Page 34 of The Single Dad's Guide to Recreation

Realizing I’ve crawled halfway across the console, I begin to retreat, but he doesn’t let me go. “I’m just laughing because I feel like a horny teenager all over again. Fogging up windows while I make out with a girl in front of her parents’ house. Hoping her dad doesn’t show up with a flashlight.”

“Or a shotgun?”

He snorts out a laugh. “Exactly.”

Tracing a fingertip along his firm jaw, I say, “I guess we’ll just have to get creative.”

“Or we could just take advantage of being adults with credit cards and camp out in a hotel room.”

“As long as it’s not one of thoserent a room by the hourplaces,” I say with a grin. “I’m in.”

“Are you kidding me?” he scoffs. “By the time we racked up the hours in one of those places, we may as well have rented a room at the Ritz.”

It’s my turn to snort out a laugh. “Okay?”

He shakes his head. “Sorry, I’ve definitely lost my game. What I meant to say is, I’d love to spend a weekend away with you.” Cupping the side of my face with his warm palm, he whispers, “Because I want to get to know every inch of you.”

ChapterTwelve

JOSH

On paper, it’s a great idea to plan a weekend away with Avery. Just thinking about it has me hopeful about the future, in a way that I haven’t for a long time.

But when we look at our calendars, reality sets in. Mabel starts first grade this week. My parents have plans for two weekends in the upcoming month. They’ve put off retirement travel to help with the kids, so I can hardly begrudge them time for leaf peeping or a friends’ sixtieth birthday party. Meanwhile, Avery’s parents need help round the clock, so she has to convince one of her siblings to visit if we’re to get away.

In the meantime, I have so much work to do. At this point, I’ve met with almost every department head at Climax Parks and Rec. Avery and I haven’t talked specifically about children’s programming, but that’s on me. Even after only a few weeks of class, I’m convinced Playgroup is worth keeping around. I’m not ready to make any promises until I can Tetris my way through a full budget, but when I do, at least I know where to find Avery.

It’s not at all easy to pin down Travis, on the other hand. He never seems to be in his office. Instead, he’s always at a field or basketball court or workout room. And none of these facilities are anywhere near each other. Conrad explained that the Parks and Rec department has picked up abandoned properties over the years to kluge together its facilities, from an old middle school to farmland to a few lots that I’m worried might be brownfield sites. When I finally catch up with Travis, it’s late afternoon on a Thursday and he’s calling a kids’ soccer match.

And by calling, I mean the man is single handedly doing color and play-by-play commentary of a seven-year-olds’ game on a Frankensteined sound system at the edge of a field set at a thirty-degree angle.

“Miles Vanderhoost steals the ball for the Hudson Realty Closers, dribbling along the downhill side. He’s got impressive footwork but—look at that! His drive is stalled by Jose Rodriguez, defensive back for the Jones Auto Parts’ Flash. Nice pass, Jose! Ron Regis kicks the ball to the uphill side where striker Timmy Ballenger scoops it up.”

His patter only pauses when the crowd cheers or groans. The guy must know the name of every single kid on both teams, and his enthusiasm for the match is infectious. The parents aren’t side coaching or behaving badly. Nor are they staring at their phones. Everyone just seems to be into the game.

When it wraps up, I hover nearby while Travis chats with coaches and players and random other townsfolk, tirelessly and cheerfully fielding an endless stream of questions and suggestions. Twenty minutes later, I get my turn.

“Travis? I’m Josh Harmon from Trede.”

Travis slaps his forehead. “Gah. I know I’m supposed to call you back, man. I swear I’m not avoiding you.”

I gesture at the cars exiting the parking lot, or parking field, rather. “You’ve obviously got your hands full.”

His smile is wide, like he couldn’t be happier about it. “Yeah, I mean, we’ve got a solid sports program here. Leia said you want to hear about proposed changes, but honestly, I think we’re all good.”

“What about your facilities? They seem pretty spread out.”

“True.” He gestures at the folding table on the side of the field, holding sound equipment and what look like spiral notebooks. “Can we talk while I load up? ’Sposed to rain tonight, so I need to pack up.”

I look around, wondering why no one’s helping him. “Um, sure.”

I have to ask a few times before he lets me help him stow equipment in a nearby shed. Travis could probably use some guidance on delegating and making use of volunteers, but instead of making those suggestions, I ask, “How in the heck do you remember all those kids’ names?”

He pauses in the act of looping a very long extension cord. “I dunno. Leia calls me a gossip, but I don’t see the deets like that. They’re the threads holding this community together. I mean, lots of things don’t stick in my brain. I don’t know the difference between a stock and a bond, I couldn’t tell you any state capitals outside of New York’s or the difference between the Greek and Roman gods. That stuff’s not important to me, though. I care about my kids and this town. The people I can make a difference to. I can’t do anything about the rest of the world, so I don’t bother to hang on to it.”

Curious, I point at my chest, brows up. “What about newcomers like me?”

“We’ve had a slew of new folks move to town this past year, so I am a bit behind.” He scratches his chin. “Let’s see. Josh Harmon. Single dad of Mabel and Percy. Your parents moved here to help you out when you got the job at Trede at the beginning of the summer.”

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