Page 75 of Rebound

“I’m not a jewelry guy,” I say. “Other than my wedding ring.” I hold my left hand up. “Don’t want any woman thinking I’m single,” I say with a cackle. Coach cackles too, but I have a sinking suspicion that he’s laughing at me and not with me. I open my mouth to say more, but the office door opens and Jeannie, Layla, and Roger Walsh, Coach’s father, walk in. He has Jeannie's arm tucked in his while he helps her to the couch. Her stomach is huge now, and she moves slowly.

I stand, give them the couch, and pull Layla into a hug. I plant a loud kiss on her lips, and she looks up and smiles at me. Something strange in my stomach shifts, and I feel a little unsteady on my feet. I slide my fingers under the collar of her shirt and pull out the chain with my championship ring. I tuck it back, but something about seeing it on her stirs something in me. Something I never knew I had.

“Roger Walsh let me tag along on his weekly lunch and mentoring session,” she whispers. Roger is Jeannie’s mentor, and I know Layla looks up to them both.

“That’s because he would be a fool not to know how smart you are.” She grins wider, and I feel proud for making her feel good about herself.

I hear a throat clearing, and when I look at Coach, he tilts his head toward the roses. I leave Layla long enough to get them and present them to her. She blushes prettily, takes them from me, and hugs me. I’d never tell anyone, but this moment here feels better than any championship.

“Aiden, I have to meet your mother. We have plans tonight, but I’ll see you tomorrow for the shower,” Roger Walsh says. He hugs his son, kisses Jeannie’s cheek, and says goodbye.

“Coach, you should talk to your father about adopting me so we can be brothers,” I say. Layla punches my arm.

“I’ll get right on that,” he says.

“You guys want to come over tonight?” I ask Coach and Jeannie. “Or we can go get Jasmine and come to you.” I eyeball Jeannie, who looks so uncomfortable. I know Coach will want to keep her home.

“We’re on our way to Connecticut tonight,” Jeannie says. Connecticut is where the massive mansion Coach grew up in is located. Not only is it where he grew up, but the house is now his, even though his sister lives there with her family. “Whydon’t you guys come tonight? We can have dinner there and you can spend the weekend? What do you think, babe?” she asks her husband. I almost want to laugh because there is no way he would deny her anything.

“Sounds good. The Chastains are coming tonight too.”

Chapter 46

Layla

“We can go next weekend or the one after that,” Layla says over the noise at the

Walsh compound backyard. Actually, it’s more like the size of a football field. There are blue and pink balloons everywhere since Jeannie is having one of each.

Aiden’s sister, Katherine, is throwing the shower, and there are so many kids, she has a petting zoo off to the side. It’s a hot day, and there are water sports for the kids. Katherine has nannies on hand, but we asked Dorothy to come for a few hours to watch Jasmine. I look around the yard, and she’s getting her face painted while she sits on Dorothy’s lap.

“Okay,” Seth says about going to see his father. “I’m irritated that he went behind my back and called you about this. And do you see that clown? I don’t trust him at all.”

“What’s wrong with the clown?” I ask. When he reminds me about the John Wayne Gacy documentary I forced him to watch, I roll my eyes at his dramatics. “Anyway, don’t be upset that Pete called me. I don’t mind. He’s just lonely, and he doesn’t bother me at all.” He nods and opens his mouth to say more, but his phone buzzes. He pulls it out of his pocket and frowns.

“I’m sick of this woman,” he mutters, and I know instantly that it’s Jasmine’s maternal grandmother. “I’m going to see about getting a restraining order.”

“What does she want?” I ask. “Does she want to see her? Do you think maybe you should let her—”

“Absolutely not,” he says. “No. Something is not right with this woman when her own daughter warned me about her. I want Jazzy Girl to have a good childhood, not be bothered by others and their issues.”

I nod in understanding. Seth is consistent about one thing, and that’s making sure Jasmine does not have the same childhood he did. Jasmine comes running across the yard to us with her face painted like a fairy.

“Yook,” she says while she points at her face. Dorothy is holding a small compact mirror and Jasmine takes it from her to admire her face. “Picture,” she says, pointing at the phone. "Mama,” she says to me, and my heart stops. Before I can react, Johnny and Vickie come to us. His face is painted like a cheetah.

“Down,” he says to his mom, who puts him down. He stands next to Jasmine, and they both smile and pose for pictures. Seth snaps some, and I take my phone and do the same. They run off to the petting zoo a few seconds later, but hearing her call me mama stays with me.

I feel tears in the back of my eyes, but I don’t let them spill. Seth puts a hand on my lap almost as if he knows how I’m feeling, and I put my hand on his. Vickie sits next to me and takes a drink from a passing server.

“I thought the baby shower my sister threw for me was over the top, but this is insane,” she says as she looks around the yard.

After doing my best to keep the tears at bay, the dam breaks and they fall. Not only that, but I let out a whimper. Seth must hear because he pulls me into his arms and I cry against his chest.He kisses my temple, and I find that I like it. It’s nice having the strong arms of a man around me. When I get myself under control, I lift my head from his chest and look around. Jasmine and Johnny are running around laughing and blowing bubbles. They are as carefree as two babies should be. I look at Seth, and he’s watching them too with a contented smile on his face.

“You did that,” I whisper to him. “You are raising a happy child who is loved.”

He puts his arms around me and says, “Not me. We. We’re doing that. Me and her porn addict mama.” Shocked by his words, I try to punch him in the stomach, but all that does is get a laugh out of him.

“You’re such a jerk. Spousal privilege. You’re not supposed to use it against me.”

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