Page 102 of Tight Ends & Tiaras
SIENNA
“Wait. What?”Did I just hear him right? He’ll be gone for the next two and a half weeks?
Ben drops his gym bag next to the couch and runs his hand through his damp hair with a grimace. “I’m so fucking sorry to lay this on you. And if you can’t handle it, I completely understand. I... I’m not sure what I’ll do, but I have a day or two to figure it out.”
He checks on Lily, who’s already in bed, and returns a few minutes later.
“I don’t know what to say,” he adds with a sigh. “You didn’t exactly sign up for this.”
He sits on the couch, leans back, and closes his eyes. His cheeks are flushed and slightly sunburned from being outside all day. He doesn’t need to tell me he’s exhausted. He left this morning at eight, and it’s now twelve hours later.
Before I can say anything, his jaw tightens. “I tried to talk to the coach, but he said there were ‘absolutely no excuses for not moving into the dorms.’”
“You told him you have a young daughter, and that was his response?”
“He cut me off mid-sentence and said he wasn’t interested in the reason.”
“What an asshole.”
“Pretty much, yeah.”
“Let me guess. The whole day went this way?” I ask as I sit next to him.
He stares off, not really hearing me, but I get the feeling I know the answer to my question.
“Why didn’t I go for the draft, Sienna? Why do I always fucking play it safe?”
My heart hurts at the anguish in his voice. I grab his huge hand and thread our fingers together. “If you’d been drafted, maybe you never would’ve found out about Lily. Or perhaps another few years would’ve gone by before Janelle had the nerve to tell you.”
He studies our hands in his lap and nods slowly. “Yeah, that’s a good point.”
I want to say so much more, but my phone dings with a text. I wince when I read it.
“This is probably the last thing you want to do, but I scheduled an interview tonight with my favorite babysitter candidate. Afterward, we’ll have a nice dinner. I bought us some huge steaks.”
He slouches in relief and then leans over and kisses me. “That’s awesome. If you could do this, if you could help me, maybe with a babysitter or two, maybe I’ll get through this bullshit.”
“I want to help, Ben. I’m on your team. No matter what, I can watch her.”
“But don’t you have yoga classes to teach?”
“I’m not on the schedule yet. I have some wiggle room.”
He takes my face in his hands. “How am I going to pay you back for everything?”
I lift an eyebrow. “I can think of a way or two.” They’re all naked and involve an array of naughty positions.
He must read my mind because he laughs. “You’re literally the only person on the planet who could make me laugh right now.”
“Good.” I give him a peck and run to the door to greet Magnolia when the doorbell rings a second later.
As she enters the room, she straightens her glasses and smiles. “I brought my résumé and all of my references. They’re alphabetized.”
Magnolia and Ben shake hands and chat for a little while. Twenty minutes later, there’s a knock at the front door. Before I can get it, Olly waltzes in, dragging Amelia behind him.
“We’re getting Thai from that little place over on Main. Wanted to know if y’all...” His voice trails off when he sees Magnolia. “What the hell are you doing here?”
My eyes widen. I’ve never heard Olly be anything but respectful to everyone. I don’t know what’s gotten into him.
