Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
Baker
The atmosphere in the stadium is electric.
It’s the first official game of the season, and we’re on fire.
We won all of our preseason games, and that has the team and the coaching staff more amped up for today’s matchup.
So far, it’s been warranted. We’re at the start of the third quarter and up by fourteen points.
For me, it’s more than that. My son is here today. Sloane has him in the suite with her, and I’m stoked. Sure, he’ll never remember this, but I will.
It’s been two months since Sloane started helping me with Camden, and life has been so much better with her around.
Don’t get me wrong, Mrs. Ward was great, but I didn’t come home to laughter and smiles.
I came home to a quiet, maintained home.
My son was happy, fed, and well cared for, but with Sloane, he’s thriving.
He’s talking up a storm, and she’s teaching him so much. He’s counting and learning his colors and shapes. I know she’s a teacher, and that’s what she does, but damn, to see the difference her influence is having on my son hits me in the chest.
Glancing up at the suite, I see Sloane standing with Camden on her hip. She’s pointing down to the field, and I wave to him. He waves back, and I grin. I fucking love that they’re both here today.
“How’s that going?” Knox asks, nodding toward the suite.
“Good, man. She’s teaching him so much.” I smile and shake my head. “He’s a little genius.”
Knox laughs. “Of course, he is. He’s got good genes.”
The whistle blows, and our offense takes the field. We quickly form a huddle as Knox calls the play.
The huddle breaks, and my heart races as I settle into position behind Knox. My fingers twitch on my thighs. My cleats dig into the turf, and my heartbeat roars louder than the crowd.
Knox calls the play. “Blast right. Blue 42. Blue 42. Hike!”
Ball’s coming to me.
I glance left. The linebackers are creeping in. They know the play. Doesn’t matter. I’m faster.
Our center, Greg McCormick, snaps the ball, and it slaps into Knox’s hands perfectly, and I’m on the move.
I have a half a second of hesitation, then bang, I explode left, then cut back hard right.
The O-line crashes like a collapsing wall.
I spot the gap. Just enough daylight between the guard and tackle.
I hit it.
Low. Fast.
Helmet first, legs churning like pistons. Pads crack around me. A hand brushes my hip, but it’s too late. I’m through the line.
Ten yards. Safety’s coming downhill like a missile.
I shift the ball to my left arm, drop my shoulder, and boom. We collide, but I manage to stay on my feet. My world rattles, but I don’t stop. He stumbles, and I spin off. My feet barely touch the turf, and I’m still upright, so I keep moving. Keep pushing.
Fifteen. Twenty.
I see the sideline, hear the crowd. Their voices are loud, but not loud enough to drown out my thoughts—the ones that say my son, and my… Sloane are up there watching me. That’s my motivation to dig deeper and side-step another defenseman.
Cornerback’s closing in. I pump my arms, gripping the ball as if my life depends on it.
Another ten yards. My chest burns, and my legs are heavy. But I’m not going down. Not until they put me there.
Finally, two defenders catch me from behind. One wraps my waist, the other grabs at my legs.
As a group, we tumble forward, but it’s too little too late.
My face is buried in the turf, and my elbow is throbbing. I’m sure it’s scraped, and the ball is held tightly against my ribs.
The ref’s whistle cuts through the noise of the play. I don’t need to look up to see that both of his arms are held high in the air.
I lie here a moment, grinning through the pain.
Touchdown.
Let’s fucking go.
“Daddy fucking Sinclair!” Landry says, hauling me to my feet and crushing me in a hug. My feet leave the ground before he drops me back. “You’re on fire, my man. Three touchdowns. Hell yes!” He continues to cheer.
We’re now up by twenty-one points, all three touchdowns where I’ve carried the ball into the endzone.
Our kicker, Hank Martin, with the powerful leg, came in clutch with the three field goal points, putting us ahead on the board.
I’m not taking all the credit for me and Martin.
Knox had to get the ball into my hands. McCormick had to get it into Knox’s, and the guys had to hold off their defense, but it feels fan-fucking-tastic to know I was the ball carrier on those three plays.
More teammates high-five me, slap me on the back, on the helmet, even on my ass, but I block them all out as my eyes scan to the suites.
I see all the ladies, and the two little ones up there, but I’m only looking for two in particular.
Sloane is jumping up and down with Camden in her arms, and I can see her smile from here.
Without thinking, I tap my chest and point at the suites. The media is going to go crazy over that move, but fuck it. I couldn’t care less. I’m celebrating, and my—they’re here to see it. I’m on top of the world right now.
