“I’ve never really been an animal until now.” I kissed her cheek. “Sorry if I want to enjoy it. Ready for your last game?”
“Well, last game of the season. I’m excited to give the kids their trophies.”
I stepped out of the shower and held out a hand.
“Such a gentleman.” She smiled and slid her wet palm against mine.
“I figured your legs might still be a little shaky.” I grabbed the towel off the rack behind me and wrapped it around her, pulling her in for a quick kiss. “Do you really want to do this again? Deal with other people’s kids for two days a week?”
“Why not? The kids are cute, most of the time. I get to enjoy soccer, get out on a weekend.” She took the towel from my hands and turned away from me. “It’s fun for me, believe it or not.”
Her smile faded as something flashed across her face.
“What’s wrong?” I asked as I plucked the other towel from the lower rack and wrapped it around my waist.
She shook her head. “Did it seem like anything was wrong before?” She batted her eyelashes as she cinched the towel around her.
“No, everything seemed very right then.” I jutted my chin to the empty shower and leaned on the inside of the door. “But I thought I saw something on your face.” I reached out to cup her cheek. “Maybe I’m just staring at you too much.”
She slipped the clip out of her hair and let the brown waves billow around her shoulders.
“Do you remember when I said I broke my engagement because he didn’t want kids?”
“I do. Why is that bothering you now?”
Her shoulders drooped as she adjusted the towel.
“I’d been thinking of having kids on my own. I finally went to a fertility clinic for some tests just to see what my options were.” She fixed her gaze on the porcelain of the sink. “Long story short, they didn’t tell me it was impossible, but they gave me the impression from what the tests showed that it wouldn’t be easy for me. I don’t know if that was always the case or if the potential complications were because I waited too long.”
She brought her gaze back to mine and lifted a shoulder.
“I didn’t tell anyone I was going or even thinking about it, so no one knows what the results were. Well, now, no one but you. I was a little disappointed, of course, but that’s life, right?”
I nodded, smoothing my hand up her back and squeezing the nape of her neck.
“I wasn’t sure if I wanted to coach or even how when Penny asked me, but I was a little excited for it. Once I started doing it, I found that I liked being with kids. Even if they aren’t mine, like the ones on my team and Maddie. It’s soothing in a way I can’t explain. Plus, soccer without the intense competition takes me back to a simpler time, which is nice too.” Her chest deflated on a long sigh. “It sounds silly, and I don’t know why I’m telling you all of this.”
“It doesn’t sound silly at all. Do I have to bring up how Tessa and I used to fight over you? Kids love you. And most adults too.”
“Oh yeah, everyone loves me.” Her shoulders jerked with a chuckle. “I think you’re just biased.” She glowered at me before she opened the medicine cabinet.
“BecauseIlove you? Definitely.” I came up behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist and holding her gaze in the mirror. “But people of all ages adore you. And maybe it’s too soon to bring something like that up, but I’ve recently learned that the almost impossible sometimes happens. If that’s a dream you still have, you, or we, can cross that bridge when you’re ready to get to it.”
“I didn’t know you were so philosophical in your old age,” Her eyes were glossy as her mouth curved.
“That’s mostly because the dream I’ve had for a couple of decades recently came true.” I kissed her shoulder. “Makes anolderguy very optimistic.”
I cupped her chin when I noticed it quiver in the mirror.
“Why are you both in the bathroom?”
Emily’s head whipped to mine at the sound of Maddie’s voice coming through the door.
“I told you,” she mouthed to me.
I held up a hand.
“I had to fix the showerhead for Emily. It was leaking again.”
