of the row so we can be eye level. “I ran into Callie and noticed she was missing her shadow.”
Miles sends his eyes up, looking at the sky. I guess I should be grateful he hasn’t quite mastered the eye roll yet, but the implication of annoyance is thick on his face. “Miss Shannon said I couldn’t be at the first throw, so I’m sitting with Lucie. We met her at the coffee shop, remember?”
The string of curses that go through my head at Miles’s words is stupid.
Of course, this is Lucie. Of course Miles remembers her from the coffee shop. Dammit, dammit, dammit.
I clear my throat as I force myself to look at her. “Yeah, I remember. I’m Dex,” I rasp out. I don’t extend my hand to shake and I hope she doesn’t either. Why didn’t she say anything? Maybe she didn’t realize who I was?
“She knows who you are, Dad,” Miles drawls.
What the fuck? There goes that thought almost immediately.
Is it weird to feel a little betrayed right now? Why I feel that way is probably a road I shouldn’t go down, but damn it, why didn’t she say she knew who I was?
Lucie’s eyes flash wide and pink blushes her cheeks as she quickly turns to Miles. “Well, I knowofyour dad, I don’texactly know him. Plus, Callie most likely told your dad that I’m Will’s little sister, and while he knows Callie and knows that she wouldn’t leave you with someone unsafe, he doesn’t know me.”
That’s for damn sure, and now the only thing I need to know about her is that she is indeed Will’s much younger sister. Consider this door closed and locked tight.
Clearing my throat again, I keep my focus on the reason I came here—to check on Miles. “I’m about to go to the dugout if you want to come with me?”
Miles chews on his lip for a moment, but then exclaims, “But I’m having fun with Lucie, can I stay with her,pleeeease?”
Miles looks back and forth between me and Lucie, his eyes big and pleading. Damn it, why her? What did I do to be put in this situation? The first real candidate I’ve had in months is both my player’s little sister and the girl who captured my attention in one go.
While I’m too busy kicking myself, Lucie speaks up. “I’m having a lot of fun with you too, Miles. I’m happy to have you stay with me, but it could also be really fun in the dugout with your dad. Or even…what did you call it? The photo cave with Callie after the first pitch photos are done.”
“But I’d rather stay with you!” Miles whines.
Fucking hell. Great, now I either get to be the bad guy who forces my son to the dugout or the guy who swallows his fucking pride so his kid can have some fun.
“You’re sure he can sit with you?” My question comes out in a more clipped tone than I intend, but who cares. The door for nanny has been shut.
Lucie finally looks back at me, her blue eyes softening despite my harshness. “It’s okay with me. I’m not sure ifCallie told you, but I have my degree in childhood education. I’m also certified in CPR and know the Heimlich Maneuver.”
Is she trying to impress me right now? Is she thinking this is some sort of trial run or something? It wouldn’t surprise me to find out that Callie told her all about me needing a nanny and homeschool teacher. I should have fucking known her gesture at the coffee shop was disingenuous.
“Man, really gunning for the job, aren’t you?”
“Job?” Lucie’s eyebrows pull together as she frowns. “The job of keeping Miles safe during the game? Sure…but, um, if you’re uncomfortable with him sitting with me, I understand.”
Miles turns to me and places his hands on my shoulders. “Daddy, I’m having fun and I really want to stay with Lucie for this game. I’m happy you came to see me, but it’s okay for you to go to work now.”
“Oh, is it now?” Gee, kick me while I’m down, kid.
I spare another glance at Lucie but she doesn’t meet my eyes. She simply smiles at Miles. I think she’s okay with me leaving too, and that’s a weird feeling to process—they both are okay with me not being here. Miles leaving me for Callie never made me feel this weird ache in my chest, but somehow this is different and I don’t like it. I think I want to stay here and talk to her more. Fuck.
“Alright. I’ll give your name to our security team. If you need me, don’t hesitate to come to the dugout.”
Lucie finally looks at me and gives me a curt nod. Why did it have to be her?
I turn to Miles. “And you, behave, please.”
“Okie, see you later!” Miles beams, all too happy to have me leave and not cramp his style.
Chapter 7
Lucie