Throughout the rest of the game, I’m riding a high as my adrenaline courses through me. We don’t score again, but we maintain our twenty-one-point lead and take home the win. First home game of the season is officially in the books with a W next to it.
The locker room is alive as we all celebrate the win.
Coach Warner gives us a well-done speech, and as soon as he’s done, I rush to the showers.
I love my teammates, but it’s my home team I want to be celebrating with right now, and I know Sloane and Camden will be waiting for me, just like Bellamy and Coral will be waiting for Reid, and Rowan and Corie will be waiting for Knox and Landry.
After the fastest shower ever, I pull on sweats and a T-shirt, both clinging to my skin that’s still damp from my shower.
Quickly, I shove my things into my bag and toss the strap over my shoulder.
I look up to see Reid doing the same, and he grins.
“It’s cool to know our kids are out there, huh? ” he asks.
“Yeah,” I agree.
“Wait!” Landry calls out, and we stop to look at him. “What are we doing after this?”
I want to tell him nothing, but it’s a Sunday early game, a home game, and we always get together after. It’s our thing. “My place is fine,” I tell them. “I’ll order pizza or something.” I shrug.
“You sure?” he asks.
I don’t offer my place often because I like to keep things calm for Camden, but I now know that was an excuse I told myself.
It never really felt like home, not really.
All it took was one teacher with dirty-blonde hair, big brown eyes, and a heart the size of the state of Tennessee to help me see I was wrong.
It’s my home. Our home is where I want our friends and family to be. Lines are blurring, and that’s not usually something I’m on board with, but in this case, I want them blurred. Hell, I want them crisscrossed and tethered.
I also want her.
I want Sloane. It’s been weeks of heated glances and me finding little ways to touch her. I can still remember what it was like to wake up with her in my arms. I thought maybe it was the moment she helped me through a hard time, but it’s been weeks, and the yearning I have for her is still there.
Now, I need to pull up my big boy pants and do something about it. I’m tired of sitting on the sidelines. I know the play. Sure, I’m rusty, but I know it. All I have to do is see it through. Follow the play, and get the girl.
I’ve got this.
Starting today.
“I’m sure. I’ll see you there. Make sure you tell Beckett and Vaughn.” I don’t want Knox and Foster to be excluded.
“On it,” Landry says, as Reid and I turn and make our way out of the locker room.
As soon as we step into the family waiting area, I see them. Camden has his head on Sloane’s shoulder. I watch as she kisses his forehead and rubs his back. Sloane texted me, telling me that he didn’t get a nap before the game, and I’m sure he’s ready to crash.
In a few long strides, I’m standing before them.
Dropping my bag to the floor, I place one hand on Camden’s back while the other snakes around her waist. I kiss my son on top of his head before leaning toward Sloane.
I kiss her, too, just a peck to the corner of her mouth, before pulling them both into my chest and holding them.
“Daddy, ball,” Camden says sleepily. He holds his arms out for me, which means I have to let go of Sloane to take him into my arms. He wraps his little arms around my neck, and he might as well be squeezing my damn heart.
“That’s right. You watched Daddy play ball today. We won,” I tell him.
“Congrats on the win. Three touchdowns, impressive,” Sloane says, smiling up at me.
I take a minute to check her out, not giving a single fuck if anyone notices. That’s when I realize she’s wearing Knox’s jersey. “What’s this?” I ask, reaching out to tug at the hem of her jersey.
“Supporting the team.” She shrugs, as if it’s no big deal that she’s wearing one of my best friends’ numbers instead of mine.
“I love that, I do, but you’re wearing the wrong number.”
She looks down at her jersey, then back up to me. “Knox didn’t change his number.”
Even though there’s this burning need inside me for her to be wearing my number, and my number only, I still chuckle. “No. Knox didn’t change his number, but you should be wearing my number. My name should be across your back.”
Her eyes widen. She parts her lips to reply, but all she says is “Umm.”
I smile down at her before bending so that my lips are next to her ear. I want my next words to be just for her. “I know you feel this, too, Sloane.” I kiss the spot below her ear before standing back to my full height.
She peers up at me under long lashes and nods. “I do,” she whispers.
Before I can acknowledge her confession, Camden speaks up. “Daddy, baby.” He points behind us, where Reid stands holding Coral.
“That’s baby Coral, and she’s coming to our house to see you today. You ready to go home?” I ask him. He nods, and I look over at Sloane. “What about you? You ready?”
