22
By the time the sun dipped low and the grills cooled, Suzanne Ashford looked genuinely distressed.
“I suppose,” she said, clutching her bag, and Kelsey’s forearm, “that I have to let you go back to being a professional athlete.”
Kelsey was equally not as enthused about leaving. “I don’t know how I will survive, Suzy.”
“Please come visit any time.”
They stood near the exit, the last families filtering out, kids dragging their tired feet through the grass. Suzanne reached into her purse with purpose.
They exchanged numbers. Kelsey added Suzanne’s name as Mommy S and Suzanne added Kelsey’s name as Best Hooker.
Claire groaned. “Mom.”
“Oh hush,” Suzanne said. “I’m keeping him.”
Kelsey leaned in to hug Cornelius, who to Claire’s surprise returned the hug, “Keep out of trouble, Corny.”
“I’ll try my dear boy,” Cornelius replied.
“Text me anytime,” Kelsey now said to Suzanne, hugging tightly.
It took visible effort for Suzanne to finally step away, waving as they walked off. Claire shook her head, smiling despite herself.
Jack lingered, hands shoved into his pockets, watching Maeve climb into the car with a parent volunteer who’d been wrangled into kid-transport duty. Once the door shut, and the car pulled away, he turned toward Claire, hesitating.
“Hey,” he said. “Uh… thanks. For being so kind to her today.”
Claire blinked. “Of course.”
“And–” he grimaced. “Sorry, for the whole girlfriend thing. That was pretty embarrassing. She has a crazy mind sometimes.”
Claire smiled. “Jack, she is great. And that wasn’t embarrassing. I promise. You should have seen my mom and Kelsey.”
He let out a breath, relieved.
“It was actually… very sweet.”
He was elated. Jack looked like a man in love. He looked like a man who was ready to risk it all and scream it from the rooftops.
From a few steps away, Cornelius cleared his throat.
“Jack?” he asked.
Jack straightened immediately. “Yes, sir.”
Cornelius studied him for a moment, then nodded.
“We’re having dinner tonight,” Cornelius said. “You’re welcome to join us, if you’d like.”
Claire made a cheeky grin to Jack for permission.
“I– uh,” Jack said. “Yeah. I’d like that.”
It was instinct more than intention, the way that he fell into step beside her, angling his fit body just enough to guide her toward the side entrance that led to the player parking lot.
They reached his car, which to Claire’s surprise was an unassuming SUV tucked between two others. Jack reached for the door then paused, hovering his hand for half a second before settling lightly at her waist, guiding her around the open door so she didn’t clip the curb.
It was brief. Casual. Intimate.
Claire didn’t pull away.
She smiled at him instead, small and easy, the kind of smile that lingered.
Across the lot, the building doors swung open.
Noah Wilson stepped out, bag slung over his shoulder, mid-conversation with someone Claire couldn’t see at first. Then movement caught his attention.
He saw Jack’s hand at her waist. He saw Claire’s smile.
He saw the way they stood close; bodies angled toward each other like this was already a familiar occurrence.
Something hardened in his expression.
By the time Jack jogged to the driver's seat and Claire comfortable in the passenger side, Noah was still standing there, watching as the engine turned over and the taillights flared red.
From where he stood, it looked simple.
Clear.
Too clear.
And as Jack pulled out of the lot, Claire, unaware of the eyes on her back, Noah’s jaw tightened, the misunderstanding already taking root.