“Exploring your options?” she asks.
“You can say that.”
When I look at her again, she’s checking my left hand for a ring, as if that would stop her from trying to get me to her minivan.
“There aren’t many dads here,” I say, making it a point to look around. There really aren’t.
“Nah. Cooper is usually the only one.” She points at the blond guy I’ve been watching.
Cooper. “What does he do?”
“He owns the sports center.” She looks over her shoulder toward the building Lyla works at.Interesting.
“He owns it?” I ask and look at him again. “Is he an athlete?”
“Was. Soccer. He was good, too. Played pro overseas for a while, but he had too many injuries and decided to hang up his cleats and open up Tackle to help athletes train, overcome injuries, and stay healthy. People come from all over the country.”
“What about the coach?” I nod at shit-head number one.
“Wade?” She asks. “He plays for the U.S. Soccer Team.”
“Plays?” My brows shoot up. “Why is he here?”
“He took a season off. And he has a thing for Delilah.” She rolls her eyes when she says this.
My jaw clenches.
“She’s gorgeous, sure, but I don’t see the hype.” The woman shrugs. “I hear she’s practically a hermit.”
A hermit. Ha. I saw her out. Twice. She’s definitely not a hermit. This woman probably lives in the suburbs and doesn’t know what happens in the city after dark. I look at Shit-head again. Pro soccer, huh? Pro soccer, yet Lyla’s able to fake him out easily. He’s probably a bench warmer.
“I’m Tammy, by the way,” she says after a moment.
“Nice to meet you, Tammy.” I nod politely but keep my arms crossed as I look at the field, my eyes on De-li-luh’s every move.
Beside me, Tammy’s quiet, probably waiting for me to give her my name. I don’t.
Lyla whistles three times.
“Well, the game’s over.” Tammy turns and very obviously lets her eyes roam my body. Again. “Do you want me to show you around the city?”
“No.” I look her dead in the eye. “I already have someone showing me everything.”
She looks disappointed, but smiles and walks back to the rest of the hot moms who are waiting for her. I wonder if they agreed on who would come up to me, and if they set a bet on whether or not she’d seduce me. People like to shit on men when they make bets about things like that, but when women do it, it’s fine. Annoying is what it is.
“You have got to be kidding me,” a familiar voice says behind me.
“Marissa.” I smile and turn around slowly. “It’s been a while.”
“You’re a terrible human being, you know that?” She narrows her eyes as she closes the distance between us. She plants both palms on my chest and pushes me. I don’t budge, which makes her more upset, so she clenches her fists at her sides. “Taking her back to Fairview? What the fuck is wrong with you?”
“I have some unfinished business there and a luncheon to attend.” I shrug.
“Why would you do this to her?” she asks. “Don’t you think she’s been through enough?”
“Oh,she’sbeen through enough?” I huff out a laugh. “I’m sorry, do you not remember that I was sent to the hospital?”
“Oh my. . .” She takes a deep breath as if trying to rein in her anger. “So this is you trying to get revenge on her for being the reason you were at the hospital?”
