Page 55 of Catching the Coach
“Only a girl that Hudson has been drooling over since third grade,” Kade says.
“Have not!” Hudson denies, elbowing Kade in the side.
They start arguing with each other in the back seat, I chuckle and shake my head. To be 11 again.
* * *
We pull into Lucy’s driveway about an hour later. The boys talked and teased each other the whole way home. They scramble out of the truck and run into the house. I walk in the front door after them and see Lucy and Kara lounging at opposite ends of the sectional, empty wine glasses on their respective side tables.
A show is paused on the TV and the boys are both talking a mile a minute, telling them all about the game and showing their jersey’s I bought them. Lucy looks over at me and gives me an adoring smile, making my heart stutter in my chest. Her cheeks are flushed and her eyes are a little shinier than usual, probably from the alcohol. I grin at her back and walk over, taking a seat next to her on the couch. I give her a kiss on her temple and wrap an arm around her. She leans into me and sighs.
Kara tosses the throw blanket back she had on her lap and gets to her feet. She stretches and lets out a yawn. “Well mister, we should probably head home and get some sleep, it’s late,” she says to Kade as she wraps an arm around his shoulder. “Tell Kessler thank you.”
“Thanks a lot Kessler,” he says. “I had a lot of fun tonight, even when those people with the cameras chased us.”
I feel Lucy’s body go rigid against my body and sit up. “What?” she asks, looking between me and the boys.
“Yeah, it was crazy. We were leaving and walked out the gate and all these-” Hudson pauses and looks at me. “What did you call them? Pepperonis?”
I can’t help but chuckle. “Paparazzi.”
“Yeah, Paparazzi. All these Paparazzi people were shouting and taking our pictures. It was nuts,” he finishes and plops down in the spot Kara just abandoned.
Lucy’s quiet and Kara’s giving her a look I can’t interpret. “Yeah, then Kessler yelled at them when we got to the truck and they tried to open our door. It was crazy,” Kade chimes in.
“You can tell me all about it at home. We need to get you to bed.” She gives Lucy another look and then looks at me. “Thanks again Kessler, I owe you one.”
I hold my hand up. “No need to thank me. It was my pleasure, we had a blast.”
Kade and Kara say their goodnights and head out through the patio door, walking along the lighted walkway. I look over at Lucy and point my thumb over my shoulder. “Does their backyard connect to yours?” Lucy looks at me with unfocused eyes, like she’s thinking about something else. I tilt my head a bit and wave my hand in front of her face. “Lucy?”
She sucks in a breath, and her eyes refocus, looking at me. “Sorry, what? I wasn’t paying attention.”
I stare at her a moment, before repeating my question. “Oh, yeah we put in a gate between our yards a few years ago. It’s so much easier than walking around the block.”
I look over at Hudson, who’s almost asleep. Then back at Lucy, who’s picking at her cuticles. I place a hand over hers, stopping her. She looks up at me, worry and something else in her eyes. Fear? “Are you worried about what happened after the game? Because I would never let anything happen to the boys. You know that right?”
She turns her hand over and slips her fingers between mine. “I know, its, I…” She stops looking at Hudson. “Let me get him to bed, then we can talk. Ok?”
I nod my head and watch as Lucy shakes Hudson awake. He yawns and stands. He mumbles a goodnight to me and Lucy guides him down the hallway. A few minutes later, Lucy comes out and sits back on the couch, snuggling into my side.
We’re both quiet for a few minutes before Lucy speaks. “It’s not that I didn’t think the boys weren’t safe with you. I just, it’s.” She sighs and continues. “I’m just not comfortable with the publicity. I know you’re probably used to it by now, but I’m not and I didn’t think it would be that bad.” She untucks herself from my side and I can feel her not only pulling away physically, but maybe distancing herself emotionally too.
“Hey,” I say softly, grabbing her chin and turning her face to look at me. “It’s not usually that bad, ok? There's just been an uptick lately because I’m coming back from my injury and the whole thing with me being at the tournament and practice before that.” I cup her cheek and close the distance between us giving her a gentle kiss. “I will fix this,” I whisper.
I’m calling Dale as soon as I leave. But I’m not leaving until I feel she’s ok.
She nods her head and leans her forehead against mine. I move and give her a kiss on her forehead and envelop her into my chest. She melts into me and circles my waist with her arms. In this moment all I want to do is tell her how much I love her, but I know she’s not ready to hear those words.
Lucy yawns into my chest and I look at the clock on the wall and see it’s well past ten o’clock. “You should probably head to bed. It’s getting late.” She nods into my chest, but doesn’t make an effort to move. I chuckle and grip her arms pulling her back to look at me. She gives me a small sleepy smile.
God, she’s just so fucking beautiful.
I stand and pull her to her feet. She stretches and gives me an amazing view of those perfect breasts I had my hands and mouth all over just this morning. I grab her hand and lead her to the front door.
“I wish you didn’t have to go,” she whispers, leaning against the door frame.
I cup her cheek and look down into her hazel eyes, that have turned more green with the burgundy top she’s wearing. “I know, and I would love to stay, but I know it’s too soon for that.”
