More importantly, humanity needs it if I’m going to have to be social today.
I’ve just thanked Nicolette and turned to find a place to sit when I almost run into one of the women I spied earlier.
“Hi! Oh my gosh! We’ve been dying to meet you,” a bubbly woman with blonde hair says as she herds me toward her table. Something about the way she says it makes me think she’s not talking about my soccer career.
And I’m not sure that’s better.
I don’t plan on sitting, but she grabs an extra chair and motions for me to put Remi’s car seat on it before grabbing another for me.
“I’m Bea and this is Ellison and Cal.” She pauses, her eyes twinkling. “We’re friends of Jensen’s.”
“Technically I’m here by default,” Cal says with a smirk and a sideways glance at Ellison, who shrugs and takes a sip of her coffee. She’s beautiful with dark hair and brown eyes and an air of mischief that’s impossible to ignore.
“It’s really nice to meet you,” I say in the same way I give interviews. Bea snorts, Ellison raises an eyebrow, and Cal crosses his arms over his chest. He’s handsome with dark hair that sweeps across his forehead and Remi-colored eyes.
Like Nicolette when she’d taken my order, Bea seems to be the excited balance for the other two.
“Yeah, that’s not gonna work here,” he says and now it’s my turn to raise an eyebrow. “Use that act on someone else.”
I open my mouth to speak but Ellison cuts me off.
“Seriously. You can go be the soccer star somewhere else, but here in Blackstone Falls,”—she lowers her voice—“you’re the woman who brought our niece home to us.” She shrugs. “Makes you family.”
“And family doesn’t use the camera face,” Cal says with accusation light in his tone. Ellison holds her fist out to him and he bumps it with his own.
I take in their expectant looks and shrug. “It’s hard to turn it off.”
“I thought that was going to be harder,” Cal says with a smirk.
“Caffeine hasn’t kicked in yet,” I tell them as Remi fusses in her seat again. “Besides, Jensen told me how everyone pitched in to help get the nursery set up.”
“Gettin’ cozy with the Sheriff then, huh?” Ellison asks with a wicked grin curling her lips.
“No,” I say firmly as I unbuckle the baby and ease her into my arms. It only lasts for a second before Bea makes grabby hands, and I give Remi over to her.
It’s a bittersweet moment.
These people will see my sweet girl whenever they want, and I’ll be reduced to scheduling time between games and training. The pang of jealousy mixed with longing is as unexpected as my decision to forgo college housing to stay with Jensen.
Looking back now, I have to wonder if that was a mistake because the man is edible but I still can’t have him.
Even when the idea of him shirtless with a sleeping baby on his chest is burned into my brain.
“Well, I definitely don’t believe you now,” Cal says, drawing an imaginary circle with his finger in my direction. Ellison snickers and it’s all I can do to keep my expression neutral as I turn my attention back to them.
“We’re adults. We can occupy the same space and not need to rip each other’s clothes off,” I try, but it sounds lame even to my own ears.
“But where’s the fun in that?” Bea coos to the baby before throwing a wink in my direction.
“Okay, hand over the baby,” Ellison says, holding out her hands toward where Bea is standing and swaying back and forth. She obliges and Ellison cradles Remi against her chest, rubbing her hand up and down the baby’s back.
“It’s so strange seeing you like this,” Cal says to her, causing Ellison to narrow her eyes.
“Like what?”
“Motherly.”
Bea snorts and covers her mouth as Ellison responds, “I mother kids all day.”
