After I told Mom our plans, she took it upon herself to look up the stats for Derek’s team. Having not been to a game since high school, she figured I could brush up on it.
“Anyone want some snacks?” I ask.
“Popcorn, please!” Lydia pipes up.
“I’ll take some too,” Gunnar says, pulling out some cash from his wallet. “My treat tonight.”
“That’s kind of you.”
The lights are bright overhead as I walk back up the steps to wait in the long line. Excited chatter for the game tonight floats through the air.
The team is 5-0 already, with junior varsity not far behind at 4-1. I can’t wait to see how the team plays. How Derek does coaching.
Is this what my Friday nights could look like?
If this thing with Derek continues, I’ll be spending more and more nights here when I’m not working. Would I eventually be the coach’s wife?
I don’t know why the thought runs uninhibited through my head. We’ve only really been doing this for a few weeks.
Way to get ahead of yourself, Sutton.
But even in that time, I’ve met his son. Hell, I introduced him to Lydia. Is it really too much to hope that things could keep going this well?
It’s not like I’d just introduce any random person to Lydia. She’s my entire world, and I will do everything to protect her.
But within ten minutes, Derek showed me that Lydia would matter to him too.
“What’s got you so doe-eyed?” Jameson asks as I return to our seats.
Lydia is chatting Gunnar’s ear off about her favorite TV show. He’s eating up every word as she tells him about the family of dogs that lives in Australia. It earns him extra points in my book because not everyone can handle a kid talking nonstop.
“Nothing.”
“Don’t you nothing me, honey.” Jameson swats at my leg as I hand a bucket of popcorn and a water to Lydia. “Does it have to do with a certain stud on the field?”
I follow his gaze toward the sidelines. Derek is there, in the middle of the huddle, talking to a few of the guys. His hat is swung backward on his head, and it does funny things to my insides.
Derek is in his element down there, pointing things out to the players as they listen intently. When he breaks the huddle, they start working through drills.
“You really like him, huh?” Jameson’s voice breaks through my thoughts about what this man does to me.
“Well, I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t like him.”
Jameson elbows me in the side as the marching band and cheerleaders make their way onto the field.
It’s then an older couple and a young kid I recognize walk toward us.
“Miss Sutton!” Troy’s tiny voice pops up over the rest of the crowd, the stadium more full now that the game is going to be starting soon.
“Hi, Troy.”
“Are you here to watch Daddy’s team play?” he asks.
The hat that sits on top of his head hides most of his face. The sleeve of his jacket is stretched across his blue cast, but I can see the T-shirt that he’s wearing to support Derek’s team.
“Hi, Troy.” Lydia wiggles out from her seat to move to my other side. “Mommy said we could play together.”
I’m about to correct her when Troy does it for me, shaking his head in a firm manner. “We have to watch football. My daddy’s the coach.”
