More of the team’s family and friends start filling the seats in our box, saying hi to me as they pass by. It’s satisfying that no one is saying a word to Addison, though.
Yes, I can be petty sometimes.
“Well, it’s obvious Sailor is my daughter. She looks just like me. It doesn’t take much for people to put two-and-two together. And since you’re here, I can’t imagine the things that must be going through their head aboutyou.”
This. Horrible. Woman.
“I’m sure they’re not thinking anything, Addison. I’ve met these people several times. They know I’m Sailor’s nanny.”And something to Declan, but I don’t add that in.
She cackles like the witch that she is, rolling her eyes. “Yes, thenanny. So funny how you were hired to care for our daughter, and now you’re sleeping withhim.”
Her insinuation flares something ugly inside me, and I’m about to fire back, when Sailor’s sweet voice says, “Mama, I have cotton candy, please?”
Both mine and Addison’s attention pulls to Sailor, and it’s only then that I realize she’s looking up at me, tugging on the hem of my T-shirt.
She called me mama again.
She called me mama in front of her mom.
With wide eyes I look up at Addison, who’s seething. Her cheeks have turned red, whether from anger or embarrassment I’m not sure, and she looks like she’s ready to reach right over Sailor’s head and throttle me.
Ripping Sailor’s hand from the bottom of my shirt, Addison completely pretends like the question wasn’t directed at me and says, “Of course you can, sweetie.” Then, over Sailor’s head, she shakes her own, lowering her voice as she looks me dead in the eyes and spits, “You’re a fucking whore. First you steal my fiancé, now my kid?”
Guilt slams into me, knowing that’s exactly what she thinks. In her mind, I’m the villain, and in mine, she is.
It’s a sad, disappointing way for two women to view each other—we should be coming together over our mutual love of Sailor if nothing else, but I know from many years of studying people, children, and families, that we have a long road ahead of us before we ever get to that point.
A response is on the tip of my tongue when suddenly Declan’s laughter radiates through the stadium. My head whips up to the Jumbotron, and I find his handsome face broadcasted across several screens.
Excitement clashes with the sadness and soon my stomach explodes with butterflies. I’m in love with this man, and I love his daughter like she’s my own.
The realization hits me hard.
Grinning like an idiot, I watch asCoach Declan Laneflashes across the screen, accompanied by music and several shots and videos of him coaching the Bears, before it changes back to the interview of him.
“Coach Lane,” a female voice booms across the stadium. “You’ve had quite a big season already and it’s just beginning!”
“You can say that again,” Declan agrees, nodding along with a smile on his face.
“What would you say the highlight of it has been thus far?”
“Watching the Bears take home that opening weekend victory is up in the top three, for sure.” The pride radiates off of him through the screen, making it palpable throughout the stadium. Everyone seems to be focused on the coach's words.
“Top three?” the interviewer asks with curiosity. “You’re talking about that viral video, aren’t you? What’s it sitting at now? Twenty-two, twenty-three million views?” she teases. “Is that your number one highlight of the season so far, Coach Lane?”
Declan shakes his head. “Nah, Ma’am, you’ve got it all wrong. It wasn’t the videos, although, I guess that’s not entirely true.” Declan grins—no, beams at the camera. “My top highlight of the season so far was what you can call a curveball in my personal life. I never saw it coming.”
My heart begins to thunder, mouth slightly agape as I watch the screen intently.
“And that was?” she eggs him on.
At this point I’m at the edge of my seat, wondering where he’s going with this. It has something to do with me, and part of me is nervous as hell.
Okay, all of me is nervous as hell. My palms sweat, my foot bounces against the concrete in anticipation.
Staring directly into the camera, he tells the world, “I hit a home run in love and fell for my dream woman, Hailey Shea.”
My jaw hits the floor.
