With a roll of my eyes, I slipped my hands in my pockets and pulled the material forward a little, knowing full well my ass would be where his gaze drifted to.
When his “Fuck, Ed, you don’t play fair,” greeted me as I headed down the staircase, I chuckled, loving teasing my man a little too much.
A couple of minutes later we were all strapped into Pearce’s SUV. He was driving us there, and I’d offered to drive us at the end of the night. It wouldn’t be a late one as Lottie was exhausted after another crazy forty-eight hours. Not that she’d admit such a thing.
It didn’t take too long to reach the venue, the thirty-minute drive filled with banter and Pearce still figuring out his limerick. They were ridiculously abysmal. A poet, he wasn’t.
When we pulled up outside the hotel, Pearce eyed me speculatively. And considering the way my pulse rocketed as soon as he hit the brakes, I figured he knew the reason why.
“I love you.” The words, smooth and easy, helped to ease my nerves. Since I retired, I’d enjoyed being out of the limelight, only chasing it when raising awareness for the charity foundation I was heavily involved with.
As soon as I stepped out of this car, I’d be putting myself out there, and more significantly, Lottie too. I had to have faith she could handle it, as could we all.
“I love you,” I responded, then peered over at Lottie. “You ready, kiddo?”
She bobbed her head, her eyes a little wide from the bunch of cameras outside.
“You hold my hand or Pearce’s, okay?”
She turned to me, a patient smile appearing on her face. “I know the drill, Dad. Promise.”
“All part of your agent prep, huh, Lottie girl?” Pearce winked at her through the rearview, and a moment later, we exited the vehicle.
As soon as Pearce reached my side, our gazes connected. My small smile was all the reassurance I seemed to need as he reached out and held my hand, Lottie moving around to Pearce’s other side and clasping his hand too.
The camera flashes seemed to double, and Pearce’s name being hollered out reached a peak. These events weren’t about stopping and chatting to reporters, so with smiles and a few nods, we held on tightly to each other and reached the door, held swiftly open for us.
Exhaling slow and steady, I shook off the first layer of tension. Next up were Pearce’s friends.
CHAPTER20
PEARCE
Pride.That’s exactly what encompassed me and made my heart swell and my chest puff. Getting to redefine my relationship with Eddie and Lottie and introduce them as my family was a heady emotion.
The way his palm settled in mine, the way our shoulders brushed, each touch sending delicious shockwaves of belonging through me, all of it guided me step-by-step into the large function room.
While tonight was a semiformal affair, there was nothing somber about the laughter and conversation we walked into. The loss had been a hit to all of us, but how far we’d reached, all the way to the conference finals, made me as proud as punch.
I expected come the finals and watching the Jetts play the Starlings there’d be a hit of melancholy, but I didn’t plan for that to be the last time we entered the playoffs. There was always next year.
And God willing, a few more seasons after that.
As we entered, I smiled and nodded at a few of the support staff, making a beeline to Coach. I owed the man a big thanks in person. Thank Christ he was a family man, and once I’d told him about Lottie’s injury, and also mentioned my new relationship status, he’d taken it in stride, with a promise from me to meet with the team on Tuesday morning.
“Coach,” I greeted, releasing Eddie’s hand, and shaking the Coach’s.
Eddie did a follow-up shake, while I kissed Coach’s wife, Edna, on the cheek. “You’re looking pretty damn gorgeous tonight, Edna. It’s about time you traded up from this old man,” I teased, earning me a sigh from Coach.
“You know how we have a follow-up debrief before off-season on Tuesday?” Coach quirked his brow at me. “Carry on, Malcolm, and you’ll be responsible for a training session.”
I grinned. “Nah, that’s just mean. You wouldn’t do that to us.”
Both his brows shot high. “Wouldn’t I?”
“Uhm… hey, Lottie, come say hi to Coach.” The small group laughed as I shielded myself with Lottie.
With a shake of his head and roll of his eyes, Coach turned his attention to my almost stepdaughter. And damn if I didn’t get a bubble of delight at that label. “Hi, Lottie. If you need any help keeping this guy in line, you just reach out to me, okay?”
