Chapter 29
CHAPTER 29
KINSLEY
“Are we there yet?”
“Not yet.”
“What about now?”
“Cooper.”
He looks up at me and whispers, “Now?”
I laugh under my breath and run a hand over his brown waves. “We’ll be there soon.”
He leans into my side with a dramatic sigh and I shake my head, looking out the window. The grass of the rolling hills dances in the breeze, a storming brewing in the distance.
Please don’t let that be a sign.
The past forty eight hours have been… interesting.
I don’t think I could have made it through everything if it weren’t for Jace.
Jace.
The man who caught me crying and instead of turning the other direction, sat down and listened to my blubbering words. Who took my hand, wiped my tears, and told me that everything would be okay. That we would figure this out.
The man who spent the last two days making calls, coming up with a plan and who called this morning, asking to meet him at the team’s headquarters… with Cooper.
I don’t know what to expect when we get there, but they wouldn’t fire me in front of my kid right? Right?
The thought may have crossed my mind when I fussed over Cooper’s clothes and hair more than normal before we left. You know, just in case. Because who can do something like that in front of a cute kid?
My knee bounces as I check my watch, Cooper giggling that I’m making him all wobbly. The bus ride to the Miller Racing Headquarters isn’t terribly long. I would have preferred to drive, but Rose had a doctor’s appointment this afternoon.
She told me she’d be fine taking the bus to which I crossed my arms, giving her my best ‘not going to happen, lady’ look. Still the old bat tried sneaking the keys into my purse every chance she got.
But I had the world’s cutest little trojan horse on my side.
Is using my kid to do my bidding a little out there? No, that’s what they’re there for.
Was he all too excited to pull a fast one on his Gran? Absolutely.
He took the wrapped scone I’d given him over to her in the coffee shop with a beaming smile, handed it over before high tailing it back behind the counter, and snickered behind his hand as she opened the bag.
His wide eyes met mine when she yelled out his full name and I snatched him up, making a break for it as he giggled with every step.
Kinsley and Cooper: 1
Granny Rose: 0
I smile at the memory of his cheers and take a deep breath, running my hand over the back of his head as he snuggles farther into my side. I let the motion of the bus and the feel of his soft curls under my fingers calm my racing heart.
Jace told me to meet him there at one, and we would have made it if it weren’t for the bus running behind on top of getting stuck behind a farmer herding his sheep across the road. I glance at the clock above the door and I internally groan when it shows that it’s now fifteen minutes past one.
Another ten minutes later, the bus slows and I lean down. “We’re here.”
Cooper’s head pops up with renewed energy and he shoots out of the chair, calling for me to ‘hurry up already.’
He has no idea where we’re going, but to a six year old, anywhere new is exciting. We could be going to the mail center and he’d be vibrating with the need to get as many postage stickers as possible.
Ah, to see the world through kids’ eyes.
I laugh as I follow him down the stairs, grabbing his hand when we hit the sidewalk. We walk down past the back of the bus and I freeze when I see the man standing on the other side of the street.
Jace leans against a golf cart, arms crossed as he watches a little boy with blond hair twist the wheel as if he’s driving a race car. The boy looks up at him with a beaming smile and bright blue eyes before focusing back on the imaginary track in front of him.
Beckham.
Since finding out that we’ve been pen pals all these years through the Facebook group for families living with diabetes, there’s this simmering connection between us. Like how I know things about him and he knows things about me someone usually wouldn’t after only meeting in person just over a month ago.
I’m not scared to admit that I might have had a crush on his secret identity all this time. And now I have a face, a whole man, to put to the words I read countless times.
And what a man he is. Both versions of him.
A startled squeak leaves me when the bus hisses before pulling away from the curb. Cooper giggles and I look down at him. “What are you laughing at?”
“Mummy got scared by the bus.” He breaks into another fit of laughter.
I scrunch my face and bend down, wrapping my arms around him and acting like I’m going to eat him. He squeals through his laughing, trying to push me away with his hands on my face.
“Who’s the scaredy cat now?”
He koala’s himself to my chest and I laugh, stumbling back onto my butt with him on my lap. His wide eyes meet mine and we laugh.
