Want to come to Claire’s game tonight?
Levi
I wouldn’t miss it.
“Come on, Claire,” I murmur, my elbows resting on my knees, my hands folded together under my chin. “Come on, baby.”
She swings and misses again, the umpire calling her second strike. I release a sigh and run a hand through my hair while Levi rubs a hand on my back. It’s clear that our talk from last night is impacting her play, and I instantly feel guilty. I know I should’ve waited to tell her the steps I have taken against her father, but I also feared if I put it off too long that she would find out some other way and it would only hurt her more.
“I’ve never seen her play like this,” Levi mumbles, his thigh pressing into my own. “What’s going on?”
Unsure if he’s talking to himself or me, I say, “I’ll tell you about it later when we’re alone.”
“Hey.” He turns his head, resting his forehead to the side of my own. “Whatever it is, don’t beat yourself up over it.” I turn to him, my eyes slightly wide and my eyebrows raised. “I know you, Lowe. I can feel the regret and anxiety practically emanating off of you.”
Releasing a quiet groan, I rest my head against his shoulder, and he wraps his arm around me. “Sometimes it’s hard to know if you’re making the right choices for your kid.”
“You only have her best interest at heart. I guarantee even if it doesn’t feel like it now, in the long haul, you’re always making the right decisions.”
I hum softly, watching as Claire gets her third strike and sulks back to the dugout. Lifting my head, I run a hand through my hair before resting my elbows back on my knees. Levi copies my position, his eyes coasting around the field before I feel him stiffen beside me.
“What is it?” Glancing up at him, I see his eyes set on something in the distance. I follow his gaze, and when my eyes land on what he’s looking at, my stomach bottoms out.
Travis is walking down the sidewalk between the fields near the concession stand, glancing around as if he’s looking for his daughter. Just as I stand, I see Joe approach him and watchfor a moment as they exchange some words. Based on Travis’s posture, I know whatever Joe must have said didn’t go over well.
“Fuck me,” I whisper, climbing over Levi’s lap and jumping off the bleachers. Turning the corner, I break into a light jog, heading toward the pair, my skin clammy and my heart racing.
“I just don’t think it’s a good idea for you to be here, that’s all I’m saying,” I hear Joe tell my ex as I close the distance between us.
“And I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to get in the way of a family matter.” I notice that Travis’s hands fist at his sides as I come to a stop beside Joe.
I glance up at Joe before turning my attention to Travis. “Joe is right. You shouldn’t be here.”
“I just want to talk to you,” he informs me, taking a small step forward. Joe angles himself between us slightly, and I see Travis’s face turn a light shade of red. “Call off your guard dog, Mar. No one else needs to be privy to this conversation.”
“I beg to differ,” Levi states, coming up behind me and taking up flank on my other side.
A small smirk grows on Travis’s face, and I feel the knot in my stomach tighten. “So, this is who you’ve been fucking since I’ve been away. I recognize you from her office. I didn’t think you’d be the type to sleep with a coworker, Mar.”
“You better watch your fucking mouth.” Looking up at Levi, I notice his neck is red, and his jaw is clenched tightly.
“Or what, tough guy?” Travis fires back, taunting him further. “You should be thanking me. I taught her everything she knows.”
Levi takes a step forward and I quickly turn to put myself between them, my hand on his chest. Lowering my voice, I say, “He’s baiting you, Levi. This is what he does. He wants you to react, so don’t.”
As he stares down at me, his shoulders loosen and his eyes soften slightly, and I breathe a sigh of relief. I give his arm a squeeze, exchanging a weak smile before I spin around to face Travis again.
“What do you want?”
“I told you.” He shrugs, crossing his arms over his chest. “I want to talk. And I want to see Claire.”
Before I can shoot down the idea, Levi speaks up again. “Over my dead body.”
“Excuse me?” Travis’s ears are now red, his eyes narrowed as he stares Levi down. “You don’t have a say when it comes to my daughter.”
“Considering I’m the one she’s been drawing in the pictures we hang on the fridge, I think I do.”
A surprised laugh slips out of Joe as my lips purse to stop the grin from taking over my face. Travis’s arms drop to his sides, and he takes a threatening step forward. Before I can blink, Levi pushes me behind him, putting himself between me and my ex.
