“Of course, they do.” Blaise stared at her in disbelief. “The kids keep score in their heads.”
“This is for fun and to learn skills.”
She sounded serious as if she bought into the no scores and everyone gets a participation medal. He wouldn’t have expected that. “Kids still want to win.”
“They’re only six. Kids enjoy making goals.”
“To score.”
She shook her head.
Blaise nearly laughed. Jocks and geeks alike wanted to be on the winning team. He would prove it to Hadley, and he knew just the person to help him.
He walked around Hadley to where her niece sat playing a game on a tablet. “Hey, Audra.”
She glanced up. “Yes, Mr. M?”
Audra and Ryder had started calling Blaise that after her dance lesson. Maybe Mortenson was too long of a name for them to say.
“What’s your favorite thing when you play a game with your brother or friends?” he asked.
“Beating everybody.” She grinned, a tooth missing from her smile. “I like to win.”
He held up his hand to the girl. “Give me a high five.”
She did.
Satisfaction flowing through him, Blaise glanced over at Hadley. “See?”
“That’s one data point.”
He noticed the moms, dads, maybe a few grandparents given the gray hair, watching the soccer game. “I can find more.”
“That’s okay.” Hadley clapped when Ryder entered the game. “I’ll ask my sister when she calls tonight.”
“Will you admit defeat if I’m correct?”
Hadley blew out a breath. “This isn’t a battle, but I’ll tell you what she says.”
He hoped that meant she would let him hire her.
“Sit next to me, Mr. M.” Audra patted the empty folding chair on her left. “My aunt always stands.”
“Better view this way.” As Hadley grinned at Ryder on the field, her face lit up.
Blaise’s breath stilled. He found himself mesmerized.
“Go sit,” she added. “You’ve had a long day. You must be tired.”
Not tired. More wanting to finish his business and get home because this day hadn’t turned out as he planned. “Thanks.”
On the field, a boy with blond curls picked a dandelion. Okay, maybe that was the one kid who didn’t care about winning. But the grin on his face suggested he was having as much fun as his teammates at the opposite goal.
Blaise glanced at his phone. Five past five. Time was ticking, and he wanted to make an earlier flight.
He leaned toward Audra to whisper in her ear. “How long is the game?”
“Too long.” She shook her head. “They still have to have halftime.”
