Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
SUTTON
“ M ommy, do I have to like football?” Lydia asks from the backseat. “I don’t know if I like football.”
Pulling up to the stoplight, I peer into the backseat. Lydia is looking out the window, her pigtails done up to perfection under her hat.
“You don’t have to. But Uncle Jameson will be there. And you’ll get to see Troy again.”
“Can we play?”
The light turns green, and I turn into the parking lot of the high school where Derek coaches. It’s already packed to the brim with people.
Following the cars in front of me, I find a parking spot at the very back of the lot and park the car. Students are decked out in the school colors with pom-poms in hand.
“Well, I don’t know if you’ll be able to play together,” I tell her. “But I think you’ll have fun watching the game.”
“Can we leave if I don’t like it?”
I try not to laugh as I unbuckle my seatbelt and get out of the car to help her .
“Well, we can’t really leave if you don’t like it, sweetheart, but we’ll take you out to dinner after,” I promise.
“Can we get pizza?”
“Pizza sounds good.”
I have no doubt that Troy won’t mind pizza after the game either.
“Yay! I love pizza.”
Grabbing her hand, I lock the door then head toward the concrete building in front of us.
There’s an energy rolling through the parking lot. Everyone is excited for the game tonight. It reminds me of the days where I used to do this with my ex.
I was so caught up in doing everything he did. I loved getting to hang out with the coolest guy in school, or at least that’s what it felt like at the time.
Now I just realize he wanted to show off most of the time.
“There’s my two favorite people!” Jameson calls out, standing near the ticket booth. He’s standing with a man that I don’t recognize, but I can only assume is Gunnar.
The two of them could not be more opposite. Jameson is a rainbow in human form, while Gunnar…well, he looks like a storm cloud is hanging over his head.
I’ve heard enough about him these last few weeks that I’m excited to finally meet the man who has swept Jameson up.
“Uncle Jameson!” Lydia drops my hand and makes a beeline for him. “Can you make me a balloon amnamal tonight?” She stutters over animal, the word always giving her trouble.
“Sorry, baby girl. I don’t have anything to make one for you tonight, but I promise the next time I see you, I’ll make you an extra big one, okay?”
“Okay. Maybe a really big dog.”
“A giant dog just for you.”
Jameson sets her down and turns to the man next to him. “Lydia, would you like to meet my new friend? ”
Lydia casts a wary eye to the man next to Jameson. His dirty-blond hair is effortlessly styled. The angle of his jaw gives him a serious look. But his eyes give him away. The deep brown pools are looking at Jameson like he hung the moon.
Good. He deserves someone who will treat him right after the trail of losers he’s dated.
Lydia beckons Jameson to her level with a wiggle of her finger. “Is he your best friend?”
Jameson stands, giving me a warm smile. “You’ll always be my best friend, Lydia.”
“Ouch. Good to know I’m so easily replaced,” I tell him.
“Well, your kid’s really cute, so it’s easy to replace you,” he tells me. “But let me introduce you to Gunnar.”
“Sutton, it’s nice to meet you.” Gunnar sticks a hand out to shake. I return it, noting how firm it is. I always notice a good handshake. It’s something I’ve always been taught—you can’t fake a good handshake and the impression it gives off.
“I’ve heard a lot about you, Sutton,” Gunnar tells me.
I smile back at him. “I’ve heard a lot about you too.”
“And he’ll get to meet Derek later, right?” Jameson asks.
“After the game.”
Jameson links one arm with me before grabbing tight to Lydia’s hand. She holds her free hand out to Gunnar, and he doesn’t hesitate before taking it.
“He just won her over,” I whisper to Jameson.
“It’s not hard to do.”
Jameson looks just as lovestruck as Gunnar does.
Walking toward the entrance, I pull up the tickets Derek emailed me and get us all scanned in.
Even with so many people still in the parking lot, the bleachers are filling up. Concession stands, which look to be managed by high school kids, have long lines snaking around the ramps.
We find our gate before walking down the concrete steps toward the metal bleacher seats. Not the most comfortable for a night, but I can manage.
Both teams are on the field warming up, and from what I can remember, they’ll be heading back toward the locker room so they can make their grand entrance.
Friday night football is all the rage.
After I told Mom our plans, she took it upon herself to look up the stats for Derek’s team. Having not been to a game since high school, she figured I could brush up on it.
“Anyone want some snacks?” I ask.
“Popcorn, please!” Lydia pipes up.
“I’ll take some too,” Gunnar says, pulling out some cash from his wallet. “My treat tonight.”
“That’s kind of you.”
