“Sorry I’ll miss it.”
“Maybe when you come back,” Audra said as if she believed this was only the first time she would see him.
His next trip to San Francisco wouldn’t be to visit Hadley. He doubted he would see Audra or her brother after tonight. Still, Blaise nodded.
“Ryder has the ball,” Hadley said, sounding excited.
The boy ran toward the goal with the others chasing after him. He kicked and scored.
Hadley and Audra cheered. People clapped. The coach gave Ryder a high five. The boy’s face lit up.
Blaise’s breath caught.He was glad Ryder had this team and a coach. One person could make all the difference to a kid. His high school math teacher had gone above and beyond for Blaise. So had the school’s custodian.
Both had initially reported Blaise’s home situation to a school administrator. He’d resented them for doing that until he learned filing a report was mandatory because of their jobs. In doing so, they’d fulfilled their obligation and then could help him.
His eyes stung. He rubbed whatever it was irritating them. Must be pollen or something in the air.
“Do you play soccer, Mr. M?” Audra asked.
“I did when I was in school. During PE class.”
Her eyebrows drew together. “You weren’t on a team after school, too?”
“No.”
“That’s too bad.”
Thefamiliar ache—a small one that was always present—grew larger. He ignored it. The same way he tried to put his past behind him. This wasn’t the time to explain to a kid, however bright she might be, about his junkie parents. All he could do was nod.
Her gaze narrowed. “Do you like soccer?”
“I like it a lot.”
Audra rubbed her chin. “You should join a team now. They have ones for old people.”
Out of the mouth of babes.He laughed.
Hadley gasped. “Mr. Mortenson isn’t old. He’s younger than me.”
Interesting. She must have researched him. Even if he was younger, it couldn’t be by much. A year or two at most. “Everyone is old when you’re seven.”
Audra nodded so he must have guessed her age correctly. “See, Aunt Hadley?”
“You need a lesson in manners.” Hadley sounded more amused than angry. She looked at him. “Go to the car, if you need to work.”
Lex was around so Blaise could sit in the SUV, too. His cell phone had been relatively quiet. Whatever was in his inbox could wait for now. “Maybe at halftime.”
Ryder kicked the ball away from an opponent. Blaise clapped. “Way to go, Ryder.”
The kid grinned at Blaise before giving the thumbs-up sign. Blaise returned the gesture.
He didn’t care about the game—there were a hundred other places he would rather be—but he didn’t want to desert the kids. He’d been there, and it sucked. Ryder and Audra had been through enough at their young ages. Even though they were strangers, the least Blaise could do was stay here and cheer.
And he did.
CHAPTER FIVE
Somehow Hadley survived the afternoon and evening. Standing at the sink, she rinsed off a plate. Blaise, however, appeared ready for a nap—or bedtime with the way he yawned. She would have thought a CEO would have more energy. Though, kids could be draining in a different way than leading a team of employees or attending meetings.
