He moistened his lips. “If you decide to talk with her, you’ll probably need someone who shares history with both you and Ruby. Someone who understands the layers.”
“She’d dismiss Sam in a heartbeat. Dad, on the other hand, used to be steady, grounded—the kind of father anyone would wish for. Then the financial fallout hit, and it wrecked him, turned him into the shadow of who he was.”
Sean brushed a thumb across my shoulder. “Maybe it’s time he stepped back into the light again. For you. For her. For himself.”
He gave me a peck and disappeared into the shower to get ready for morning practice. The Cup was six days away.
I lingered in bed a little longer, then finally got up to get dressed.
Sean came out of the bathroom, towel slung around his hip, hair damp, and stopped at the doorway watching me pull on my jeans.
“You know,” he said, “I wouldn’t mind waking up like this every day.”
I looked up, heart thudding.
“You mean…?”
“I mean, if you ever wanted to make this more permanent—your stuff here, your mornings here—I’d be all in.”
I smiled, heart thudding. “I’ll think about it.”
“No pressure,” he said, crossing the room to kiss my forehead. “Only… don’t be surprised if I keep making the case.”
I quickly buttoned my jeans and headed out before all that athletic perfection gave me an eyesore. And because my brain was knotted over the proposal to move in, I needed air to untangle it.
It was a beautiful Sunday. The kind that makes you want to live fully, not just from here forward, but rewind a few years and start fresh—
“Mel?” Sean’s voice called from inside.
My heart skipped. He saw the videos.
I walked back in to find Sean coming down the hall in his boxer shorts, phone in hand, disbelief written all over his face.
“What the hell… Did you know about this?”
I walked over, pretending not to grin. “Know about what?”
He angled the phone toward me. Tahoe West Media’s post was front and center:Tribute to Coach Murphy: The Man Behindthe Cup Run.The video played clips of players, WAGs, staff—all speaking about Sean, his leadership, his loyalty, his heart.
Brent:“He’s the kind of coach who shows up even when it’s hard.”
Asher:“He’s the guy who never lets the past define the future. That’s why we’re here.”
Sadie:“Mel, you’ve got a good one. He’s the kind of man who lifts everyone around him.”
Sean sat down slowly on the edge of the couch. I perched near him.
“They did this?” It was more awe than question.
I nodded. “You deserve to see what we see in you.”
He didn’t speak, just continued watching, eyes glassy, jaw tight. Then he straightened. He’d reached my video.
“Sean leads with heart. He shows up for everyone, rain or shine. I’ve seen him carry more than most and still make space for joy. That’s the kind of man he is.”
He turned slowly toward me. “You were in on it.”
I burst out laughing, finally releasing the bubble I’d held since last night. He reached for my hand, pulled me into his lap, and fell backward onto the couch, taking me with him.