The lights are bright overhead as I walk back up the steps to wait in the long line. Excited chatter for the game tonight floats through the air.
The team is 5-0 already, with junior varsity not far behind at 4-1. I can’t wait to see how the team plays. How Derek does coaching.
Is this what my Friday nights could look like?
If this thing with Derek continues, I’ll be spending more and more nights here when I’m not working. Would I eventually be the coach’s wife?
I don’t know why the thought runs uninhibited through my head. We’ve only really been doing this for a few weeks.
Way to get ahead of yourself, Sutton.
But even in that time, I’ve met his son. Hell, I introduced him to Lydia. Is it really too much to hope that things could keep going this well?
It’s not like I’d just introduce any random person to Lydia. She’s my entire world, and I will do everything to protect her.
But within ten minutes, Derek showed me that Lydia would matter to him too .
“What’s got you so doe-eyed?” Jameson asks as I return to our seats.
Lydia is chatting Gunnar’s ear off about her favorite TV show. He’s eating up every word as she tells him about the family of dogs that lives in Australia. It earns him extra points in my book because not everyone can handle a kid talking nonstop.
“Nothing.”
“Don’t you nothing me, honey.” Jameson swats at my leg as I hand a bucket of popcorn and a water to Lydia. “Does it have to do with a certain stud on the field?”
I follow his gaze toward the sidelines. Derek is there, in the middle of the huddle, talking to a few of the guys. His hat is swung backward on his head, and it does funny things to my insides.
Derek is in his element down there, pointing things out to the players as they listen intently. When he breaks the huddle, they start working through drills.
“You really like him, huh?” Jameson’s voice breaks through my thoughts about what this man does to me.
“Well, I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t like him.”
Jameson elbows me in the side as the marching band and cheerleaders make their way onto the field.
It’s then an older couple and a young kid I recognize walk toward us.
“Miss Sutton!” Troy’s tiny voice pops up over the rest of the crowd, the stadium more full now that the game is going to be starting soon.
“Hi, Troy.”
“Are you here to watch Daddy’s team play?” he asks.
The hat that sits on top of his head hides most of his face. The sleeve of his jacket is stretched across his blue cast, but I can see the T-shirt that he’s wearing to support Derek’s team.
“Hi, Troy.” Lydia wiggles out from her seat to move to my other side. “Mommy said we could play together. ”
I’m about to correct her when Troy does it for me, shaking his head in a firm manner. “We have to watch football. My daddy’s the coach.”
“Is he good?” Lydia asks.
Troy nods his head. “The bestest.”
I smile at how cute the two of them are.
“Oh honey, you are in so much trouble,” Jameson whispers to me.
“Stop it,” I hiss.
“You must be Sutton.” The older woman behind Troy extends her hand in greeting.
“Hi. Are you Derek’s mom?” I shake her hand.
“I’m Patricia. And this is my husband, Tony.”
Derek is the spitting image of his dad. While his mom has a stark bob of all-white hair, Tony’s is cut short with gray starting to spread through the temples.
Except Derek has his mother’s eyes. They’re warm and kind, just like hers.
“It’s so nice to meet you both.”
“Is this your first time at a high school football game?” Patricia asks, sitting on the other side of Troy. Lydia is next to me, Jameson having moved closer to Gunnar so Lydia and Troy could sit together.
“It is—other than when I was in high school myself.”
Nerves start to take hold in my gut. I want to make a good impression in front of these people. The only other parents I ever met were my in-laws, and they weren’t the greatest of people. Danny could do no wrong in their eyes, so if things weren’t going right, it was my fault.
“Well, if you need help following the game, just ask us. Or Troy. He knows more about the game than anyone,” Patricia tells me. “He’s his dad’s biggest fan.”
Troy is pointing something out to Lydia, and it warms me from the inside out.
“I will. It’s been awhile since I’ve been to a game. ”
“Well, you’re in for a treat. The team is great this year.”
Her husband hands her a juice box to pass over to Troy. “Can Lydia have one?” he asks.
“Sure.”
“Thank you,” she tells him as he hands another one over.
The crowd starts to cheer and chant as the team runs off the field. My eyes immediately scan the crowd for Derek and lock on to him.
It’s as if my gaze brings his focus to mine. A small smile tugs at the corner of his mouth before he gives me a small, subtle wave.
It has butterflies exploding in my chest.
One look and I’m completely gone. I could sit out here in the pouring rain and watch this man coach. Watch this man do anything really.
“Oh yes, you’ll enjoy the game.” Patricia laughs next to me.
I don’t think I’ll have any problem enjoying the game at all.