A chuckle escaped me when she waggled her eyebrows. “Yes, that’s…hard not to notice. But he’s not interested.”
“How are you so sure about that?” Sabrina drew her brows together.
“He told me that he’s not interested in dating at all because he’s focused on Maddie. In so many words anyway. These women are wasting their time.”
“I don’t know. Jesse is human, and some of them are very…direct. God bless.”
Trying not to focus on howdirectsome of the mothers were had been a challenge last practice. One wouldn’t let go of his arm the entire time—or at least every time I’d glanced their way—and kept leaning in close to whisper into his ear.
Girls had flirted with Jesse all the time when we were in high school, many just as brazen as these women were, and some would even do it right in front of me. He’d been polite but firm in telling them to back off, but I’d never been jealous or worried about it because I trusted him. While I still believed that Jesse didn’t and wouldn’t date, it didn’t stop the almost overpowering inclination to march over and tell them to leave him the hell alone.
But I couldn’t, could I?
Jesse wasn’t mine. We were friends, and if a woman wanted to make a play for him, it was her right, as it was his to take her up on it.
And I had no reason to see red when I’d caught him smile and laugh at something one of the women said to him.
I had left the field that afternoon with a splitting headache from blowing my whistle too hard in misplaced frustration.
“Maybe he’s not interested in dating, but he’s a guy. They all have an itch to scratch. Even a perpetual golden-retriever-type like Jesse has needs.” She held up a hand. “Just saying.”
“Just saying, what?”
“If, possibly, the woman he’s pretending to only want to be friends with let him know that she’s interested in more, the soccer groupies would scatter. Just a thought.”
“I’m not interested. We have history, but we’re friends.”
“Sure,” she said, her eyes narrowed at me. “That’s why I can hear your jaw ticking. Caden and I were just talking about it. You both have to be tired since it’s exhausting just watching you.”
“What do you want me to say?”
“Nothing to me,” she said, holding up her hands. “But maybe if you told Jesse how you feel?—”
“He’s already said he’s not interested. If Maddie hadn’t joined the team, I probably would have gone another twenty years without seeing him again. If hescratcheswith someone, that is his business and choice.”
“You poor thing,” she said, pushing off the bench and patting my arm. “You’re not going to have any back teeth left when this season is over.”
“Sabrina,” I groaned, rooting around in my bag for my whistle. “I’m fine. Jesse is fine. Drop it.” She raised a brow at me as I positioned the black lanyard string around my neck.
The frown pulling on Sabrina’s lips only made me feel worse.
“I’m sorry, Em. I only want you to be happy. One of us should be.” She huffed out a laugh.
“I know you do.” I stepped closer and took a sweep of the area behind me. A few of my kids were heading over, but the field was mostly empty. “Friends is all we can be. For lots of reasons. This isn’t one of the romance books I edit where a happily ever after is a given.” I shrugged. “The ending may not be so great if I push it.”
“I’m sorry. I’ll stop trying to be anything more than your servant for today.” She bumped my shoulder. “Put me to work, Coach.”
“Hey, ladies. Ready for today?”
My head swiveled around to Penny’s voice.
“I think so. I’ll be happy if the kids have fun with no injuries. This is my first sort-of official game as a coach, not a player.”
“In some ways, it’s a lot less taxing. Other than the parents.” She laughed and motioned to the man behind her. “This is Alex. He’s our referee today.”
“Nice to meet you,” Alex said, holding out his hand.
“Same,” I replied as I lifted my head. I was tall at almost five foot nine, but Alex had to be way over six feet.