“I’m all set.” She smiles up at me, and I want to kiss those lips, but I won’t do it here. The first time I kiss her, it will be just the two of us. “Everyone’s coming over,” I tell her. “We’re just going to order pizza. Is that okay?”
“Of course, it's okay.” She furrows her brow as if she can’t understand why I would ask her.
“Good. Let’s get him home to nap.”
“I’ll take this.” She bends to pick up my bag.
“I can carry both. I’m used to it,” I tell her.
Another soft smile is aimed my way. “Yeah, but you have me, and you don’t have to.”
Something about those ten words burrow into my chest like concrete. Solid, firm, permanent. “Let’s go home,” I mumble, sliding my arm around her waist.
“So, we’ll see you all at Baker’s?” Sloan asks Corie, Rowan, Bellamy, and Amanda, stepping forward out of my hold.
“That’s what I hear,” Bellamy replies, smiling at her husband, who’s holding their daughter and making silly faces at her to get her to laugh.
“Okay, we’ll see you soon.” Sloane turns back around and starts walking away. My bag is tossed over one shoulder, and the diaper bag is on the other.
“You going to just stand there?” Foster asks.
I turn to look at him. “Enjoying the view,” I confess.
He chuckles and shakes his head. “You need me to bring anything?”
“Nope. Just you. We’re ordering food.”
“All right.” He nods. “See you in a while.” He saunters off.
I smile as I make my way to where Sloane stopped to look back for me. Once I reach her, I place my free hand on the small of her back and lead her out to my car.
“Um, I drove,” she reminds me, once we stop next to my SUV.
“Leave it. It’ll be fine here. We’ll come by and get it tomorrow.”
“I can drive home.” She laughs. “I didn’t touch a drop of alcohol while I had Camden with me.”
“I know,” I assure her. “I just want you both with me.”
She stops walking and turns to face me. Her brown eyes show me what her words don’t.
She wants to be with us, too. But she still fights me on it when she says, “It’s silly to make another trip here tomorrow.
Besides, you’re off tomorrow. I assumed you’d want the day to hang with this little guy.
” She reaches up and pushes Camden’s hair out of his eyes.
“I don’t want to be in the way of your time with him. ”
“You won’t be,” I assure her. “Let me drive us home.”
“I’ll be right behind you. I promise. I’m going to stop and pick up some brownie mix. It’s quick and easy, and we’ll have a dessert. You know Landry and Reid will ask you if you have anything.”
“I can stop at the store, too,” I counter.
“Baker Sinclair, what is going on with you?” She chuckles, grinning up at me. “Get this little man home. I’ll be there soon.” She nods for me to open the back of my SUV so she can put the bags inside.
I blow out a heavy breath. I want her with us, but I know this is a fight I’m not going to win.
Not without sounding like a possessive asshole.
And as far as tomorrow goes? She’s going to be there with us.
Where she belongs. I know I’m paying her, and it’s all kinds of complicated, so why not make it even more so?
I’ll ask her to stay later, but if plans go my way, she’ll be sleeping next to me again tonight. I don’t even care if I have to use my son to guilt her into it. He loves her, and if I have to fight dirty, then so be it.
“Fine,” I grumble. I hit the button on the key fob to open the back of my SUV, and she places my bag and the diaper bag in the back before hitting the button to close it.
“Do you need anything else from the store?” she asks.
“I guess since you’re stopping, maybe get some chips, too. I’ll order pizza and wings. Do we have drinks?”
“Yes, the garage fridge is still stocked.”
“Okay, just some chips unless there’s something else you want. Whatever it is, you use my card to get it all.”
“I can buy some brownies and chips, Baker. My boss pays me well.” She smirks.
“Use mine.” My words leave no room for argument. Opening the back door, I get Camden settled into his car seat and step back. Before I can close the door, Sloane slips in front of me and bends down to talk to him.
“I’ll see you soon, little man. You were such a good boy today,” she praises him.
“Cam, good,” he says, patting his chest.
“That’s right.” She kisses his cheek before standing and turning to face me. “I’ll see you soon.” She turns to leave, but I grab her wrist, pulling her back to me. I close the car door and pull her into my chest.
“Drive safely,” I say, hugging her tight.
“I will,” she says, returning my embrace.
I have to let her go, so I do so reluctantly. She smiles, waves, and turns to walk to her car. I don’t move until I see her climb inside and drive away.