Page 63 of Dibs
“I don’t want to cause any problems for the program here,” I added before he could say anything else.
Paul took his glasses off and set them on the desk. “I appreciate your concern for the team, but I don’t want you to worry about anything. Who you’re in a relationship with has no impact on the sort of coach you are. You were my pick for a reason, and the school has your back if a parent says anything. We don’t discriminate here at Coastside.”
“Wow.” I breathed. “Okay.”
“You look like you expected a different reaction.”
I shook my head. “I don’t know what I expected. Teaching and coaching are a huge part of who I am, and it’s good to know I don’t have to fear losing my job because I’d pick my person over anything.”
He smiled. “I can understand that. Just keep doing what you do at this school, and you’ll be fine.”
“Thank you. I appreciate it.” I stood, shook his hand and left his office.
As I walked to my classroom, I pulled my phone from my pocket and sent a text to Chase:
The meeting with Paul went great. Love you.
It only took a couple of seconds for him to respond:
I’m so glad. Love you too.
I felt on top of the world each time he said those words.
* * *
Chaseand I stretched out on the couch, full from the dinner I’d prepared. The last few weeks since we’d confessed our love for each other had been some of the happiest of my life. Despite our busy schedules, we spent a lot of time together, sometimes just the two of us, but mostly with our families. The kids had grown accustomed to seeing us together, and everything seemed as perfect as possible.
“Oh shit,” Chase mumbled while looking at something on his phone.
“What is it?”
“Santiago’s been traded to the Astros.”
“No shit?”
“Yeah, it’s all over social media.” He turned his phone, so I could see.
“Well, damn. At least he won’t be showing up at my front door anymore.”
“Do you think that will change things with Lisa? Would she move with him?”
I shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine. But who knows with her.”
My ex and I didn’t have a relationship where we shared personal details about our lives unless it directly affected our sons. So I had no knowledge about her relationship with Miguel other than they were still dating, and I didn’t care to know anything more.
“Is she picking up Tyler and Dylan for her visitation tomorrow?”
“She’s supposed to after Dylan’s game, but you know how that goes.”
He gave me a sad smile. “I hate that for them. They deserve to have their mother put them first.”
The fact he was showing concern for my children didn’t escape my attention. I knew how important being a father was to him.
I leaned over and kissed him. As usual, what was supposed to be a simple kiss to thank him for caring, turned into one where our tongues tangled together.
We were so lost in each other, we didn’t hear Tyler come into the living room. “Do you really have to do that where anyone can see you?”
He’d had the same reaction when he saw me kiss Heather, so I knew his irritation wasn’t directed at Chase. Tyler was like any other teenager who would prefer not to see his parent making out with someone.
