Chapter 46
ANNIE – EARLY DECEMBER
The Birds and the Bees
I spoke to Auston in the week, when the media reported that his trade to the Bears was dead in the water.
They cited legalities in his contract but Auston told me he’d put the brakes on, for now.
He says he’s listening, taking my advice – that’ll be a first. But I hope he really intends to spend time getting to know Nelson and trying to figure things out with his girlfriend before making a rash move.
I don’t think the idea of him wanting a trade to the Bears is gone entirely, but it’s on hold, and I feel relieved.
I want to get my own life on track without the chaos Auston brings to it. I want to fix things with Tanner, take my driving test, finish school. Auston has disrupted my life enough and I’ve allowed him to do that.
“Seen the light, have you?” Daddy asks as we’re watching the Bears play a dire game in Washington – me through the hatch in the kitchen wall.
I scowl at him. “Yes, actually. I saw the light some time ago, when I realized that there are men in the world who don’t want to screw me over.”
“Tanner Pace?”
I freeze in the act of kneading bread on the counter for breakfast tomorrow because I still haven’t decided whether living in the same space as Tanner is the right thing for us. We need to resolve what’s going on without the physical, which is, I think, what he intended all along. Wise man.
“Are you going to tell me what’s happened between the two of you?”
“One hundred percent no, Daddy.”
He fixes on the game. “It’s what I suspect then.”
I know that silly twinkle in his eye. “And what’s that?”
“The birds and the bees, darlin’.” He mutes the television and sets the controller on the arm of his chair. “I can’t give you words of wisdom like your mama would if she were here but I can tell you that I don’t have much bad to say about that man you’ve been living with.”
I come to plonk myself down on the arm of his chair and take the bowl of loaded nachos I prepared from his lap. The Bears are halfway into the second quarter and down by four.
“What’s happening?”
Daddy shakes his head. “The offense is falling apart. Our boy is handling the ball like it’s butter.”
“Colton?”
He looks at me. “The other one.”
As Daddy turns back to the game, I find The Other One on the screen. The other man in our family. The one I want.
He gave up his one day off a week to give me driving lessons, he got up in the night and woke early to look after my baby and let me sleep, then he bought me a car, took me on a surprise mini break to Dallas, moved me into his place and turned it into a home for Nelson.
He might be a baller but he’s my head cheerleader.
Then I went and spoiled it all, putting Tanner and Auston together before they were ready, before Tanner and I had figured things out between us. Unsurprisingly, it was a car crash and I took it out on them when I’ve got to accept partial blame.
“It was a temporary living arrangement, Daddy, and now I’m back.”
“Is he as unhappy about that as you are? Because I could fit a family in your bottom lip this week.”
I pick up a sofa cushion and toss it at him. “You stop that. Honestly, I don’t know.” On screen, Tanner fails to take a catch he’d usually make with ease.
“I’m scared that I really like him, Daddy.”
“Fallin’ in love is scary, darlin’, and that’s all I’ve got for you.”
“Wow, thanks, Yoda.” I shift until my back is pressed to the sofa.
“All you can do is put yourself out there and hope the other person feels the same.”
“Why would he want to be with me, Daddy?”
Daddy glares at me. “Why wouldn’t he, Annie?”
I roll my eyes and watch as Washington kicks off after another touchdown. Our returner advances the ball to the thirty-yard line and the Bears’ offense starts a new drive.