Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
Ben
The one day I had someone waiting for me after a game, everyone and their brother wanted to talk to me. I finally had to tell my coach to send his thoughts in a text. My girls were waiting for me, and there was no chance I was delaying getting to them another second.
I pushed out of the locker room, my head swiveling, searching for them. They were easy to spot, standing in a group. Nate had Katty in his arms, her head tucked snug on his shoulder. That, I liked.
What I did not appreciate was Mazzy leaning against the wall, head tilted back, a little smile on her lips, as Murphy loomed over her.
She nodded along to whatever nonsense he was telling her, like she was agreeing with him, and I couldn’t fathom what she could possibly be agreeing with Murphy DeSantos about.
I was pretty sure no one in history had ever agreed with him.
Adrian spotted me on my way over, his eyebrows lifting with what distinctly looked like amusement.
“Good game,” he said, deliberately casual.
I jerked my chin toward Mazzy. “You’re letting that happen?”
He followed my gaze and shrugged. “I didn’t know I wasn’t supposed to. Should I have intervened? I forgot my whistle.”
“Smart-ass,” I muttered.
Nate caught sight of me and twisted so I could see Katty’s peaceful little sleeping face. “Too much excitement for this one.”
One look at her was all it took for the knot in my chest to unfurl. “She fell asleep on you?”
“She did.” He carefully brushed a curl off her forehead. “Don’t worry, she watched most of the match. I think it was a combination of the snacks and cheering for her Benny that did her in.”
“Cool.” I watched with horror as Murphy took his phone out of his pocket and Mazzy kept smiling at him. They were getting along so swimmingly, neither of them seemed to have noticed me.
Absolutely not.
“I’ll be right back. I need to take care of this.”
Nate laughed under his breath as I strolled over to the mother of my child and my teammate. Murphy had his phone turned toward her, and she was studying the screen like it was oh so interesting.
Which I highly doubted. Murphy wasn’t interesting. He was the most dull human on the face of the planet. He was beige in human form.
Sure, some might’ve found him handsome. And sure, he was tall, dark, and chiseled. But so was most of the team. So was I, and I came with better hair and a winning personality—something Murphy distinctly lacked.
Beige all around.
I stopped in front of them, my hands carefully tucked in the pockets of my jeans. “Well hello, you two.”
Mazzy jumped, blinking up at me. “Hey. I was beginning to think you were never coming out.” Then she gave my arm a light slug.
“Great job out there. You did a lot of clobbering and running fast with that ball. Heads were smashed and points were scored. It was very impressive—especially while wearing the tiniest shorts.”
Murphy chuckled. “I was just showing Mazz the Rhinos’ uniform.”
Her eyebrows waggled. “Practically thongs. I’m surprised they don’t get fined for indecency.”
So, he hadn’t been exchanging numbers with her. Unless he already had her number…
I cleared my throat. “I’m glad you were able to find something about the match to keep you entertained.”
“Oh, it was all entertaining. That was the first game or match I’ve ever watched all the way through.”
Murphy rolled his wrist and bowed. “Happy to be part of your first time, madam.”
I swatted the back of his head as lightly as my willpower allowed. “Stand up, DeSoto. Mazzy was watching me. I’m the draw here.”
She laughed. “I’ve heard there’s no I in team.”
“Total myth.” I slipped my arm around her shoulders, pulling her into my side. “Are you ready to get out of here? Our girl is knocked out. We should get her home.”
I made eye contact with Murph as I said this, and the dillweed had the audacity to chuckle and shake his head like something was funny.
He waved at Mazzy. “Nice talking to you again, Mazz. Think you’ll be back?”
She looked up at me. “If Ben invites me, sure.”
“If he doesn’t, hit me up,” he offered. “You’re always welcome to come see me.”
I tugged her even closer, practically lodging her in my armpit. “She’s covered. You don’t need to worry about Mazzy.”
He raised both hands as he backed away. “Message received.” He shot me a wink. “Have fun, you crazy kids.”
Mazzy wiggled out from under my arm and rounded on me, her brow furrowed. “You’re acting very strange.”
Murphy was long gone, so I could finally focus on the confused woman in front of me. God, she was beautiful. Her long hair scooped back in a ponytail, wearing jeans and the Mountain Lions T-shirt I’d given her, she made my heart thump.
