Chapter 20
twenty
. . .
Lincoln
“Is this what you do every day?” Lionel asked after he heaved into a bush for the third time.
Brinkley stood there, rubbing her hand across his back to comfort him as she spoke. “Don’t be too hard on yourself. His workouts are not normal.”
My gaze locked with hers.
That’s right, sweetheart. My favorite workouts were with her in the bedroom at the start and end of every day.
Her cheeks pinked because she knew what I was thinking, but she rolled her eyes and smirked like I was ridiculous. This was our shtick. Me saying how crazy I was about her, and her acting like I was going to tire of her any day now.
But that wasn’t going to happen.
It was a big part of the reason that I wanted my mom to come out this weekend. I’d told her I’d met someone, and she was excited to meet Brinkley.
They were the two most important women in my life, and I wanted them to meet.
“I can feel I’m getting stronger, though,” Lionel said. He’d worked out with us four days this week, and he’d puked every time. The poor kid would need to double his calories to make up for these workouts and the fact that he couldn’t make it through a workout without chucking his breakfast.
“You are getting stronger. So, what did Coach Hardin say when you spoke to him yesterday?” I asked, and we all three dropped down to sit in the grass, looking out at the water.
“He said they’re interested. He isn’t sure if he has any money left in the budget because it’s so late now and the recruiting season is basically over. But he wants me to come out there, so my mom is pricing some tickets.”
“Don’t worry about that. I’ve got you. I’ll get you there,” I said, and Brinkley’s eyes snapped up to meet mine. “Do you want to play there?”
“Yes. They have a really good business school, which is what I want to major in.”
“Then how about you and I go check it out?”
“What? You’re coming with me?”
“Fuck yeah, I am. I’ll talk to your mom and make sure she’s good with it.
You need to have someone there asking the right questions.
We’re not going to let you go out there and get pushed around, Lionel.
You’ve got decent stats, and you haven’t even really been coached yet.
The potential is there. I believe it. So, we’ll make sure that Coach Hardin, and anyone else who reaches out, knows it. ”
“I don’t know how to thank you.”
“How about you double up your calories after your workouts so you don’t wither away? Can you do that for me?” The kid’s biggest issue at the moment was the fact that he needed to put some weight and some muscle on his bones.
“I could start making you green juices from my garden if things would ever grow. I’ve been waiting forever,” Brinkley said, shaking her head, which made me laugh.
Every damn day we went and checked on that ridiculous garden. It had a long way to go, and whole vegetables and fruits were not going to just start popping up that quickly. It would take time.
I wanted to do something for her, and I knew that she would never ask for help with anything.
So, Georgia had met a few people from the nursery at the house this morning for me, to oversee some updates to the garden that I wanted to surprise Brinkley with.
“Thanks, Miss Brinkley,” Lionel said as we started walking toward the house where his car was parked. “I’ll try to bulk up some.”
There was an awkward pause there, and I knew something was up.
I knew the look on his face.
He wanted this but didn’t have the means to do it.
His mother lived on a fixed income, from what Brinkley had told me. She couldn’t just double her grocery bill. I should have thought of that before I called him out for it.
I clapped him on the shoulder. “I’ve got some things that helped me a lot when I was trying to put on some weight back in the day. Let me look into it for you.”
He nodded as he stopped in front of his car. “I appreciate it. And I get free dinner at Reynolds’ when I work, and I don’t think Hugh would mind if I increased my portions a bit.”
“Of course, he wouldn’t.” Brinkley smiled.
“I’ll see you both tomorrow if you’re still okay with me joining in?” he asked.
“Absolutely.” I held up my hand and waved.
After he pulled down the driveway, Brinkley turned to me. “Look at you. You’re going with him to see the school?”
“It’s not a big deal,” I said, avoiding her stare.
“You’re a big softy, Captain.”
She ran for the back door, and I chased her. I scooped her up and dropped her onto the couch, hovering over her.
“Do I strike you as a softy?” I teased as I thrust my erection against her.
She laughed and tugged me down before my mouth crashed into hers.
When I pulled back, she glanced at her wrist to check the time. “Shit. I’ve got to grab a fast shower and then pick up Gracie from preschool. My parents weren’t able to pick her up today, so I’m going to go get her.”