“Sorry, Mummy.”
“It’s okay, my little monster.” I tuck a wayward strand of hair off his forehead.
He leans forward, raising his hands like he has claws. I press my forehead against his, scrunching my face and match his growl.
Pulling back, we stand and I dust off both of our clothes. Straightening, I glance across the street and my cheeks heat.
Jace stands with his hands on his son’s shoulders. Beckham’s head is twisted up so he’s looking at his father, but Jace’s attention is glued on us.
I raise my hand and wave, watching his shoulders shake with a chuckle. Tucking my lips, I look left and right before leading Cooper across the street.
“Hi,” I whisper.
He smiles. “Hi.” His eyes drop to the boy clutching my arms that are wrapped around his shoulders. “You must be Cooper.”
“Yes, sir.”
He squats down in front of him. “Your mum’s told me a lot about you. I’m Jace and this is my son, Beckham.” He turns his head to his son. “Beckham, this is Cooper and his mum, Kinsley.”
“Hi.” Beckham waves, glancing up at me.
I smile. “It’s nice to meet you, Beckham.”
Cooper glances up at me and I nod. He steps out of my arms. “Hi. I’m Cooper, but Mummy and Gran like to call me Coop.”
“My dad calls me Becks. So I guess you can too if you’d like.”
“Cool.”
“How old are you?”
“I just turned six.”
“Really? When’s your birthday?”
“March the twelfth. You?”
“February the fourteenth. My Aunt Sydney calls me her little love baby.”
Both of the boys’ faces twist in disgust with a chorus of ‘ews.’ I catch Jace’s gaze as he stands and he smothers a laugh by rubbing his hand over his scruff.
“Okay, who’s ready to head inside?” He claps his hands and the boys jump up and down in excitement. He points at Cooper. “Have you ever driven a golf cart before?”
Cooper looks up at him in shock before shaking his head.
Jace chuckles. “Well, if it’s okay with your mum, would you want to be the one to take us to where we need to go?”
“I got to drive out here and it was awesome,” Beckham says.
Everyone’s attention slides to me and I blush. “Oh, um?—”
“He’d be sitting on my lap and I’d have my hands on the wheel the entire time,” Jace says reassuringly.
I tuck my lips, and look down at my little boy. He folds his hands under his chin, sticking out his bottom lip. Beckham joins him and before I know it, they’re both putting all other puppy dog eyes to shame.
I laugh under my breath and sigh. “Okay.” The boys cheer and run over to the golf cart, Jace and I following at a much more appropriate pace. “You swear it’s safe?”
“Promise. With the pressure I put on the gas, you’d probably get there a lot faster at a jog than on this thing. But to them it’s like we’re whipping around corners at the speed of light.”
We load into the cart with Cooper on Jace’s lap and Beckham between us. He shows my boy where to place his hands before grabbing onto the bottom of the wheel like he promised.
The sound of excited giggles pierce the air as he eases onto the accelerator pedal.
“Mummy, look, I’m doing it!”
Smiling, I pull out my phone, open the camera, and press record. Cooper shifts on Jace’s lap as Beckham makes racing sounds from their side. When we veer a little off the road, Jace gives him directions on how to correct it.
“Good job, Coop,” he cheers.
Beckham makes a radio sound and covers his ear as if he’s holding headphones. “Alright, mate. You’re holding strong in first place, let’s clench that win with one last push.”
Cooper makes a static sound before talking out of the side of his mouth. “Copy that.”
Jace chuckles as the two boys continue to talk with their radio voices until we reach the main building. Beckham makes a screeching sound when we stop and throws his hands in the air. “And that’s P1!”
Cooper starts to join in the celebration but stops abruptly. “Wait, what’s P1?”
“It means ‘Position 1’ which is really just first place. Right, Dad?”
“Right.” He chuckles. “That was some great driving there, Coop. We’ll make a race car driver out of you yet.”
A laugh slips out of me as I end the video and Cooper looks over. “Can I do that, Mummy?”
“What? Be a race car driver?” He nods frantically and I tilt my head. “You can be anything you want to be, love.”
