I look up to see if Dean is still there, and he is. And he’s still looking at me. Heat flashes through my veins. “It was very nice to meet you, Coach.”
He takes his hat off and places it over his heart, partially bending. “It was lovely meeting you.” He places the cowboy hat back on his head, but not before revealing a swathe of curly, thick, reddish blonde hair. The mustache above his lip, full but neatly trimmed, is a shade darker than his head, and I wonder, does all that curly hair span over the wide breadth of his muscular chest?
My eyes drop to the buttons on his polo a moment before I hastily turn, grabbing Archie’s hand, and tugging him along with me.
“Ain’t we gettin’ Rawley?” Archie asks, skipping along next to me while my heart beats out of control. I glance over my shoulder. Dean McAllister is speaking with a father of a player, but he catches my eyes, and sends a wink my way. I turn back, enjoying a private smile.
“Ain’t is not a word, Arch. And yes, we’re—” I stop in my tracks as Dolly Gray appears in front of me, decked from head to toe in Bluebell Bruisers gear. Her blonde hair is pulled up into a bouncing ponytail, and beneath one eye is a streak of gold, under the other, a streak of blue.
“Clara June!” she squeals, pulling me into a hug. I inhale what can only be Hudson’s cologne, and when she steps back?—
“Hi, Hudson,” I greet as he stands at her side. I look between them. “Where are the kids?”
Dolly loops her arm around Hudson’s waist. “They’re at his sister’s. They didn’t wanna come to the game. But we’re taking Tyson back with us, to have a little sleepover with Bear.” Her eyes drop to Archie then back up to mine. “Can Archie come, too?”
Archie looks up at me with his puppy dog eyes, and I can’t say no. Bear and Tyson are his two best buds. “Can I mom?” he whimpers.
I glance up at Hudson and Dolly. “You’re sure three little boys isn’t too much?”
Dolly shakes her head. “No! We’ve got a chili bar and a s’mores bar and we rentedTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It’s gonna be so much fun!” Hudson pulls Dolly into his chest, placing a kiss on top of her head.
“Should I go get some of his things and drop them off?” I ask, swiping my fingers through his hair just as he leaves my side to join an approaching Tyson.
Dolly waves her hand between us. “No way! Not worth the gas. We’ve got tons of jammies and stuff. Even a new toothbrush.”
After thanking them and agreeing on an eleven in the morning pick up time, I make my way toward the gate where the rest of the town is slowly filtering through, toward the gravel parking lot, when I’m stopped again.
“Clara June!” a man’s voice calls out.
I spin, finding Jake Turner, Riley Turner, Jo Jo Turner and Rawley. Jake and Riley smile as we close the gap between us. “We’re gonna go for pizza, and grab a movie at the RedBox. Thought maybe Rawley could join us? What’s his curfew?”
“Midnight,” I reply, “same as always.”
“You’re welcome to join us, Clara June,” Riley says, smiling as she loops her arm through Jake’s. I look down at my dirty uniform, and back up at them.
“Thanks for inviting me but I came straight from work. I’d love a hot bath right about now.” I look at Rawley. “Midnight, got it?” I smile at Jo Jo, who smiles back, still in her cheerleading uniform, only now wearing Rawley’s sweatshirt over the top.
“Alright, next time then. And don’t worry. We’ll make sure he gets home on time,” Jake says with a tip of his hat, a country man’s goodbye.
A few more goodbyes with Jo Jo and Riley, and before I know it, I’m back at home, locking the front door behind me. The house is littered with dirty laundry, empty styrofoam cups, an old clamshell of takeout, school papers, miscellaneous football equipment, toy guns, gaming discs out of their cases, and dirty dishes.
With my back pressed against the front door, I let out a long sigh, kick off my shoes, and hang up my coat and purse on the rack. Friday night. All my boys are gone. The house to myself. The messy, destroyed, absolutely abhorrent house all to myself.
I chew my bottom lip, thinking of all of the things I can do.
I could clean this place up. It’s so much easier to clean with the boys gone.
Before I can decide on how lame my Friday is going to be, my purse buzzes.
Digging out my phone, I’m surprised to see a text from my friend Jackie.
Meet me for a drink. I’m lonely and bored.
Before you play the single mom card, I have a solution.
Make Rawley watch Tanner, make Tanner watch Archie, give Archie Benadryl. Boom, child care solved.
I smirk at her messages. I do in fact play the single mom card when she invites me out. Rawley and Tanner are both old enough to stay with Archie, and to stay alone. I just… don’t like going out.
