11. Paris
ELEVEN
PARIS
“I’m so fired up,” Rhys says, chugging his sports drink as he waits for me to pull Lennon from her car seat.
A stream of the yellow liquid misses his mouth completely, soaking into the front of his white Rock City Renegades Youth Football jersey.
I exhale a resigned breath, not even shocked that we barely made it a half-hour before he spilled something on himself.
It happens, without fail, every time the kid wears light-colored clothing.
It’s who he is, and we love him for it. “I’m ready to smash some skulls. ”
Lifting my smiling baby girl from the car, I look down at Rhys, who has two dark lines painted under his eyes.
“Dude, I’m gonna need you to take it down a touch.
This is flag football. There will be no skull-smashing.
Also, remind me to kick Uncle Memphis’ butt next time I see him for putting that phrase in your vocabulary. ”
“It wasn’t Uncle Memphis this time,” Rowan chimes in, tossing the strap of my diaper bag over his shoulder.
“He heard Emmett Hayes say it when the teachers took us outside to watch the Renegades practice this week. Coach Baker was there and reminded him to watch his mouth, though, so you don’t have to kick his butt.
” He smirks, looking at Rhys when a boisterous giggle bursts from his lips.
“Don’t be silly, Ro! Mom couldn’t beat up Emmett Hayes!”
I drop my chin, closing the car door and hitting the Lock button on my fob.
“I wouldn’t be so sure. He might have big muscles, but I’m really fast and know how to manipulate small joints.
Ask Auntie Oaks about the time I almost broke Uncle Memphis’ middle finger.
I’d tell you to go to him directly, but he’ll deny it because he doesn’t like to admit that I made him cry. ”
Rhys’ eyes go wide. “Whoa. Can you teach me how to mipulate small joints, Mom?”
I laugh. “It’s manipulate. And, no, I will not.
Now, come on. You don’t want to be late to your own game, do you?
” That catches his attention, shaping him right up as we make our way toward the Renegades’ practice field.
With every step, the anticipation grows, my stomach flipping at the prospect of seeing Austin.
Aside from our interaction in the storage closet on Monday, he was barely inside the building, too busy preparing for today’s youth game and helping the guys with whatever they needed.
He did, however, have coffee delivered right to my desk every day, which made me smile like a complete idiot because he was thinking of me.
I know I shouldn’t be reading into things like this, but I can’t help it.
Between the way he looked at me in Bailey’s hallway, then how he held my face in his hands, his expression masked in worry when I hit my head, it’s not a surprise that I’ve developed a little crush.
I can’t remember the last time a man showed me that kind of attention—with a strong yet gentle touch—so obviously, I’m going to soak it up.
I’m not delusional or anything. I know there’s nothing romantic between us.
He’s my brother’s friend, my kids’ coach, and we work together.
Not to mention, we live completely different lifestyles.
He’s rich, famous, and probably loves being a bachelor, where he can do whatever he wants, and answers to nobody.
Meanwhile, I’m at the mercy of three small humans every minute of the day, and my diet consists of whatever’s left after each meal—plus the cappuccinos that continue to show up while I work.
Even if I was in Austin’s league, which I’m not, we’re way too different.
That doesn’t mean I can’t think he’s hot, though. Right?
The moment we enter the gated field, Rhys is gone, running toward where the other kids on the team have already started stretching.
Rowan—the little caretaker that he is—stays by my side, accompanying me to where Sydney and the girls have set up their stuff on a patch of grass that sits underneath a giant oak tree.
It’s the perfect spot for our group, so we can keep the babies in the shade while soaking up a little bit of sun ourselves.
“There she is!” Stella says with a big, bright smile. “We were just talking about you!”
I cringe playfully. “Uh-oh. Good or bad?” She wiggles her eyebrows, staying silent as Rowan unzips the large bag and fishes out Lennon’s stuffed bunny.
She takes it from his extended hand like a rabid animal, waving it in the air as though she just won the world’s most coveted prize.
The thing is nearly falling apart after being toted everywhere we’ve gone since the day she was born, but she loves it all the same.
“Thanks, buddy,” I tell him, taking the bag from his shoulder and setting it on the ground at my feet.
“Now, get a move on. Your team can’t play without their quarterback.
” My heart swells with pride as he grins, taking off toward the opposite side of the field.
I can’t believe this is the same kid who couldn’t care less about playing football before their first practice.
He didn’t actually say the words, but I had an inkling of a feeling that he only agreed to participate because he knew how much it meant to his younger brother.
In three short weeks, he’s gone from uninterested to leading a team of kids who were strangers not too long ago.
Maybe he’ll love football and want to continue playing, or maybe he’ll decide to go in another direction.
Either way, I’m so proud of him for opening his mind to new things.
I know his life changed immensely the day I decided to leave Braxton, and all I really want is for him to enjoy being a kid. He deserves that and so much more.
“Anyway,” Stella chimes in, breaking me from my thoughts, “Emmett saw something very interesting last weekend in Jett and Bailey’s hallway.
He said he was planning on keeping it to himself because he knew I’d make a big deal out of it, but we all know that man can’t keep a secret from me.
