“And Silas,” Cooper said like a proud husband. “I hope the kids find him. It looks like a mosh pit at a rock concert out there. Shouldn’t you be securing the peace, Mr. Police Chief?”
“Probably. Gretchen followed the boys and Ivy, and that doesn’t always end well.”
“She’ll be fine.”
Cooper and Reg gave me highlights from the game, then asked about my trip to Burlington. I opened my mouth to respond just as Viggo parted the crowd with Gretchen on his shoulders, her black cape billowing behind her in the breeze and a radiant grin on her face.
“We won!” she cried, giggling when Viggo kneeled low so she could hop off.
Viggo high-fived her. “Flag football is fun sometimes. Maybe you could try it, too. I bet they’d let you tuck your cape into the belt if we asked the right person.”
Gretchen nibbled her bottom lip and swiveled to face me. “Maybe.”
I nodded. “I think we could work something out.”
The mood was light and celebratory. The sky was clear with a full moon, and the crisp autumn air carried the scent of pine trees and pre-Halloween anticipation.
Silas suggested pizza at Mike and Sam’s—his treat. Everyone cheered. Except Cooper…who reminded the kids that tomorrow was a school day. He was heartily booed.
“I was joking!” He laughed. “Okay, okay. Let’s have pizza.”
I hung back with Viggo while he changed into a clean pullover and gathered his belongings. And in a matter of minutes, it was just us.
“Congratulations.” I nudged his elbow playfully.
Viggo grinned. “It wasn’t the Super Bowl, but it was fun.”
I cupped my ear. “Say that again, please.”
“No. But I’ll let you buy me a beer.”
“You got it.”
“And you can tell me about the doctor appointment. How did it go?” he asked, casually draping his arm over my shoulder.
Goose bumps rose on my arms. I shivered and burrowed closer, breathing him in. There was no one nearby, but at that moment, I officially no longer gave a fuck.
“I felt the baby,” I reported.
Viggo went still. “What do you mean?”
“I put my hand on Freya’s belly and it moved. It was so…incredible.”
“That’s better than beating Fallbrook.”
I chuckled. “Yeah. I almost felt guilty that you weren’t there for it. Like we should be sharing the experience.”
“Thank you. That’s nice of you, but…you’re the father, Dex. You should have the honor for yourself.”
“Hang on. You knew about it?”
“She told us both that the baby was active,” he reminded me. “I didn’t know if she would perform tricks for you.”
“She? Wait! It’s a girl? Do you know that? Did Freya tell you? Did you?—”
Viggo stopped abruptly and dropped his bag on the grass. He tipped my chin with his thumb and stared deep into my eyes. “Relax,älskling. I don’t know anything. I say ‘she’ in my head sometimes and other times, I say ‘he.’ That’s all.”
“Right. Okay.” I studied him in the moonlight. “What doesälsklingmean?”