“I’ll come with you,” I said, scooping her up and carrying her toward the bedroom.
I set her down on the bathroom counter, and her lips turned up in the corners. “Really? We’re going to the Tipsy Tea; you sure you want to come with us?”
“I am.” I smirked before turning on the shower as we both stripped our clothes off and stepped in.
Obviously, we couldn’t keep our hands to ourselves, so showering together was my new favorite thing. I pressed her against the wall and thrust into her, as my lips found hers.
We were like a finely tuned ship. We could go at it for hours, or we could find our release in minutes. Our bodies fit together like they were made for one another.
We quickly dried off, and Brinkley slicked her hair back into a bun at the nape of her neck. She dabbed a little gloss on her lips, did something to her eyelashes, and we were out the door.
I’d insisted on driving, so we’d moved the car seat thingy into my car. Brinkley guided me to the school and talked me through the pickup line. I’d never heard of a drive-through where you got a child at the end of the line, but I also had very little experience with children.
“There she is,” Brinkley said as she rolled the window down and waved.
A woman escorted Gracie to the car. She was probably the cutest kid I’d ever seen. She wore a navy plaid jumper, a white blouse beneath, and some navy knee socks. Her hair was pulled up in two buns on top of her head. But she wasn’t donning the big smile she’d worn the last time I’d seen her.
“Have a good one. We’ll see you tomorrow, Gracie,” the woman said.
“Goodbye,” Gracie said quietly. “Hi, Auntie Brinks and Links.”
Brinkley glanced at me, her brows cinched together as I pulled out of the circular drive and headed toward downtown.
“Hey, how was your day?”
“Fine.”
“Fine? It’s not like you to be this quiet. Did something happen today?”
She didn’t respond. I glanced in my rearview mirror as I pulled in front of the tea place, and Gracie just stared out the window.
“Something is up,” Brinkley whispered close to my ear before she unbuckled herself.
We got out of the car and walked into the Tipsy Tea, which was some sort of little girl store, and everything was pink and floral. It smelled like watermelon bubblegum. An elderly woman walked over, and Brinkley introduced me.
“This is Matilda. She owns this gorgeous store. Matilda, this is Lincoln.”
“Nice to meet you, Lincoln. Congrats on signing with the Thunderbirds. We’ll miss you playing for San Francisco, but my husband and I will be cheering you on all the same this year.”
“I appreciate it.”
“I’m guessing it’s a special day with Auntie Brinks, and you’ll get to pick out a lovely prize?” Matilda bent down to greet Gracie before shooting a look at Brinkley.
Apparently, everyone here was fluent in the behavior of this kid, aside from me. Hell, sometimes I don’t feel like talking. Doesn’t mean anything other than I don’t feel like talking.
“Yes, ma’am,” Gracie said, and she gave a small smile.
“Great, well, you enjoy yourselves. We got some new things in this morning, so go wander around and check it out.”
She waved and walked toward the cash register.
Brinkley followed Gracie down an aisle with a whole lot of pink shit, and her phone buzzed.
“Oh. It’s John Jones from Football Live calling,” she gasped.
“Go take it outside. I’ve got this.”
“Okay. Thank you. I’ll be right back, Gracie. Stay with Links.”
Gracie nodded as Brinkley darted out of the store. We came to a stop in front of a pair of pink cowboy boots.
“Do you like those?” I asked as she studied them.
“I do. But that’s a fancy present.” She picked one up and smiled at it.
“I think we should try those on.” I bent down and unbuckled her navy school shoes and looked on the bottom for the size before finding a pair of boots of the same size. She held onto my shoulder with her tiny hands, and I helped her slip into them.
“Preston told me that I’m weird because my dog’s name is Bob Picklepants.” She shrugged. Was this some sort of little girl confessional? I didn’t know what was happening, but I’d go with it.
“Preston sounds like a tool. I like the name Bob Picklepants. And there’s nothing weird about you, Gracie Reynolds. I say you rock these pink boots at school tomorrow and ignore him.”
Her brows cinched as if she were considering saying something but wasn’t sure. “He said I’m weird because I don’t have a mama, too.”
My motherfucking chest tightened so much it was painful. I took her little hand in mine as I remained bent down so I could look into her dark eyes that were so similar to Brinkley’s. They were watering just the slightest bit, and I wanted to beat the fuck out of this Preston kid for hurting her.
