Chapter Eight #2
“Yeah,” I yawn. “I think he had a nightmare. He wouldn’t let me put him down.” Grant lowers himself to sit next to me, his hand resting on mine where it’s placed on his son's back, and laying his head on my shoulder letting out an exhausted sigh. “How’s Tristan?”
“Got his fever down, but it took a while. I’ll stop by tomorrow morning to check on him.” Exhaustion weighs heavy on him, on all of us. He kisses my shoulder. “Let’s go to bed.”
Grant carefully unwinds his son from around me, lifting him easily into his arms, but not before giving me another quick kiss. Even when he’s bone tired after a long night and with his sleeping child in his arms, he’s still making me feel special.
Loved.
I wait for him in the hallway as he puts his son back to bed. He said we’re going to bed, but I don’t know if he meant alone.
When Grant emerges from Harrison’s room he wraps me in a warm hug.
I cling to him, wrapping my arms around his waist and letting myself bask in his love.
“Thank you,” Grant sighs, his lips pressing against my head.
“For being here. For taking care of Harrison. You have no idea how much you mean to me.”
Something in the softness of his voice has tears stinging my eyes. I pull back looking up into his tired face. “You’re welcome.” He kisses me, this time without the obstacle of his sleeping son. I must look like a hot mess, but he manages to make me feel like the most beautiful girl in the world.
“Come to bed.”
I offer to drive myself home, but Grant won’t hear it. There’s no way he’s letting me drive home this late and this tired. This protective streak in him leaves me swooning. I never imagined someone caring about me so much, loving me so much.
He sets out toiletries for me and lays out one of his t-shirts for me to sleep in. I’ve seen him shirtless and in bed many times, but watching him go through his nightly routine feels intimate. What we have is far more than a handful of dates and crazy chemistry.
Lifetimes are built on what we share.
Dressed in only his almost too tight shirt, I crawl into his bed feeling a sense of security in him that I’ve never had before.
He pulls me against his chest, our bodies pressed together from shoulder to hips. Wrapped in his warm embrace, I can’t help but think about how his son clung to me and the emotions that brought up.
I’m secure about him. I’m not so sure about myself.
“Grant?” His whispered name lingers in the silence of the room.
Warm lips press against my neck. “Hmm?”
It’s not the time to bring this up. It’s late and we’re both tired. “Never mind.”
Grant sighs heavily against my neck before tightening his hold around me and slipping back into sleep.
***
The Blue Dinos soccer team has made it to the end of their soccer season and in typical Candice fashion, she’s gone all out.
Not only have she and Tony set up a canopy, but they’ve also tied up a large blue banner complete with the team name and colorful dinosaurs.
Inside parents set up tables stocked with snacks and set out individualized bags of goodies for each boy.
All I brought was a measly chair.
And now it’s back, that feeling that’s been lingering. It’s never really gone away. Every time there’s a quiet moment it flashes in my mind like a neon light: Not Mother Material.
How can such a simple thing as watching my boyfriend's kid for a night set me off like this?
If I’m honest with myself, I know exactly why. It’s not just that he’s a kid I was babysitting. He’s Grant’s kid. It brought up my biggest insecurities and I don’t know how to deal with it.
What’s worse is that I don’t know how to bring this up to Grant.
It’s not something we’ve talked about. We’ve talked about a lot of serious topics, but kids never came up. Why would we talk kids when I’m in love with a man who has one? They’re a package deal.
“There you are.” Candice walks out from underneath the canopy wrapping me in a quick hug. “I was hoping you’d be here.”
Grant’s on the field watching the boys kick a ball around and I take a moment to look at him. He’s so handsome with his tanned legs in black shorts and a white t-shirt, his light brown hair sticking out of a black ball cap. Yeah, I’d say I hit it out of the ballpark with this one.
He spots me, a toothy grin splitting his face as he gives me a quick wink.
After my official introduction to Harrison, Grant and I have been more open about our relationship, but I haven’t had the time to tell Candice and I’m not sure that right now is the time.
“It’s his last game of the season, of course I’m here. Where’s Tony?” I spot Wells and Cole by the player's bench, but my brother-in-law is nowhere to be seen.
She guides me under the shade taking a seat in her folding chair before pulling out a bag of balloons. “Mom and Dad are coming so he went to get extra chairs from the car. Here.” She hands me a dozen balloons. “Blow these up.”
“What is this? A rave?” I laugh, stretching out the neck of a yellow balloon before placing it in my mouth and blowing.
Candice chuckles. “It felt like we were missing something and I remembered I had balloons in the car that we forgot about for Mason’s birthday. I think it’ll be a nice touch.”
How in the world does she do all of this? I don’t think I’ll ever understand.
There it is. That tiny little piece of me that wonders whether or not I’d make a good mother. Whether or not I even want kids. Want the responsibility and the lifestyle change. Hell, at times I don’t feel responsible enough for just me, how could I take care of a child?
I push it to the back of my mind, choosing to focus on Mason and Harrison and cheering on all their hard work.
During halftime, Candice gives me the side-eye when Grant asks me to hold onto his water bottle.
I can feel the hole she’s drilling into the side of my head with her stare, but I ignore her.
