Scoring with the Coach’s Daughter (Maine Megalodons #3)

20. Jake

20

JAKE

I hesitate on the porch, my hand hovering over the door handle.

The light inside glows warm against the darkening sky, casting soft shadows against the curtains. They're having dinner. I can picture it—Ellie chattering away, Sam moving through the motions, both of them in the rhythm of their little world.

A world I’m still not sure I belong in.

How long should I stay?

The thought has been gnawing at me since Sam and I had it out the other night. I let my frustration get the best of me, which is understandable given the situation.

However, I meant every word I said, but that doesn’t make this any easier. We’re at a crossroads. Will Sam reach for me, or the security she surrounds herself with—the world where she refuses to let anyone in?

My good intentions do nothing to erase the disdain in her eyes when she looked at me—like I was the problem. I had no right to tell her how to raise her daughter. All I wanted was to be a part of their lives, not as a guest passing through it .

Maybe I’m moving too fast for her. Maybe I should slow down and give her space.

Or maybe I’ve been fooling myself all along and giving her the benefit of the doubt without thinking it through.

I exhale sharply and push the door open.

The smell of roasted chicken and warm bread drifts through the air, wrapping around me like a blanket. Sam is at the table, her head slightly bowed as she slices Ellie’s chicken into small bites. Ellie is swinging her legs under the table, humming to herself. They don’t notice me at first.

Then Ellie looks up, and her whole face lights up.

“Jake!” She drops her fork and launches herself from her chair so fast that Sam barely has time to react. Her little arms wrap tight around my waist, and I steady myself as if her overwhelming energy might topple me. I’m caught between relief and guilt. But there’s more to it than that.

I squeeze her back. “Hey, Peanut.”

My heart lurches in my chest as I glance at Sam.

When she finally lifts her gaze, it’s unreadable. She’s probably caught between relief and wondering where I’ve been all day. She doesn’t say anything.

I don’t know what I expected. A fight? A cold shoulder? The longer I stand, the more concerned I become. I’d be happy if she gave me a clue to tell me what her mood is.

Instead, she just goes back to cutting Ellie’s food.

My chest tightens.

I’m not sure which is worse—her anger, or this distance.

I clear my throat. "Mind if I sit?"

Ellie nods enthusiastically, dragging me toward the table before Sam can answer. I take the seat across from her, feeling like I just stepped into a room where the air is thinner and harder to breathe.

Sam doesn’t look at me. Not once .

Avoidance.

I expected coldness, but not this.

Ellie doesn’t seem to notice the tension, or maybe she does and is just determined to push through it.

“Someone got in trouble at school today,” she announces, stabbing a piece of chicken with her fork.

I raise an eyebrow. “Yeah? What happened?”

She leans in like it’s a big secret. “James tried to hide a frog in his desk. It jumped out during math, and Ms. Connors screamed soooo loud.”

I grin despite myself. “That’s pretty funny.”

Ellie nods with a grin. “It was. But he got sent to the principal’s office. I hope the frog is okay.”

I chuckle, shaking my head, and for a moment, it’s almost normal. Almost like I haven’t spent the last twenty-four hours wondering if I still have a place here.

Sam evades my looks.

I try not to let it get to me, but it does.

Dinner moves along in quiet spurts of conversation, most of it led by Ellie. Sam is polite but distant, a version of herself I don’t recognize, and by the time we’re clearing the table, the weight in my chest feels heavier than before.

How much longer am I supposed to fight for this?

Ellie hugs me tight before heading off for the night, her little voice soft against my shirt.

“I missed you.”

I close my eyes for a second, steadying myself before pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “I missed you too, kid.”

She scampers off, leaving me alone with Sam.

The silence stretches into a minute but it feels like an eternity.

She turns, moving toward the sink.

“Are you going to talk to me, or are we just going to pretend none of this happened?”

Then she sighs, setting a plate in the sink before finally—finally—turning to face me.

Her expression is tired, but not angry.

“I don’t want to pretend it didn’t happen,” she says quietly. “I’m new to this.”

“To what?” I ask confused.

“To dating, to being a single mom dating who’s dating, to be precise. I know I need to compromise,” she says softly. "I know I need to let go more. But it’s hard, Jake. It’s hard when the only person I’ve ever been able to count on is myself.”

I exhale, dragging a hand through my hair. “Is that it, or is it the fact that you never ask anyone for help, Sam? I’m not asking you to give up control. I just want to be here. I want you to let me be here and involved.”

She swallows. “It’s tough for me to be vulnerable.”

Her voice cracks just enough that it hits me deep.

I nod slowly, my chest loosening—but only a little.

“I get that. But we need to figure this out,” I say. “Because I’m not going to keep fighting to prove that I belong in your life if you continue to push me away.”

She looks down, fingers twisting together.

“If I push too hard or if I’m moving too fast, tell me. Because I don’t know how much longer I should stay if you’re not interested.”

Her breath catches, and I know she feels it—the weight of this moment— of what’s at stake.

“I don’t want you to go,” she admits.

I step closer, testing the space between us. “But?”

She closes her eyes, shaking her head. “I don’t know what comes next. I don’t know how to do this without screwing it up. ”

I reach out, tilting her chin up until she meets my gaze.

“You don’t have to know everything right now, it’s baby steps,” I tell her.

She nods and walks into me. I hug her. She feels so good in my arms. I pull her to me. God, I’ve missed her.

She wraps her arms around me and I feel like this is home.

“So, we’re good?” she asks.

“Yeah, now we need to get Ellie to bed so we can have makeup sex.”

“I’m all yours Jake Rivers.”