“Do you know that I didn’t have a dad growing up? And I’m certainly not weird, am I? I think it makes us extra cool because we’ve got one parent that loves us enough for two. Not many people can say that.”
Her eyes widened, and her lips turned up in the corners with a genuine smile as she used the back of her hand to wipe away the single tear that had just rolled down her cheek. This little girl was something special.
“You’re not weird, Links. We’re both extra cool,” she said, as if I’d just fixed all her problems.
I wanted to drive right down to that school tomorrow and give Preston a piece of my fucking mind.
Kids, man. They could be brutal.
“I think that pink hat would look awfully cute on you with the boots,” I said, because now she was looking down at her feet and smiling.
“I can’t get two prizes in one day,” she said. “That’s not the rules.”
“Well, I’m here today. I think we should get a couple of things.” I reached for the hat, but before I placed it on her, she tugged at her two little buns sitting on her head.
“We needs to take these out first or the hat won’t fit. Can you help me?”
I gently tried to remove the elastic from each one, but I didn’t want to yank her hair. She shocked me when she placed a hand on my cheek and smiled. “You won’t hurt me, Links. Daddy says I’m the toughest girl around, next to Auntie Brinks.”
I chuckled as her hair sprung loose and dark spiral curls fell down around her shoulders. I plopped the hat on her head and pushed to stand all the way up.
I’d never even known that tiny humans could be this adorable.
She hurried to the mirror and gasped.
“I look extra cool, don’t I, Links?”
“You sure do.”
Matilda came walking over and clapped her hands together. “Well, aren’t you the cutest girl in the world. And you’ll look perfect at the fair this summer.”
“I insist on getting them,” I said.
“I can’t believe it. Can I wear them out of the store, Miss Matilda?”
“You sure can.”
I held her little navy shoes in my hand and glanced around. “Is there anything else that you like?”
Those dark eyes grew wide again, and she covered her mouth with both hands, as if she couldn’t believe I’d asked the question, and I swear I’d get this little girl one of everything in this store if she asked for it.
Matilda pointed to the back of the store and said that they’d gotten some new dresses in, so I followed Gracie over there. But she’d passed by the sundresses that were hanging on a rack and gasped when she saw a rack full of white, puffy dresses that looked more like wedding gowns.
“Links,” she whispered, and her little voice shook. “Look at that one. It’s a real princess dress. Not a pretend one.”
Matilda chuckled and pulled down the one Gracie was pointing to.
“This is a flower girl dress. I think you’re going to be a flower girl in your uncle Hugh’s wedding and your aunt Georgia’s weddings. But didn’t you already get dresses for those?”
“Yes.” Gracie nodded. “They are real pretty but not fancy like this one.”
“I think you should try it on. You can wear it to Sunday dinner at your grandparents’ house,” I said.
Matilda chuckled, and Gracie jumped up and down as the older woman said she’d help her try it on. I waited and walked over to the front of the store to see Brinkley on the phone, pacing in circles out in front of the store as she spoke.
“Links!” Gracie shouted, and I made my way back. She twirled around and did some sort of curtsy, managing to keep her pink cowboy hat on her head. “Look at me. I’m a real, live princess.”
Matilda walked out, carrying her school uniform and raising a brow at me as if this was going to be a tough one to turn down.
But that wasn’t going to happen.
This girl had gotten her heart hurt today, and if a fancy dress and some boots and a hat made her smile, I’d do it ten times over.
Hell, I’d give her my goddamn kidney if she needed it right now.
This was nothing.
“I don’t see how we can walk out of here without it,” I teased. “Let’s get it.”
“Do you want to wear it out of the store with the boots and the hat?” the older woman asked.
“Yes, ma’am!” Gracie jumped up and attempted to give me a high-five, but she missed, which made me laugh. Matilda cut off the tags and made her way around the counter.
I handed over my credit card, and we tossed her school clothes and shoes into a bag.
“Thank you, Links. This is the best day ever.” Gracie smiled up at me as I reached for her hand to lead her toward the exit, just as the door opened and Brinkley walked in.
One brow raised, she put her hands on her hips. “What’s going on here?”
“Me and Links is extra cool, Auntie.”
Damn straight.
Enough said.