Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 83612 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83612 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
“It’s tough out there.” Will nods before reaching for his bottle of water.
“Let me.” I take the bottle, unscrew the cap, and hand it back to him.
“Thanks,” he says, taking a drink. “It’s tough. The dating world is scary. Every woman I meet wants to know whether I can introduce her to the players or if there are any red-carpet events coming up. They know what I do for a living, and they take advantage of that. I’ve given up, if I’m being honest. I have my granddaughter, and this little one—when her momma needs a break—and my daughter. I have plenty of women in my life to show my affection to.”
“Don’t you get lonely?” I ask.
“Down,” Coral demands.
I quickly remove her from the high chair and place her on her feet. She rushes off toward the living room and climbs into her little recliner to watch TV.
“I can see her from here,” Will assures me. “And to answer your question, yeah, it gets lonely, but I’ve come to accept that’s my life. Granted, you’re younger than me, so you have a better chance of finding someone and growing your family. That ship has long since sailed for me.”
“Maybe, but honestly, I look forward to my nights with Mia. I think she’s all that I need.”
“It’s still soon,” Will says. “Give your heart some time to heal. There’s a man out there who will love both of you, one who’s worthy of the love you’ll both give him in return.”
Tears prick my eyes because I want him to be right. I want a forever love with a man who supports my daughter and me. My eyes flash to Mia. She’s fallen asleep. “She’s out,” I whisper. I quickly wipe my mouth and stand to take her.
“Relax, Amanda. She’s perfectly fine where she is.”
“I hate that you’re taking care of her when I’m sitting right here.”
“I’m holding her, and it’s not a hardship. I’ve enjoyed my time with both girls tonight.”
“Yeah.” I smile, nodding toward his head. He chuckles softly but doesn’t move to take the tiara off.
“Coral insisted,” he tells me, finishing off his last bite of pizza.
“Want more?”
“Nah, I’m all set.”
I stand, clear our plates, and close up the pizza box.
“Do you know how to relax?”
“I used to,” I admit. “Now that I’m a single mom, I feel like I need to be on all the time. Ready for anything.”
“That’s true when you’re a parent, but I’m here. Why don’t we go watch the rest of the movie with Coral, or you can take a nap or read or, hell, go do whatever and come back, or let her spend the night with Coral. Just give yourself some time to breathe.”
“We could finish the movie.” I know it well, and it’s about halfway through. Besides, he’s lonely, and it’s the least I can do since he was nice enough to watch my daughter tonight on short notice. We make our way to the living room. Will sits down on the couch, grabs Mia’s blanket, and tosses it over her, where he continues to hold her against his chest. Coral raises her arms to me, so I lift her up and set her on the couch. She pushes me over a little, which puts me closer to Will, then settles her little body next to mine with her favorite blanket curled in her arms.
The moment is cozy, and I find myself nodding off, but I fight it.
“It’s okay, Amanda. Close your eyes.” Will’s deep voice rumbles, and I can’t fight it anymore. The last thing I remember is resting my head against his shoulder before sleep finally claims me.
Five
Will
* * *
My eyes are blurry. The kind of blur that stems from exhaustion. This particular haze has settled in because I’ve been staring too long at numbers and names and trying to make meaning out of them. The depth chart in front of me might as well be written in another language. Red ink, black ink, arrows, question marks, circles. Potential starters. Second-string backups. Practice squad possibilities. Cap hits. Injury histories. College stats. Even high school stats. It’s all there, and after being at this for hours, it’s all one big blob.
I’ve been hunched over this desk since a little after seven this morning. The night shift cleaning crew was just leaving when I walked in, coffee in hand, already feeling exhausted before the workday had even started.
A quick glance at the wall confirms it’s just after eleven in the morning, but it feels like it could be eleven at night.
The draft for this upcoming season is fast approaching. In a few weeks, the decisions we make, or fail to make, will ripple throughout the entire season. Careers will be built. Others will stall. Young men will get their shot at a dream or watch it slip through their fingers.