Page 91 of Clean Sweep
The words began to churn in my head before I could talk myself out of it.Leslie, can we talk? I need to apologizeorhow are you this beautiful?
Before Leslie could turn around, a hand hit my shoulder.
“Coach,” Max said. I sensed more than saw a couple other bodies with him as he spun me around and faced me back the way I came. “Let’s talk.”
THE FOURMILLERboys surrounded me outside.
Their breaths came in clouds around them as they half-circled me. The cool air on my cheeks felt good compared to the oppressive feeling of too many people in one place inside. Landon had taken his black jacket off. A perfectly pressed tuxedo stretched across his shoulders. All burdens aside, the kid looked undeniably happy.
Stern, too.
Max, Blake, and Nicholas were in various, but similar, states of disrepair. They’d probably been here all morning helping their mother—something I wished I had done. Now, however, they had the bright eyes of people that had been enjoying themselves. Minus the overtly somber expression.
I’d been anticipating something like this, but it had come sooner than expected.
“So, coach,” Landon drawled, arms folded across his chest. “You and our Mom, huh?”
I eyed him. There were so many approaches I could take to responding to that. Obviously these boys wanted to hold the power in this conversation. They were sticking up for their mother—and good for them.
But that’s not how this would go down.
“Is that how you want to swing this, Landon?” I lifted one eyebrow. “You know I could beat the crap out of you still?”
Five seconds passed before the veneer cracked. He broke into a smile and laughed, arms dropping to his side.
“Nah, just kidding, coach!”
I laughed and the weird air fractured.
“But seriously,” Max cut in. “What’s going on with you and Ma? We get veto passes on any man in her life that isn’t one of us.”
Blake nodded, but his eyes darted to Max first, then back to me. He followed his older brother’s lead here. Nicholas remained quiet, watching me. I met his gaze.
“I like your Mom,” I said. “I like her a lot. She’s funny, compassionate, able to do everything, I think, and happens to really care about you four schmucks.”
All of them grinned.
“Are you going to have a problem with it if I make a move?” I asked.
Max’s nose scrunched. “Ew.”
I rolled my eyes. “Not likethat,you idiot.”
“If you’re asking for permission to date our Mom,” Landon said, jabbing an elbow in Max’s ribcage, “then yes, we grant it.”
“Wasn’t,” I countered, “because she doesn’t need it and neither do I, but for your approval, thank you.”
“Do you like her?” Blake asked. For being seventeen, he had a surprising poker face. I couldn’t even tell if my interest in his Mom grossed or weirded him out. Then again, maybe Celeste had been talking to him.
“I like her a lot.”
“Enough to marry her?” Landon asked.
“That’s not on the table right now, but I don’t have plans to go anywhere anytime soon.”
“Then whatison the table?” Nicholas asked.
“An official first date, for one. I’ve been meaning to ask her out forever but it hasn’t happened yet. After I woo her with romance, a second date, if she’ll have me. Then a third. I’ll keep cleaning her house, but at some point I probably won’t charge her anymore.”