Not the time.
The game ends with roaring applause accompanied by enthusiastic cheers.
Pride swells for the team's hard work—they’ve come a long way since their first game.
The boys run around hugging each other until they’re piled together in the middle of the field, only breaking away to run through the bridge their families make.
Candice takes over, ushering them all to her canopy to grab their personalized gifts. Watching her command ten five-year-olds, I’m even more dumbfounded by her seeming perfection.
A familiar arm settles across my shoulders and my arm wraps around his waist instinctively. “Are you ready to retire, coach?”
“More like take a much-needed break. I’ve got other important things to spend my time on.” Warm lips press to my temple, the bill of his hat brushing against the top of my head.
“Important things, huh?” I can’t help but smile up at him. He’s making it clear that I’m a priority and my heart soars. Right before it crashes to the ground in a heap of smoke and dust. “Don’t freak out, but my mom’s coming over here.”
“Are you talking to me, or yourself?” I can hear the smile in his voice, but this situation is less than thrilling.
I suck in a steadying breath. “Both.”
This was bound to happen sooner or later.
Especially with how close I am to my family.
I’ve never had a relationship reach the point of formally introducing my parents to someone I’m dating.
Middle and High School flings don’t count—they had to know about them to drop me off at the mall so we could hang out.
This is unfamiliar territory and I don’t know what to expect.
It’s clear that Lynn Bryant is where Candice got her athletic build and winning smile.
The one thing I managed to inherit from her is my wild mane.
Hers is more tame and elegant, more Greek Goddess to my Medusa, with classy streaks of silver sparkling like glitter in the sunlight. “Grant, it’s nice to see you again.”
I want to die.
She offers her hand and Grant loosens his hold around me, giving my back a reassuring rub before shaking her delicate hand. “Likewise. Did you enjoy the game?”
Although her eyes are blocked by stylish sunglasses, I can feel the weight of her gaze on me. “I loved it. Mason’s come a long way since the start of the season.”
All this small talk is going to kill me.
Grant hooks his arm around my waist, pulling me closer to him. He’s making it clear that we’re a couple and I’m both elated and terrified. As much as I want to be with him, I need to sort out this mess going on in my head.
“Um, do you need help carrying things to the car?” I don’t see Tony in the crowd of people celebrating the end of the season and I’ll use any excuse to get away from this conversation.
Mom dismisses me with a wave of her hand. “We can get it later.” She tilts her head curiously, offering a warm smile before she goes for the kill. “This is new.” She gestures at us, her voice full of hopeful curiosity.
“Here we go.” The whispered words slip from my lips only loud enough for Grant to hear. He chuckles softly.
We’ve talked about my family and if there’s one thing I wanted him to know, it’s that they are always up in my business.
There are some things I’d rather keep private, at least for a while.
I have no problem being seen with him, or being with him, but I know that I’ll be fielding questions for the foreseeable future.
To my eternal gratefulness, Cole confidently strides over, a wiggling toddler in his arms. “Grant, where are the medals?” The little girl squeals, determined to break free from her father’s grasp. “Parents are asking.”
Grant smoothly excuses himself to grab the missing medals from his car leaving me alone with my mother. “I should go help Candice…”
“Not so fast.” The stern mother tone has me scrunching my face and pausing my steps.
“Yes?”
“When were you going to tell us about this?”
“I mean, eventually? Candice doesn’t even know.”
“Candice doesn’t even know, what?” Like a demon who’s summoned by the simple utterance of their name, my sister appears, casually drinking from her water bottle.
“What is this, Maury?” Neither of them seem to understand my humor. Not even a hint of a smile. “Alright, fine,” I give up with a sigh. “I’ve been seeing Grant for several months.”
Candice shrugs nonchalantly. “Tell me something I don’t know.”
Mom clicks her tongue. “You knew the whole time and didn’t tell me?”
“What do you mean, ‘she didn’t tell you’? She didn’t tell me and it’s my relationship.”
“You haven’t been very sneaky,” Candice explains. “You guys can’t stop looking at each other. Plus, Mason says you guys are getting married and that he and Harrison are going to be cousins. He’s real excited.” She leans in closer, nudging me with her elbow. “Nicely done.”
While this isn’t a conversation I want to have right now, I can see the humor of it all. “I mean, who could resist all this?” My sister and I laugh at my little joke but mom stands unfazed.
Mom clears her throat. “I’m still wanting to know how this all happened.”
“I’m sure she’ll tell us all about it later, Mom,” Candice says, saving me from an awkward, embarrassing conversation. “I came to tell you that Mason’s been looking for you.”
Immediately Mom’s whole demeanor changes. “Oh, where is he?” Mom can’t resist her grandchildren and goes to quickly find Mason.
Nothing makes me happier than dodging the mother bullet and I breathe a small sigh of relief that it’s all over. For now at least.
We follow behind Mom when Candice turns her attention to me. “Don’t think that you’re going to get away with not telling me. I’ve been dying for you to finally bring it up.”
We reach the small group of parents and players gathered in a circle as Grant sorts through the box full of medals.
My sister issues one last reminder before the awards begin. “Remember, this isn’t over.”
Like I could forget.