“In a delightful way, right?” I teased.
“I’m not so sure.”
I took her hand and held it over her head. “Spin for me?”
She frowned. “Why?”
“Humor me, Mazz.”
With a huff, she allowed me to turn her in a slow circle, letting me see my name and number on the back of her shirt.
My heart thumped yet again, and I had to swallow the saliva pooling in my mouth so I didn’t drool like a knuckle-dragging caveman.
She was the first woman I’d asked to wear my number, and she wore it well.
When she was facing me again, she raised her eyebrows. “Well?”
“I like this shirt on you.” I canted toward her, chucking her under her chin with my knuckle. “A lot. You look really great.”
Before she could reply, Nate appeared with a grumpy, squirming Katty. “I think she’s ready to go home.”
“Benny,” she rasped sleepily. “I saw you.”
I held my arms out, and she lunged, falling into them. Tucking my nose in her hair, I inhaled all her sweetness, and the last of my organs unknotted.
“Are you ready to go to my house, sweetheart? We get to have a sleepover.”
“Mommy’s coming too, right?”
“Of course she is.” I kissed her head. “Say bye to Uncle Nate and Uncle Adrian.”
She lifted her head and waved. “Bye, my uncles.”
They both bid her farewell and gave Mazzy hugs.
Adrian patted me on the shoulder. “Cute kid, Benny.”
“I know.”
Nate bumped my arm, dropping his voice low enough for only me to hear. “Try to cool it, okay? Your crazy is showing.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He chuffed. “All right. If that’s how you want to play it. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
By the time we got home, Katty was ready for sleep. It was all Mazzy could do to get her changed, brush her teeth, and tuck her into bed. Katty’s eyes weren’t even open long enough to take in the changes I’d made to her bedroom.
Mazzy noticed, though.
She gently pulled the door closed and whispered, “Unicorns?”
Grinning, I lifted a shoulder. “I asked her favorite colors and animals.”
“Purple, rainbow, and unicorns,” Mazzy recited.
“Exactly. So, she got a purple, rainbow, unicorn room.”
She huffed, following me down the stairs. “She’ll never want to go back to her boring bedroom.”
“I have a feeling you being there is the biggest draw.” I tapped my chest. “Me? I’ve got to give her incentive to want to hang out here. I’m pulling out all the stops.”
“Buying her love?”
“If I have to.” I veered off into the kitchen and rummaged around in the fridge for something to stuff in my face. After a match, my stomach always tried to eat itself unless I fed it pretty quickly.
“You don’t have to bribe her.” Mazzy leaned against the counter, her hands braced on either side of her hips. “She’s pretty obsessed with you already.”
“The feeling’s more than mutual.” Grabbing leftover pasta and some of the muffins I’d stolen from Bea, I tossed the pasta in the microwave and popped open the muffin container. “Try one. They’re the best muffins you’ll ever eat.”
She took one, and I got great satisfaction watching her peel the wrapper and bite into it. I waited until she was chewing and humming before digging into one of my own.
“My best friend, Bea, made those.”
“Delicious.”
Mazzy ate her muffin at a polite pace while I polished off mine in two bites and dove in for another. I had no shame. Besides, Mazzy was laughing, so I kept on going.
When my pasta was done, she sat with me at my table. I tried to feed her some, but she insisted she’d eaten her weight in stadium food and kept me company.
“Did you pick everything out in Katty’s room yourself?”
“I had no idea where to get started, so Shira pointed me in the right direction.” I wiped my mouth with my napkin.
“The rest was all me. I needed it to be that way. If things had been different, I would have made her a room. Built a crib and rocking chair—all the stuff I helped Roman do for Jonah. The least I could give her was this.”
She nodded, her lips pressed together. When her silence stretched on as I ate, I took a long look at her. She wasn’t quite as happy as she’d been a few minutes ago.
“What’s going on in that head, Mazz?”
She let out a long sigh. “It’s hitting me that you made a room for Katty. One day soon, she’ll be here with you, and I’ll be at home. As much as I want you two to have this relationship, it’s killing me a little bit.”
