Chapter 21 Reese
Reese
“I had a really nice time today,” I tell Kennedy, standing toward the edge of the open backyard. “Thank you for inviting me and for hosting.”
The sun is beginning to set. The crowd has started to dissipate.
“I’m glad you came. I hope you felt welcomed by everyone.”
“I did. You were right. It was a good opportunity to get to know people outside of work.”
After I ate dinner with Emmett and his family, we separated from one another for the rest of the potluck.
But I caught him watching me at one point while I was deep in conversation with some of the medical staff.
I caught him looking again when I was laughing at some ridiculous story one of the players was telling me.
It was nice. It took a minute, but eventually it seemed as if they all forgot I was the boss, and instead treated me as if I were one of their own.
“I’ll take the credit for you coming,” Kennedy says with an edge of humor. “But I have a feeling I wasn’t the one who got you here.”
She discreetly tips her head to the side, and I follow to find Emmett making his way out to us. Hat pulled low over his eyes. Hands casually tucked in his denim pockets.
“Hey,” he says, attention locked on me. “You doing okay?”
“Yeah. I’m great.”
“I’m going to go help Isaiah clean up,” Kennedy says, starting in the direction of the house.
“Can I do anything?” I offer.
“Nope. No. You two just enjoy . . . the party.”
She departs, leaving Emmet and me alone at the edge of the yard. The setting sun casts this warm glow against his face, and I’m thankful no one is too close by to watch me admire him. I truly don’t think he understands just how handsome he is.
“Walk with me?” he asks, nodding toward the walkway around the edge of the lake.
Hesitating, I scan the yard. A sunset stroll with him sounds equal parts lovely and like a terrible idea. But a substantial amount of the rest of the staff has gone home and, well . . . I want to spend time with him.
“Okay,” I answer quietly.
We walk for a minute or two in silence, putting space between us and our coworkers, while also keeping distance between us. There must be at least four feet of walkway to separate us. Which is for the best. Whenever we’re shoulder to shoulder these days, Emmett’s fingers find their way to mine.
To ensure that doesn’t happen, I cross my arms over my chest as well, really adding to the distance thing.
“It’s beautiful out here,” Emmett says, breaking the silence. “You don’t get this in the city. Of course, we have the lake, but not this kind of quiet.”
It really is stunning. The sun sparkles off the water and the trees line the walking path. Then you add this hot older guy at my side, and yeah. The view is a bit breathtaking.
“Would you ever want to get out of the city and move to the suburbs?” I ask.
He breathes a small laugh. “Not anytime soon. Maybe I’m doing it all backward, but I spent most of my twenties and all of my thirties in the suburbs.
Well, it was more like the country, I suppose.
In fact, there’s a lake with a similar feel to this behind the house where I raised Miller in Colorado.
But I guess now I’m making up for the parts I skipped by trying to be a bit selfish.
Having the job I want. Living in the city I love. ”
Those last two sentences might not intentionally be directed at me, but we both know the future of where he works and lives rests solely on my shoulders.
“Would you ever . . .” I hesitate. “Live in a different city? Maybe work for a different team?”
I know it’s a silly question as soon as it’s out of my mouth. Of course, the answer is no, but the man kissed me stupid one time and now I’m over here imagining any plausible scenario where I wouldn’t be his boss.
Which is also ridiculous for more than one reason. He already told me he didn’t have it in him to move on from the woman he loved twenty years ago. I should really believe him.
Emmett eyes me, probably wondering what kind of ludicrous daydream I’m creating in my head, so I pull my focus away and instead watch the sun lower a little more.
“Never mi—”
“No,” Emmett answers simply. “If you would’ve asked me that a few years ago, I probably would’ve had another answer for you, but things are different now. My daughter is here, settled down for the first time in her adult life. Max is here. The Rhodes boys are here. I wouldn’t leave now.”
Of course. Why did I even ask that?
“But I’ll be just fine with whatever happens at the end of the season,” he continues, and it’s then I realize he thinks I’m asking because I’ve dangled his contract renewal over his head and not because I have a big, irresponsible crush on the guy.
“If I couldn’t work for the Warriors, I’d maybe move back down to the college level, but I’d stay local. ”
What?
Does he not realize what he just said?
My heart breaks a bit at his answer because I don’t think he even sees it. It’s so ingrained in him to just take care of everyone else.
“Isn’t that exactly what you did when Miller was young? Gave up your career and started coaching college?”
He thinks it over for a moment before exhaling a small laugh. “Well, maybe I’m not so great at being selfish after all.”
