Evan returned with his bag. “Thanks, Kenzie. I had a lot of fun today.” He smiled at her, his heart in his eyes.
Her pulse raced. He seemed so enamored, and she wanted so badly to believe a future might be possible. But she’d been down that road before, so she tucked the fantasy away and came back to earth, where Evan, a man she was dating, had enjoyed her company and her cake. Period.
“I had fun too. Talk to you later.”
“Sure. Text me when you want to pick up your tax stuff.” He walked out, Daniel behind him.
She gave them a moment before hustling to follow, keeping quiet and in the shadows.
“Nice game. Too bad you cheated.” Daniel snickered.
“Oh please. Rachel had two extra cards. Will kept feeding them to her. Those two are awful.” Evan chuckled. “You’re a lucky guy, Daniel. You have one heck of a family.”
Daniel’s sincere smile meant so much to her. “Thanks. I know.”
“Cocky much?” Evan muttered and got into his car. “Later, dickweasel.”
“See you, buttmunch.”
They laughed, and Evan left. She snuck back inside before her brother noticed and busied herself loading the dishwasher.
“So.” Daniel popped onto the counter near her.
“So what?”
“Evan’s cool. Will too, actually.”
“I told you that a while ago.”
“Yeah, well, I’d been giving him time to get used to me before I sprang my frightening intelligence on him. He held up pretty well tonight.”
“Uh-huh.”Buttmunch?She fought laughter.
“Evan’s a pretty good guy too. Man, he canmovewith that soccer ball.”
“I heard you ask him to help your team out.”
Daniel shrugged, as if asking someone to help him out wasn’t a big deal.
It washuge.
“He knows the game, clearly. And he’s good. It’s just to help us out while they figure out who’s going to be head coach. Will and Evan can have us run drills. I’m going to keep practicing. They announce first string and make cuts on Friday.”
She’d make sure to get Evan and Will on the approved parental list at school to avoid any hassle with their volunteering.
“Right.” She finished with the dishes, suddenly dog-tired. The stress of the day, of having Evan in her home, so close to all that she prized in her life, had taken its toll. “I’m heading for bed. Lock up, will you?”
Daniel nodded. “Good night…Mom.”
“Little punk.”
He laughed. “Kenzie, seriously, I like Evan. He’s cool.”
“Oh?”
“So, like, if you wanted to date him, that would be okay.”
She waited for his gaze to meet hers. “Daniel, just because he’s good at soccer and he’s fun to be around doesn’t mean he’ll be around forever.”
