Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
Mazzy
From up here, the field looked impossibly green. Players in navy and white moved across it like little ants, stretching, passing, shouting things I couldn’t make out. I homed in on the reason we were here: number eight.
Even from this vantage, Ben was larger than life.
The other players circled him like he was the sun.
Considering he was the team captain, the oldest, and from what I’d read about his position, the linchpin between the forwards and the backs, it made sense.
I wasn’t quite sure what any of that meant, but I suspected I’d understand after watching Ben play today.
Katty pressed both hands against the glass, squinting as she scanned the players. “Which one’s my dad?”
“There.” I pointed to Ben marching across the grass, doing high steps. “See the big one with the black wristband walking kind of funny?”
She gasped like she’d just spotted a superhero. “That’s Benny?”
I smiled, my throat tight. “That’s Benny.”
He wasn’t Daddy yet, but Katty had called him my dad a few times, so it might have been coming.
Katty absolutely adored him, and as a bystander, I could see why.
He’d made himself a constant in our lives.
He’d picked her up from preschool twice this week and had spent his evenings with us, sharing dinner and responsibilities.
Ben never overstepped, but he was always there. It seemed impossible, but in the two weeks since he’d come into our lives, he’d become part of the fabric of our routine.
Okay, there was a slight chance I was coming to adore him too. The difference was I was wary, and my talk with Miranda had only added to that. Even with my guard up, though, Ben had worked his way in.
It was just his way.
“Is the game going to start soon?” Katty asked, shifting from foot to foot.
“Ten more minutes.” I gave her hand a shake. “Should we get something to eat while we wait?”
Her eyes lit. “A hot dog?”
“Sounds like a plan.”
The box Ben had arranged for us came with a buffet. We’d been the first to arrive, but we weren’t the only ones coming. As I was making a plate for Katty, the door swung open, and Nate strode in, followed by another man.
“Uncle Nate’s here,” Katty announced. “Hi, Uncle Nate.”
He broke into a wide grin and held out his hand. “Hey, you. High five?”
She slapped his hand. “Are you here to watch my dad play?”
He paused, his eyes darting to mine, then swallowed hard. “Yeah, kiddo. I’m here to watch your dad. Remember I told you he’s my brother?”
She started to roll her eyes, but caught herself. Declan had taught her that bad habit, and Aunt Barb was not a fan. Luckily, Barb had pretty much nipped it in the bud.
“Of course I remember,” Katty replied.
Nate chuckled as the man slightly behind him shuffled. “Just checking.” He grinned at me. “Good to see you again, Mazzy. Let me introduce you to Adrian.”
Adrian stepped forward, his hand extended. “Hello.” The timbre of his voice vibrated my eardrums like a plucked string. It was so low, it sounded like an echo in a cave.
“Hi,” I squeaked, slipping my hand into his. I didn’t know why I was squeaking, except there was something incredibly intimidating about Adrian Wells.
He wasn’t as big as Ben, nor as tall as Nate, but he had a dark presence that made me want to apologize for breathing his air. His hand was soft around mine, though, careful as he shook it, and his hazel eyes were nothing but curious.
“It’s nice to finally meet you, Mazzy.”
“You too, Adrian.” I managed not to squeak again, thank god.
“Can I introduce myself to Kateryna?” he asked.
“Of course.” I put my arm around my daughter, nudging her forward. “Here she is.”
Just like his brother, Adrian crouched to her level. Unlike Nate, he didn’t offer his hand. Instead, he took a long moment to observe her, his eyes bouncing all over.
“I’m your uncle Adrian.”
She nodded. “Okay. Are you my dad’s brother too?”
“I am.” He reached for her face, stopping just shy of touching her. “Do you know you look just like your dad?”
Her nose scrunched. “But I’m a girl.”
His chuckle was like tires on gravel. “Yes, you are. We’ve been waiting a long time to have a girl in our family. I’m really glad you are one.”
“Me too. My best friend, Declan, is a boy. He thinks being a boy is the best, but I think being a girl is the best.”
Adrian bobbed his head back and forth. “I see where he’s coming from. There are pros and cons of both.”
“Yeah,” she agreed. “There are pros and cons.”
I had to cover my mouth to hide my snort. Not a chance Katty knew what he was talking about, but she was so serious, anyone would have believed her.
I shook my head, meeting Nate’s gaze. He seemed just as amused.
