Page 39 of Catching the Coach
I hear a door open down the hallway, but can’t see who it is from the couch. I look up from my phone to see a freshly showered Hudson walking out.
“Hey, bud. Ready for dinner?”
He flops down on the couch at the other end and grabs the remote. “Yeah, I’m starving,” he says, turning on the TV.
“I hear ya man, I’m always hungry after a game. Don’t worry. We’ll have you fed soon.”
He nods his head and flips through the channels until he finds one he likes. He’s quiet for a few minutes. I think this is the least I’ve heard him talk since I met him. The silence doesn’t last long.
“So, are you my mom’s boyfriend now?” He asks still staring at the TV.
I take a few seconds trying to figure out what I want to say. “Would it be OK if I was?”
Hudson doesn’t answer me right away. He takes his eyes away from the TV and looks at me. “I guess? She’s never had one before, but you seem pretty cool.” He shrugs his shoulders and turns back to his show.
I chuckle. “Well thanks bud, I think you’re pretty cool too.” I pause then add, “I’m not your mom’s boyfriend, but I’m working on that.”
He nods his head but doesn’t say anything further, focused on his show. I hear a door open in the hallway, then see Lucy appear at the entrance. She looks beautiful. I mean, I think she always looks good when I see her, butwow. Her hair is in long loose waves around her face. She has more makeup on than I’ve ever seen her wear and it makes her hazel eyes pop. She’s wearing a flowy flower print shirt that billows around her when she moves. Dark jeans and gray ankle boots complete the look. She sees me staring at her and gives me a shy smile. She walks over to where Hudson is sitting.
“Ready to go bud?”
He nods his head and reaches for the remote, turning off the TV I stand from where I’m sitting and we all head towards the door. Lucy is the last to exit and she turns to lock up. We make our way to my truck and I place my hand on the small of her back, needing to touch her. Hudson opens the back door to my truck and climbs up. Lucy reaches for her door, but I stop her.
“Don’t even think about it. That’s my job,” I say, opening her door for her. She climbs into my truck and gives me a sweet smile. The urge to kiss her is so strong, I almost can’t stop myself, but it’s not something I want to do for the first time in front of Hudson.
I make myself shut the door and jog around to my side and hop in. I back out of the driveway and head in the direction of my parent’s house. It’s quiet in the truck. After a few minutes of silence, Lucy notices we’re heading out of town.
“We’re not eating in town?”
I look back in my rearview mirror and see Hudson crashed out in the back. I tip my head towards the mirror. “Someone’s out.”
Lucy turns around in her seat and breathes out a laugh. “I figured he’d crash at some point. I just thought it’d be on the way home from dinner.” She faces forward in her seat and looks at me. “You didn’t answer my question by the way.”
I smirk at her. “Can’t get anything past you, can I Coach?”
“Nope,” she says, popping her ‘P’
I take a deep breath in, hoping she won’t freak out like I think she’s going to freak out.
“Before I tell you, I want you to know this is a weekly thing and unless I’m out of town, I cannot get out of it. So with that said. We’re going to my parent’s house,” I say the last part quickly, hoping it’ll soften the shock.
It doesn’t.
I feel Lucy silently stare at me. I take my eyes off the road quickly to look at her face and see utter shock on it.
“I’m sorry, did you say your parents’ house? As in your Mom and Dad. The people who gave you life?”
That makes me chuckle. “Yep, those would be them.”
“Kessler,” she whispers. “Wha, wh, why?” she finally gets out.
I take one hand off my steering wheel and hold it out, palm up. I can see her look at it out of the corner of my eye, but she doesn’t move to take it. I wiggle my fingers. “Give me your hand, and I’ll give you your answer.”
She places her hand in mine and I give it a squeeze. “One, like I said before. If I’m not out of town, Sunday dinners are mandatory. It’s something we’ve done every Sunday since I can remember. Two, no one will see us there. There’s no fans to ask me for autographs and pictures. No one taking photos that will end up on the internet. This way, you and Hudson are protected.”
She gives my hand a small squeeze. “Thank you. For thinking this through,” she says softly. “Yes, that is a big worry of mine. I don’t want Hudson exposed to that,” she pauses, “at least, not yet.”
Feeling a spark of hope, I bring her hand to my lips and kiss the back of it. Her lips part and she inhales a sharp breath. Goosebumps break out over her arm. A small jolt of satisfaction spreads through me knowing I can make her body react like that with a simple kiss. Before my mind wonders what else I could make her body do, I talk about the game today.
