Page 47 of Unrivaled

Moving next to me, she looks into the living room where Ben’s getting into the toys I’ve managed to acquire. “Wow.” I don’t miss the appreciation in her tone even though she tries to downplay it by saying, “You really didn’t have to go to all that trouble.”

“It’s no trouble,” I say with a shrug. “About half that stuff is toys my mom saved from when my sister and I were kids. I just got a few more things to fill in the gaps. I want him to be comfortable and have fun here.”

When she looks up at me, appreciation and affection in her gaze, I force myself not to bend my head and claim her sweet pink lips.

If I remember right, in high school she tasted sweet, like she had on some kind of flavored lip gloss. Does she still wear flavored gloss? Or has she moved on from that?

“Mommy, look!” Ben squeals, and she jerks her head in his direction, interrupting whatever was passing between us.

I know what I’d want to pass between us. But despite the fact that she seems to have accepted that I didn’t know about Ben before and her friendliness toward me, I don’t think she’s interested in having any kind of relationship with me beyond co-parents.

Sitting on the couch, I watch Ben show Tiffany all the toys I’ve gotten for him to play with here. After he’s finished, I pull out the gift bag I put the football and jersey in. They’re special, so I thought I’d dress them up. “I have one more thing for you.”

Ben’s eyes grow big and round, and Tiffany looks skeptical. “Grayson …” she starts, her voice full of doubt, but before she can say more than my name, Ben yanks the tissue paper out of the bag and reaches inside, coming up with the football.

Immediately he turns to Tiffany, bouncing like he might be part Tigger. “Mommy! Mommy! Look! Look! A football! Wif letters on it!”

He shoves the little football in Tiffany’s face, and she takes it gingerly from his fingers with a nervous chuckle. “That’s pretty great. What do we say when someone gives us a present?”

Turning to me, still bouncing like crazy, he shouts, “Thank you! Thank you!” And then launches himself into my chest.

I catch him, laughing, falling back against the cushions mostly for show, though he did catch me off guard enough that I don’t have to fake it. I just don’t have to fight against the urge to fall back. “Oof. You pushed me over!”

He giggles and climbs off of me.

Hooking a finger in the gift bag, I tip it toward him. “Take a look. There’s more.”

Eyes round again, he peeks in the bag and pulls out the jersey. “Mom! Mama! A shirt!”

She laughs as he holds it up. “Well, you’ll definitely be able to wear it for a long time.”

And she’s right. It looks more like a dress than a shirt at this point, and I can’t help smiling. “Check out the back.”

Ben holds it up and looks at it. “More ABC’s, Mama!”

Tiffany chuckles. “Turn it around and let me see.”

He does as she asks, and I swallow hard as she takes it in. “That’s my name on the jersey,” I tell him. “That way when you wear it, you can be like me.”

The look Tiffany gives me is unreadable, but she clears her throat and looks at Ben. “That’s pretty cool, isn’t it Benny Boo?”

“Supa cool!” he shouts, taking the jersey to his mom. “I wanna wear it!”

The jersey does look more like a dress, but seeing him with my name and number emblazoned on his back does something to me, and I know it’s affecting Tiffany too. I’m just not sure if that’s good or bad.

After a few minutes, she murmurs that she needs water and heads for the kitchen. Happily playing with Duplos, Ben doesn’t even notice.

Needing to make sure that she’s not upset, I follow her and find her standing with her hands braced on the counter, her head down.

“Hey.” I pitch my voice low, hoping I don’t startle her.

But she was apparently lost in thought or emotion and didn’t hear my footsteps, because she about jumps out of her skin and spins around, her hand to her chest. “Grayson! Holy crap! You scared me.”

I offer a crooked smile. “Sorry. Just wanted to make sure you found the glasses alright.”

She looks around at the cabinets, clearly at a loss. “Right. Sorry. I guess I should’ve asked where they are.”

Stepping closer, I reach past her and pull open the appropriate cabinet. “No problem. I’m also guessing you weren’t really coming in here for water.”

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