Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 78793 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78793 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
“Coral, sweetheart, did you come to see Grandpa?” Coach Warner asks, joining us.
“Nice try, old man,” Reid jokes. “My girls are here for me.”
“Hey, Bella,” he greets his daughter.
“Hi, Dad.”
“I’m stealing these two,” Baker says, before grabbing my hand, Camden still in his arms, and leading me out onto the field.
“Wow, I’ve never been on the field before,” I comment, taking it all in.
Baker stops and turns to face me, my hand still in his. He gives a gentle squeeze as his hazel eyes bore into mine. “I’m so damn glad you’re here.”
“Well, this little man wanted to come see his daddy.” I ignore the way his gaze—or is it his hand in mine—has my heart fluttering inside my chest.
“Daddy, pway.”
Baker laughs. It’s a deep, rich sound, and I feel as though it’s been ages since I’ve seen that from him. “We can play,” he tells his son. He sets Camden on his feet, just as Landry, Foster, and Knox join us. Landry scoops Camden up under his arm as if he were holding a football, holds out his other arm in front of him as if he needs to block, and takes off running. Camden’s laughter echoes around the stadium.
“Go. Do your thing,” I tell Baker. “I know the crowds will be here soon.”
“We’re playing ball, remember?” he asks, still holding my hand.
“Who? You and me?”
“Yep.” He grins, and I love the sight of his hazel eyes lighting up with happiness instead of worry and despair. “Go long, baby.” He grins and turns, picks a football up off the ground, and takes off running, while I stand here swooning at the fact that he just called me baby.
He launches the ball in the air, and I watch it, bracing myself to catch it, and when the ball lands in my hands, my mouth falls open in shock. I thrust my hand in the air in celebration, and Baker whoops for me. I toss it back to him, but he has to run forward to catch it.
“A football player, I am not,” I say with a laugh when he reaches me.
He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. “I had the hardest time leaving today,” he confesses.
“We were all cozy, snoozing away,” I say, avoiding what I think he’s trying to tell me.
“It’s the best night of sleep I’ve had in a very long time,” he admits.
“We want in,” Reid says, as he and Bellamy approach us. “Coach stole my daughter,” he grumbles.
“Oh, stop.” Bellamy laughs. “Let him have some time with her.”
Reid’s answer is to kiss his wife. “Game on, ladies,” he says, with a wicked gleam in his eyes.
We spend the next half hour or so tossing the ball between the four of us. I check on Camden and the guys, as well as Corie and Rowan, who are giving him all their attention. When the crowd starts to get heavy, I know we need to let the guys greet their fans.
“I should go get Camden so you can get to work.”
“I’ll get him.” Baker jogs off and takes his son from Foster before coming back to me. He’s jogging lightly, which bounces Camden in his arms. His little hands are gripping his dad’s jersey, and he cackles with laughter the entire way back to me.
“Come on, buddy, let’s get a drink and a snack.”
Baker hands him to me and whispers in my ear, “Thank you for this. Stick around.”
“We will, until the kids can’t handle it anymore.”
“There will be a break for lunch before the second session.”
“Okay.” I smile up at him. He returns it with earnest, and I watch him walk away.
Camden waves, as do I, before I meet Bellamy on the sidelines with Coral, and we settle in to watch our men—no, watch the men as they interact with fans and do some basic drills.
Something has shifted between us, and I don’t know what it is, but I’m afraid to ask. I need to talk to someone about this. My best friends are his friends, too, and the wives of his friends, so it’s complicated, but it has to happen. I’m too out of my element to navigate this on my own. I work for him, so it’s complicated as hell, but even knowing that, I don’t want to walk away.
Chapter Thirteen
Baker
* * *
My ass is dragging as I pull into the garage and hit the button on the visor to close the garage door behind me. We had a preseason game today in Kentucky. Close enough that we took the bus, which means we’re home the same night, in our own beds, since we played the early game.
I’m exhausted, and all I want to do is check in on Camden and fall face-first into my bed. I don’t even bother bringing in my bag. I’ll get it tomorrow. Instead, I quietly make my way into the house, disarming the alarm and resetting it before kicking off my shoes and making my way upstairs in the dark. When I reach Camden’s room, I push open the door, and it takes a few minutes for my eyes to adjust to the dim nightlight in his room. When they do, my breath hitches.