Page 60 of Home Field Advantage
I look up to find Dallas gazing at his daughter with a flat expression. Not quite a smile, but not quite a frown. It seems as if he’s processing this information as if it’s being told to him for the first time.
“I love my daddy the mostest. And Miss Barlow, too. Oop. I mean Poppy,” she adds, facing me. “She loves puzzles just like me. I want to be just like her when I grow up.”
I swallow, fighting the emotions that threaten to reach the surface. Sage had slowly been tugging at my heartstrings, and I believe that just pushed me over the edge.
Lifting my eyes, I find Dallas already looking at me, his expression flat yet filled with so many questions, want, and need. It’s an uneasy feeling to have him looking at me the way he is, without a smile. My stomach nearly bottoms out at the thought, and I instantly feel sick.
Did I do something wrong?
Have I said the wrong thing?
Is he mad at me for her response?
Averting my gaze to my plate, I smile, trying not to show the table that my thoughts are racing or that I feel completely out of control in this situation. Lily must have caught on just enough that she forced everyone to dig into their food without the need for me to tell everyone what I’m thankful for.
Right now, the answer is her.
Everyone participates in conversations around the sound of forks clicking on plates, while I maneuver mine along the edges of my plate, forcing a smile on my face.
These feelings? These irrational thoughts?
This is exactly what I was afraid of.
CHAPTER 15
CAN POPPY READ ME A BEDTIME STORY FIRST?
Dallas
Dinner has come and gone in a complete blur.
I can’t stop replaying my daughter’s words as I push food around my plate, every so often putting pieces in my mouth while I smile and laugh at the conversations around me. I couldn’t even tell you half of what was said because my mind is on two people at this table.
“Dallas?” Tucker asks.
“Ya?” I say, snapping out of inner thoughts.
“I asked if you thought we had a shot at a winning league this upcoming season?”
“Are we coaching the same team?”
“Yes. Future champions, baby!”
I shake my head. As hesitant as I was about accepting Tucker’s help to coach the kids, he’s actually been really great. I like to think it’s because it’s quite literally a kid himself. He’s goofy, relates to the kids, and makes the practices go fast. He claims he doesn’t know how to handle children, but they listen to him. Which is more than they do for me.
Archie straight up told me “You suck at coaching,” and he’s right.
I do.
In every aspect of the word.
But the whole team needs work. This town has been without baseball for so long that most of them don’t know what they’re doing. Which I expected going into it. I’m eager to help them fall in love with it the way I am, but also know that it’s okay if they don’t love it the same way.
Regardless, it’s something for them to do.
Something formeto do.
“I need to make it to one of these practices you got, just to see Talkative Tucker in action.” Nan laughs.