So, spill, Paris. What happened during your little bathroom break? ”
I huff a sarcastic laugh, walking over and sitting Lennon down on the plush blanket, where Norah is on a very important toy phone call. She babbles away, garnering my baby’s attention as I look up to find a very interested group of women, all waiting for an explanation.
“Absolutely nothing,” I tell them, my cheeks burning as I try not to think about the way Austin rubbed the satin of my pajama top between his long, thick fingers.
He was so cool and collected, his voice like warm honey as he unknowingly made me feel things I had no business feeling in that moment…
or ever. “I ran into him, and he was just saying hello. That’s it.
” It’s not really a lie. I mean, he may have been a little flirty, but it was nothing more than that, and it only lasted a minute.
I’m not sure how Emmett even caught any of it.
“That’s not how my husband made it sound, but okay. Keep your secrets,” Stella replies, winking. “From what Sydney told us about how Austin goes above and beyond for you at work, I’m kinda thinking he likes you.”
I scoff. “No. He definitely doesn’t. He brings me cappuccinos because I mentioned how terrible my coffee maker at home is, and how I never have time to drink it while it’s still hot.
He’s just a nice guy, showing kindness to his friend’s sister.
” I don’t dare breathe a word about the storage closet, and the panic in his eyes as he made sure I wasn’t seriously injured.
Another totally innocent moment, I’m sure, but I bet they’d have a field day with it.
Finley exhales, her expression soft and full of understanding as she speaks cautiously. “It would be alright if it was more, though. You know that, right? We’d be thrilled to see Austin happy. He deserves the world.”
I shake my head, unable to stop my heart from squeezing in my chest at the way this group cares about one another.
Aside from the Grant sisters, there are no blood relations, yet they’re tighter than any family I’ve ever known.
Even though Austin and I are just friends—if you could even call us that—it feels good to know they’d trust me with him.
“Sorry, girls. I wish I had a more glamorous explanation for you, but I’m afraid it really was nothing. ”
“Oh, shit,” Livvy says, and I can’t say I’m not grateful for whatever has her rushing to her feet because it takes the heat off me. “Paris, grab your phone. You’re going to want to get this on video.”
My brows furrow, confusion washing over me as I follow her line of vision across the field.
It takes a second to home in on what she’s seeing, but the moment I do, I’m fumbling for the device in my pocket frantically.
Of course, it gets stuck, catching on the denim fabric like it has a personal vendetta against my entire family.
I manage to yank it free, pulling up the camera and hitting record just as Maddox Dane taps Rhys on the shoulder.
“Oh my God, he’s going to lose his mind!
” I gasp, grinning from ear to ear when my son turns, his little jaw almost hitting the ground when he looks up to find his idol standing there.
His eyes go wider than I’ve ever seen them, and I swear his knees wobble for a split second before a giant smile blooms across his face.
“Maddox!” he shouts, the sound echoing through the air.
We all laugh when he lunges forward, wrapping his arms around the quarterback’s waist like he’s known him for years.
Maddox returns the gesture, dropping down to one knee so Rhys can give him a better squeeze.
It goes on for several seconds, until my little guy finally backs away, happiness like I’ve never seen before radiating from his tiny frame.
Maddox doesn’t end the interaction there, starting a full-blown conversation as his smallest fan looks at him adoringly.
We watch for a while, my eyes slowly sliding over to where Austin is busy working with Rowan on his snaps.
Even though we were made aware before the season started that Renegades players would be dropping in from time to time, I know this particular visit was planned with Rhys in mind.
I don’t even realize I’ve dropped my phone down to my side, now taking a lovely recording of my dingy canvas sneakers, until Sydney sidles up next to me and speaks quietly.
“You’re drooling,” she mutters, causing my spine to go ramrod straight.
I look around, relieved to see that she’s the only one who noticed my attention has been pulled from the main attraction.
She laughs at my abrupt reaction, nudging my arm with her elbow.
“Don’t worry. I’m a vault. Your secret’s safe with me. ”
I pull my lower lip between my teeth, chewing nervously.
“Syd, it’s really not like that. He’s sweet, gorgeous, and amazing with the kids, but it’s just a little crush.
He belongs with a hot model or actress who can give him everything he wants out of life, not a twenty-six-year-old single mom with stretch marks and abandonment issues. ”
She levels me with a serious expression, her chin lowering in admonishment.
“First of all, don’t talk shit about yourself like that.
You have so much to offer, and your kids are amazing.
Who doesn’t love a Buy One, Get Three Free deal?
” I roll my eyes, a quiet laugh puffing from my lips as she continues.
“And trust me…I think you’d be surprised at what Austin really wants out of life. ”
A whistle blows in the distance, and we look on as kids scurry toward the sideline in preparation for kickoff.
My eyes find Austin once again, Sydney’s words settling in and playing on a loop in my mind.
For weeks, I’ve been trying to ignore the giddiness that seems to invade my body every time he comes around, telling myself that guys like him don’t go for women like me.
It’s easier than getting my hopes up, then being broken again.
I just went through that before finally accepting that my marriage had failed, and I really don’t want to relive that kind of devastation.
It would shatter me, even if the crush was only one-sided to begin with.