“It’ll be a while before we’re there, and you’re welcome here whenever you want. I’m not taking her from you. We’re in this together.”
“I love that you want that.” She chewed on her bottom lip. “I’m not sure it’s realistic.”
“Maybe not, but for now, it’s working.” I cocked my head. “What, you don’t like having to hang out with me? Am I boring?”
She snorted a laugh. “The last thing I’d call you is boring, Ben.”
“I noticed you didn’t tell me you love hanging out with me. My feelings are hurt.”
“Oh, please. You just had a stadium full of fans screaming for you. I think your feelings are just fine. But if you need one more adoring fan, count me in.”
“Yeah?” I grinned, warmth radiating from my chest outward. “That’s a pretty sweet thing to say.”
“Well, you’re kind of great.” She shrugged. “This has been a strange, unexpected situation that’s kind of upended both our lives, but you’ve made it easy as could be.”
“That’s because I’m happy as hell to be here with you two.” I caught her hand, rubbing my thumb over her knuckles. “You get that, right?”
“I get that you’ve had to make a lot more adjustments, and you’ve done it without a single complaint.”
My smile dropped. “Nah, you don’t get it. If you did, you wouldn’t be surprised I’m not complaining.”
“Then tell me,” she said softly. “Help me get it.”
“I’m thirty-four—ancient for my sport. The last couple years, I’ve been watching the clock run out on my career, wondering who the hell I’m gonna be when it’s over. I’m not so sure I liked any of the answers I came up with.”
Her fingers curled around my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “I don’t know. You looked pretty spry out on the pitch to me.”
I chuckled. “Most days, I don’t feel my age.
But I also have to face facts: I’ve been lucky, but I’m one bad hit away from never playing again.
I’d rather go out on my own terms. Just don’t know what those will be.
It’s not only my career that’s been weighing on me, though.
It’s life moving on. My twin—my literal copy—went and got married.
Started a family while I was standing still, watching him lap me in life.
Then you and Kat showed up, and I wasn’t spiraling into some sad midlife crisis anymore.
I got direction again. Turns out, purpose looks a lot like you two. ”
She sucked in a shaky breath. “Now that’s a sweet thing to say.”
“Just the truth.”
She swept her gaze over me, concern tugging at the corners of her mouth. “I didn’t know you were struggling.”
I brought her hand to my mouth, pecking just above the hinge of her wrist. “Everyone struggles in one way or another. You and Kat have lightened my load a lot. I’m hoping I can do the same for you.”
Her eyes darted to where my lips had just been. “Did you just kiss my hand?”
“I did.” I shot her a wide grin. “Problem?”
“That was very…forward.”
“Mazzy…” I dipped down, pressing another kiss, and another, and another, pecking all over the back of her hand. “I think you can handle a couple friendly kisses. We’ve done a lot more than that.”
One brow arched. “Do you kiss all your friends’ hands? What about Murphy?” She tapped her cheek. “Actually, I wouldn’t mind seeing that. It would be pretty hot.”
I gave her hand a yank, nearly spilling her out of her chair. She flailed and squealed, catching herself on the table.
“Ben!” she cried.
“Mazzy,” I snapped back. “I’m not kissing Murphy to fulfill your dirty little fantasies.”
Pink bloomed on her cheeks as she giggled, light and floaty. “Do you object to Murphy specifically or all boys?”
“Mazzy.” I tried to be mad, but her laughter was too contagious. “I’m not making out with any guy for your entertainment, least of all Murphy. And I really don’t like that he’s the first name to enter your mind.”
“Well, I could hardly suggest your brothers, and I told you, I don’t have any men in my life.”
“None? No neglected boyfriend lurking, wishing I’d drop dead for taking up all your time?”
“No, I’ve been a little too busy over the last few years to date.” She raised a brow. “What about you? Is there a girlfriend ready to claw my eyes out for having a sleepover at your place?”
“Pffft. As if.” I shook my head. “No one has tamed me yet.”
“I doubt there's a woman capable.” Her mouth curved into a smirk. “You’ll just have to find one who likes your wild side.”
“I’m not looking for that. I’m happy with things the way they are.”
“Me too.”
It was good she was in agreement. I intended to be around a lot. If things kept going the way they were, she’d never get rid of me.