I lean across the table and open her menu for her, which gets me some approving nods and a few more suspicious looks.
Just for fun, I rise, shake out her napkin, and put it in her lap too. “Here. Let me.”
That earns me a warning eyeball that has me suppressing a snicker.
By the time I’ve sat back down, she’s smiling too. “You did that on purpose to annoy them,” she whispers.
“It’s the nefarious in me.”
She laughs.
I get more warning eyeballs.
A server approaches our table. “Welcome. You’ve been here before? Can I answer any questions?”
I gesture to the room at large. “I’m on a date with their mom, so that means I’m paying for the room.”
“You can’t buy our love, step-Daddie,” Diego says.
Addie pinches her lips together and presses a fist to them. Her cheeks are glowing pink. And her brown eyes are absolutely sparkling with amusement.
If she doesn’t realize yet how much this team likes her and wants the best for her, I hope she’s closer after today.
Would they do this for one of their guy coaches?
No idea.
But if she were coaching a women’s team, they’d show up for her like this.
Zero doubt.
Paisley’s played softball her whole life. I’ve heard her talk about baby shower presents for coaches and the whole team showing up for a funeral when one of her coaches lost a parent.
“There’s not enough money in the world to buy their love,” I tell our server, “but I can pay for their tea. If I don’t, they’ll call me a cheapskate.”
“One test down, three hundred to go,” Brooks says to Luca.
They bump fists.
“The last time I was here, you had a raspberry lemon tea, but I don’t remember the exact name,” Addie says to our server.
The woman nods. “Still do. You want a pot?”
“Yes, please.”
They look at me. “Same,” I say.
“You want to share it? And then try another kind when you’re done?” our server asks.
“Yes,” Addie and I answer together.
“We could even share a teacup,” she adds.
Objections rise around the room, and the most beautiful thingeverhappens.
Addie Bloom, Ms. Straight-faced Badass, doubles over laughing in front of her players.
I nudge her foot with mine. “Nice job, Coach.”