He’s so good. So kind. So grumpy when he needs to be, and I just want to protect him and make sure he gets everything he wants out of life. Coaching for this team. Living in this city.
He and I will never be more than that one kiss, but at least I have the power to make sure the two things he wants out of life continue to happen for him. And in that sense, holding his future in my hands doesn’t feel like a burden. It feels like a privilege.
“Especially now,” Emmett says. “After that little announcement today, I’m not going anywhere.”
I can’t help but smile thinking about his reaction. How sweet he was with her, how excited he was for both of them.
I playfully nudge his shoulder with mine and that’s when I realize the distance we were trying to keep between us has practically all been eaten up. But we’re far enough down the walkway that I don’t know if anyone back at the house could see us anyway.
“Did you know they were wanting a second?” I ask.
“Yeah, I knew they wanted Max to have a sibling close in age. They’re getting married later this summer, but Miller isn’t exactly the traditional type. Her being pregnant at her wedding is pretty on-brand for her.”
The more I hear about her, the more I like her.
“Good for her. She knows what she wants and doesn’t care what other people think.”
“She is excellent at not giving a shit about what other people think.” Emmett chuckles. “Not sure if that’s an only child thing or just a Miller thing.”
We continue to walk, but he closes even more distance between us, his arm rubbing my shoulder every few strides.
“Did you ever want more kids?” I ask.
Looking up, I find him smiling to himself.
“What?”
He shakes his head. “I like that you said, ‘more kids’ instead of ‘your own.’ You have no idea how many times people have asked me if I wanted to have kids of my own.”
“What a strange perception of your relationship with your daughter. Have they not seen you two together?”
“That’s always bugged me. Especially when it was said in front of her. But to answer your question, no. I never wanted to have more kids.”
I nod in understanding, assuming that part of the conversation is done.
“Aren’t you going to ask me why not?”
“You don’t have to explain yourself to me,” I say simply. “Whenever I tell people I don’t see myself having kids they love to back that up with endless questions. So, unless you want to talk about it, you don’t have to.”
The smile on his face is soft as he watches me, walking at my side. “I’ve never talked to anyone about this, so maybe I do.”
“Then please, explain yourself.”
He breathes a small laugh. “I first want to say that I love being Miller’s dad. Best thing I’ve done with my life.”
“Emmett, that’s obvious. You don’t have to preface anything.”
“But I kind of got thrown into the deep end then spent a solid thirteen years drowning, trying to figure out how the hell to be a parent. And on top of it, how to do it alone. It was exhausting and scary but also really fucking rewarding. And I am so beyond grateful that Claire chose me. But there’s another side of me that’s also looking forward to figuring out who I am outside of just being a parent.
Miller has her own family now, and doesn’t need me in the same way, and that’s terrifying.
But that’s also really exciting. And I know I’m not making any sense right now. ”
“You are. You made a lot of sacrifices at a very young age that you were happy to make, but you’re also allowed to be excited to live your life for yourself, Em.”
“Yeah.” He nods. “Yeah, I think that’s exactly what it is.”
“And just so you know, you did an excellent job on your first try. Thrown into the deep end or not.”
His lips tilt on one side. “Thanks for saying that. She’s absolutely unhinged half the time, but you can’t win them all.”
“That’s what I like about her. Also . . .” I use my palms to cover my eyes. “Oh my God, I am so sorry for being there when she told you today. I was so out of place and that was such a special moment for you two, and—”
“No.” Emmett stops walking and grabs my arm for me to do the same, pulling my hands away from my face.
“No, I’m glad you were there. It was . .
. nice getting to share it with someone.
There were so many times when she was growing up I wished I had someone to celebrate with.
It’s been lonely in that regard, so today was really nice.
It’s really nice having someone to talk to about it all. ”
Good God. My heart physically aches at the sweet words. At the soft way he says them.
He’s so deserving of literally anything he wants, and it’s difficult to stop myself from basking in his warm attention. How lucky am I to be the one he looks at? For me to be that person he wants to talk to.
His smile is a bit shy and, regardless of the distance we’re supposed to keep, or the professional wall that should be rebuilt, I just want to hug the man.
So, I do.
Not paying attention to how far we are from the house or who may be watching, I kind of throw myself at him, reaching up and wrapping my arms around Emmett’s neck to hug him.
For the first time ever, I realize.
He’s frozen for a moment, clearly caught off guard, but eventually he pulls his hands from his pockets, wrapping one around my lower back, the other sliding into my hair.
“Thanks for choosing me to talk to,” I say quietly.
He buries his face against the curve of my shoulder and holds me tighter. “I’m so glad you came today.”
“I am too.”