The deception was harder than I’d thought it would be.
“Hey, Coop,” Silas replied breezily. “I didn’t know your kids were big football fans.”
“We play flag football at the park. Dex, the donut guy, started a league last year,” Ivy informed him.
“Yeah, and we play for Wood Hollow, and Wood Hollow is the best,” Chase boasted proudly. “It makes my Fallbrook friends so mad. Can I see your football?”
Silas tossed it to him and shuffled down the driveway, motioning for Chase to pass it. Chase had a decent arm. His spiral wasn’t as tight as it could be, but he stepped into his throw like a boss and delivered a nice shot.
“Not bad,” Silas enthused.
“Thanks. I’ve been practicing,” Chase called out.
Silas threw the ball, then glanced at Ivy. “How about you? Wanna show me what you’ve got?”
Ivy’s grin was quick and disarming. She dropped her bag at my feet and ran to the opposite end of the driveway.
For the next ten minutes or so, I played spectator, watching Silas charm the hell out of my kids. He threw the ball over and over, plucking unwieldy passes out of the air before they nailed the Jeep or landed in a shrub. And all the while, he answered their endless stream of questions.
Yes, he’d played with some of the greatest QBs in the game. He’d been in two Super Bowls: lost the first, won the second. It was the most incredible feeling in the world.
“Like Christmas morning and Santa brings you a bike, a puppy, a trampoline, a foosball table, all-you-can-eat chocolate cake, and more.”
No, he’d never met any of Elmwood famous athletes in person, but he’d been to their games.
“How is a pro football different?” Chase asked, wincing as the next ball slipped out of his hand and bounced on the driveway.
Silas motioned the kids to his side. “It’s bigger, the ends are pointier, there aren’t any stripes on it, and you can tell it’s a little smoother, too. That makes it harder to grip. Yet you two have been chucking this thing like beasts. Gimme a high five.”
He held his hand just out of reach, chuckling as they both jumped to smack his palm.
“All right, guys. Thank Mr. Anderson and?—”
“Silas,” he corrected.
Chase and Ivy said thank you and invited Silas to come by for dinner and call whenever he felt like throwing the ball around. I sent them ahead of me and hung back to sneak a few minutes alone with him.
“Like it or not, you just made two new best friends.” I pivoted to face Silas. And God, I wanted to grab his face and kiss the hell out of him. I brushed my fingers over his instead and shoved my hand into my pocket. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me. I’ve been loitering outside for an hour, hoping to meet them. And…see you, of course.” He spun the football on his palm, adding, “They’re pretty cool.”
“I think so too. Look, I, um…I don’t know how much I’ll be able to see you this week, but?—”
“Hey, it’s okay. I don’t expect you to shuffle your calendar for me. Do your thing. I’ll be around. I’m happy to be a random after-school football diversion if that works best.”
That sounded safe and smart and?—
“Come for dinner tomorrow,” I blurted. “Six o’clock. I’ll barbecue ribs and veggies and make a salad…or something.”
We stared at each other for a long moment. Like two magnets trying hard to resist attraction.
“I’ll be there.”
I finally broke away. “See you tomorrow.”
“Sleep well.”
I snickered at his lascivious eye-waggle. “You too.”
