"I was at the bench helping the other dads." He says it like it makes complete sense.
"Oh, I didn't tell you!" Candice leans around her husband to look at me. "They have some sort of dads club thing going on. They all hang out during practices."
"Really?"
"It’s cute, actually," she admits.
Tony huffs. "It’s not a club and it’s not cute."
"It's okay, baby. Whatever you say," she cajoles, patting his arm before turning her attention back to me. "They're all hot too."
"Really, honey? I'm right here," Tony cuts in, but she ignores him.
"And they're single," she adds with a wink.
For as long as I can remember, Candice has been trying to set me up. First, it was with a co-worker who was so odd it made me question her judgment. Yes, I might be a single twenty-eight-year-old, but I have to draw the line somewhere. Then, there was the friend-of-a-friend situation that I’d like to forget. "Ha, if you're playing matchmaker, I'll pass."
Besides, why would I want to be paired up with one of them, when I couldn't take my eyes off Grant? Plus, there'sno wayhe's single. Not to mention that he wouldn't even be interested in me if he was.
They never are.
Chapter Two
Grant
The birthday party is packed with children running wild and screaming. I’m just happy Harrison happens to be one of them and isn’t throwing a fit like he was fifteen minutes ago.
Wells and I watch Tristan and Harrison run around the large backyard with their friends. The entire team was invited and they’ve been talking about this party all week.
“Anyone want a two-year-old?" Cole comes to a stop in front of us looking like he's had one helluva rough morning. His energetic daughter, Marie, is wiggling in his arms struggling to get loose and screeching like a bird in the process.
I feel for my friend. It's not easy parenting one child, let alone two. Cole’s been through the wringer with his contentious divorce and the mother of his children moving across the country to be with her new boyfriend, leaving Cole with sole custody.
He sets his youngest down on the grassy lawn and she takes off like a rocket, running off to join the bigger kids as Cole tells his oldest son, Jett, to keep an eye on her.
"How do you guys do it?" Cole asks, his expression wary. His normally put-together appearance is ruffled this morning, his shirt wrinkled and face unshaven. It must’ve been a worse morning than I thought.
Wells chuckles, crossing his arms. "For starters, I only have one." Wells's son Tristan is a tiny little guy. His soccer jersey hangs off his small frame almost to his ankles, even now his clothes swamp him, but that doesn’t stop his spunk. "And I wouldn't say I'm a pro at it either. Not like Grant is."
"Oh bullshit," I scoff. "You only see the good parts. My morning was probably similar to yours," I admit. Harrison was a little monster this morning. He woke up at five, spilled milk all over the floor, and refused to get dressed for Mason's party. He threw a fit the whole way here and only stopped crying when he saw the bouncy castle and cake.
I almost did the oldest trick in the book and threatened to turn the car around.
Across the chaotic backyard, Tony spots us and walks towards us, grill tongs in hand. "Hey, guys. Thanks for coming."
"Dude, I'd do anything to get my kids out of the house," Cole jokes, but the desperation is clear in his voice.
Wells slaps Tony on the arm. "Thanks for inviting us." Handshakes are exchanged with the host before a small ahem has us looking around our circle. A mess of brown waves glistens in the sun immediately catching my attention.
"Um, I was told to bring you guys some drinks." She shrugs, gesturing down to her arms loaded with cans.
It’s her. The woman from Harrison's game last week. The one with the swollen ankle that I haven’t been able to get out of my mind. She's absolutely stunning and I can’t help but gape at her.
"Thanks." Tony grabs a can from her, popping the tab, the hiss of the carbonation ringing out. He takes a sip before makingintroductions. "Hazel, this is Cole, Grant, and Wells. Hazel’s my sister-in-law."
"Ah," she smiles. "The infamous club." Her cheeks flush slightly, making the freckles dotting her nose and cheeks stand out even more.
"Club?" Cole asks as he takes a can from her.