He throws his head back—nearly colliding with Jace’s chin—and throws his hands in the air as he screams ‘yes.’ Beckham hops up on the seat and taps his arm. “We can be on the same team just like my dad and Uncle Lawson!”
“That would be so cool. Can we?” Cooper twists, looking up at Jace.
“I don’t see why not. Now let’s hurry inside, I’ve got some important people I want you and your mum to meet.”
He helps Cooper down and I slide out of the seat with Beckham hopping to the ground behind me. We walk into the main building, the boys running ahead to look at all the memorabilia. Their drawn out ‘woahs’ and ‘cools’ echo around the empty atrium.
I watch them a little longer before turning to look at Jace. His eyes are still on them as they run to a replica of one of the older race cars. There’s a glimmer of something in his eyes as he watches them, but my attention is brought to the side when Mitch calls out.
“There they are.”
A woman that looks to be in her mid forties walks beside him, a smile on her face. Stopping next to us, Mitch claps a hand on Jace’s shoulder. “Have you told her the good news?”
Jace scowls. “No, thank you for stealing my thunder.”
“Tell me what?”
He motions to the woman. “Kinsley, this is Anne. She’s Beckham’s home school teacher.”
“Nice to meet you,” she greets.
I return her smile as Jace continues. “Last season she traveled with us, doubling as his nanny of sorts. She’s agreed to do it again this season. Even add on a new student.”
I pause, my mind racing. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying, you can bring Cooper with us. Anne will be his teacher so that he doesn’t fall behind and when you’re working, she’ll watch the boys.”
“What?” It comes out as a whisper and he takes my hand.
Stepping closer, he lowers his voice. “I told you we’d figure it out, but if this isn’t something you’re okay with I completely understand. I just thought?—”
His words end on a grunt when I throw myself at him, my arms around his neck.
“Thank you,” I whisper.
His arms slide around me, his hands pressing against my back and pulling me tighter against him. “I’m taking this as a sign that you like the idea?”
I pull back, relieved tears threatening to spill. “I love it.”
He breathes out a sigh of relief and I laugh.
“Mummy?” We break apart at the sound of Cooper’s small voice and I turn to him, kneeling so we’re eye to eye. “Why are you sad?”
I wipe my eyes. “I’m not sad, love.”
“But you’re crying.” His little face scrunches in worry.
“These are happy tears.” I glance at Jace as he squats down next to me, Beckham at his side. “Really happy.” Facing Cooper, I take his hands. “You know how Granny Rose got hurt the other day?”
He nods. “I didn’t like it.”
I scrunch my nose and shake my head. “Me neither.”
“Is Granny Rose going to be okay? Is that why you’re crying happy tears?”
“Granny Rose is going to be okay, yes, but remember how we said she wouldn’t be able to watch you while I was away for work now that she’s recovering?”
“Mhm.” He nods. “You said that you might be home all the time again, but how would you be able to still take Mr. Jace’s pictures if you’re home?”
Jace chuckles and I blush. “Well, Mr. Jace was able to save the day.”
“Like a superhero?” he whispers.
I nod, glancing at Jace. “He was able to call on some of his other superhero friends, like Miss Anne here—” I motion towards her.
She smiles. “Hi, Cooper.”
“So that you could come with me.”
He gasps, jaw dropping. “You promise?”
My heart constricts when I see that the question he’s asking isn’t for me. Cooper turns to Jace, eye’s full of wonder. Jace glances at me and I nod. He looks back at my son. “I promise.”
Cooper throws his tiny arms around his neck, the momentum knocking them over. Jace grunts when his back hits the floor, but it’s quickly followed by a low chuckle. “I can guess where you get this from.”
“Pile on,” Beckham yells, jumping on top of them.
The boys wrestle with Jace who pretends to be helpless against their combined strengths. I glance off to the side and mouth ‘thank you’ to Mitch and Anne who nod back.
“Okay, you little maniacs.” Jace stands up with each boy hanging from one of his arms. “Are you ready?”
They both giggle when he sets them back on their feet and Beckham tilts his head. “Ready for what, Dad?”
Our eyes meet and he winks. “For an adventure.”