“I hope it makes a difference for someone. It might not be the biggest contribution for their organization, but I hope it can help.”
Sutton wraps both of her arms around me, resting her chin on my chest. “You’re a great leader, Derek. These guys are so lucky to have you as their coach. I’ve seen the way they look up to you. If you were Lydia’s soccer coach, I’d be thrilled. I’m so proud of you.”
A furious blush creeps up my neck at her words. It’s hard to put into words what this woman makes me feel. Instead, I press a kiss to her forehead. Because it’s about the only thing I can do.
Sensing my need to change the subject, Sutton pulls a string of cotton candy off the cardboard cone and casts her eyes around the field.
“Have you seen where our kids have darted off to?”
Finding the two tallest guys on the team, I spot the kids on their shoulders. They’re by the balloon stand Jameson and Gunnar are manning. “They’re with the receivers. Everyone on the team loves Troy, so they all keep an eye on him at events like this. He loves running around with them. Makes him feel like he’s part of the team.”
“I still can’t believe you managed to get Jameson to volunteer.”
I laugh, grabbing my own bite of the sticky, sweet candy. “He was all about it when I mentioned it to him. I can’t believe he got Gunnar to donate to it too.”
“If you do this again, I know he’ll volunteer. He loves stuff like this.”
The fact that Sutton is already thinking that far into the future has my heart threatening to burst open. I’ve never felt like this before. Back in my playing days, I took any woman home with me. Didn’t matter who; I wasn’t picky.
I don’t know if I was doing it to fill some sort of void that was missing in my life, but it was good at the time. Now I know that it doesn’t hold a candle to what I’m feeling for Sutton. For the part of my life I’m carving out for her.
For the role I want her to play in my life.
“Daddy! Look what Jameson made me!” Troy’s voice breaks me out of my wandering thoughts.
“That’s quite the balloon…animal?”
“Is it an animal?” Sutton asks, examining the matching one that Lydia is wearing.
A green balloon is wrapped around his head with a yellow goalpost, also made of balloons, sitting at the back of his head. A white balloon holds a football that bobs through the uprights.
“Jameson really made this?” I ask, dropping down onto my knees in front of Troy. He ignores my question, grabbing a bite of cotton candy. Based on the blue ring around his mouth, it’s clear he finagled someone into giving him some already.
Lydia nods, the football bouncing around on her head. “He said it would be good luck if we wore it to the game. Can we wear them, Mommy? Please?”
“You bet.” Sutton is grinning from ear to ear. “But maybe we need to get some vegetables in you kids before then.”
“Yuck.” Troy screws up his face in disgust. “I want more of that.”
“Me too!”
Both of them make a grab for the cotton candy, but I hold it above my head, out of their reach. “If you want more cotton candy, then we need to eat dinner. How does that sound? I’m sure there is something we can feed you around here.”
Smiling, Sutton grabs two small baggies out of her purse. “Carrots will make do until we can get them something better.”
“You always think of everything.”
She hands a bag to each of them as they walk and chomp.
“I don’t want to deal with hangry kids or ones hopped up on sugar.”
“As long as we don’t have any meltdowns, I’m good.” I laugh.
Sutton links her hand with mine. It’s like the two of us can’t be together without touching. Without needing to have a connection to one another.
“Now,”—Sutton pulls us to a stop—“think you can win one of us a prize?”
“Yes, Daddy! I want something too!”