“Are you finding something to eat?” he asked.
I picked up Katty’s plate. “Give this girl a hot dog, and she’s golden.”
He slipped the plate from my hands, telling me he’d take care of it while I picked out my own dinner. Katty was all too happy for Uncle Nate to take care of her, so I took my time choosing what I wanted.
Adrian sidled up beside me, lifting the covers of the chafing dishes to see what was underneath and sniffing at the contents.
“Is this your first match?” he asked.
“It is.” I glanced at him over my shoulder. “I’m not a real sportsball person.”
He huffed a short laugh. “I can’t say I would be either. Having two brothers who played professionally…well, it wore on me. I find myself getting far too passionate about grown men running around with a ball.”
I had to laugh. “My dad wasn’t a sports guy. He was a concert guy. He used to get excessively passionate over a grown man singing and playing piano.”
Adrian furrowed his brow as he selected a pretzel. “Billy Joel fan?”
“One of his favorites.”
“Nice.”
He wrapped the pretzel in a napkin and gestured for me to walk ahead of him.
There was one thing I could say for sure about the Wells brothers: they were gentlemen.
Well…maybe not Roman. My only interaction with him had been far from polite, but I was willing to be open-minded, especially after the things Ben had told me about him.
When we returned to the glass, the crowd had grown louder, the stadium pulsing with energy. Music thumped through the speakers, and a wave of cheers rose as the players took their positions. Katty pressed both palms flat against the window, her eyes flared wide with wonder.
“Uncle Nate, what’s my dad doing?” she asked, pointing excitedly.
Nate crouched beside her, bracing one arm on the ledge. “He’s getting ready to play. He’s doing those little jumps and stretches so he doesn’t pull a muscle. Number eights have to be strong and quick.”
“Is Benny the boss?”
He grinned. “He’s the captain. His job is to keep everyone working together.”
“When we play house, I’m the mom. I tell Declan when it’s his turn to be the dog.”
Adrian made a quiet, amused sound beside her. “That’s an important skill. Leadership starts early.”
She considered that seriously before nodding. “I’m a really good leader. Like my dad.”
The match started with a whistle, and the teams surged forward. Bodies collided, feet pounded, voices echoed across the field. I had no idea what was happening, but the intensity made my pulse race.
Ben was right in the middle of everything. Where the action was thickest, he was there—directing, shouting, charging forward. He moved with the power of a player who’d paid his dues and knew the ball was rightly his.
And those shorts…dear god. Whoever designed rugby uniforms clearly had no concern for the emotional well-being of spectators. His thick thighs flexed with every stride, muscles corded and strong. I wanted to stand up and cheer with the rest of the crowd—probably for entirely different reasons.
Or maybe not. I couldn’t have been the only fan of his thighs.
“Oh no!” Katty shouted as a cluster of players tried to tackle Ben. He managed to twist free, running several yards before he was pulled down. “Benny! Is he okay?”
“He’s fine,” Nate assured her. “That’s part of it. See how fast he got up? He’s a tank.”
“An incredibly fast tank,” Adrian added, his gaze sharp on the field.
I wasn’t clear on the rules of the game, but it didn’t matter.
My eyes kept finding Ben. Every time the ball left his hands, every time he shouted an order or clapped a teammate on the back, something warm and unfamiliar coiled in my chest. Pride, I thought.
This man was something special, and his teammates obviously trusted him with everything.
The camera feed on the Jumbotron zoomed in on him for a second. Sweat glistened on his forehead, and his jaw was so tight, it rippled. His expression was fierce and determined. I’d never seen him look that way before, and it made my stomach swoop.
Katty gasped. “Benny’s so big!”
I swallowed around the lump in my throat. “Isn’t he? I think he could carry us all.”
Adrian gave a small nod. “He would if you’d let him.”
“No doubt,” Nate agreed.
The crowd erupted again, the sound rumbling through the glass like distant thunder. Ben glanced up toward the boxes for only a moment—enough to make Katty squeal and wave both hands above her head.
“Go, Benny!” she shouted, her nose pressed against the glass.
He couldn’t have heard her, but he straightened anyway, rolling his shoulders before jogging back into formation.
I watched him lead his team, a group of strong, tough men, and thought Adrian was right.
Ben would carry us without hesitation and never think twice about the weight.
I wasn’t sure I knew how to let someone do that…
Or if I ever could.