Page 8 of A Surprise for the Holidays
“Poppet, Bailey and I are just going to have a grown-up talk, alright? Can you sit and play with your new things on your own for a bit?” Jacobs’ question caught Bailey’s attention, and he almost wanted to make a grab for Ava and use her as a human shield before she collected her new things and scampered off in the direction of the hallway, presumably to her bedroom.
Bailey watched her go with a mounting sense of dread before he turned and aimed his most apologetic smile at his coach. “I’mreally sorry if I overstepped,” he started, holding up his hands in surrender before he could get reamed out by the older man, “I just couldn’t stop thinking about how I’d feel being thrown into parenthood so unexpectedly, and then when I was talking to my sister I remembered that she had a bunch of stuff which Sophie’s outgrown, and she was more than happy to send it over to help out a friend and—”
“Peters,” Jacobs interrupted, sounding on the cusp of amusement. “Shut up. I’m not going to bite your head off. It was a nice thing you did for her. I appreciate it.” He moved into the kitchen and opened the fridge. “Water? Juice?”
“What, no beer?” Bailey teased, earning himself a raised eyebrow. He sighed and rolled his eyes. “I’m kidding. I know it’s mid-season. I’m not an idiot.” The eyebrow seemed to get higher. “Well, not always.”
Jacobs actually let out a short chuckle at that. Bailey’s stomach flip-flopped. Had he mentioned that he loved his coach’s smile?
Clearing his throat, he answered, “Water’s fine. Thanks.”
Jacobs handed him an ice-cold bottle and then led him over to the dining table. It felt strange to be sitting at his coach’s table, like an invited guest and not the weirdo who had taken it upon himself to bring a pile of gifts to his five-year-old.
“I’m actually glad you brought that stuff,” Jacobs admitted when the silence stretched into awkwardness. “She brought a single suitcase over with her and I had no idea where to start with buying her things. Ordered some shit off Amazon, but…well, you seem to have a better idea of what she needs than I do.”
“I’ve got a bunch of nieces,” Bailey shrugged. “Like…four of ’em. I’m only thirteen years older than the eldest one, but the youngest is eight, so it wasn’t that long ago that she was Ava’s age. And I’m a big kid myself, so I spend a lot of time with them.” His smile faded as the pang of missing his family hit him all overagain. “I mean, I did. Not so much now that I’m living so far away.”
“I guess I’ve spent more time with my nephews than nieces,” Jacobs mused. “And most of ’em are in their teens now, too…and the oldest one is actually almost thirty.” He hung his head and carded his hand through his thick, dark hair. Bailey thought there was a hint of a curl there now that the cut had grown out. He had to blink and redirect his focus as Jacobs quietly admitted, “I’m lost here. Didn’t even think of Christmas bein’ around the fucking corner, did I? And I don’t give two shits what you reckon: Christmas shouldn’t be held on the surface of the bloody sun.”
Despite his best efforts to remain sympathetic, Bailey couldn’t contain his laughter.
Chapter 6
August
AJ had known he should have kept his mouth shut. What the fuck had he been thinking opening up to Bailey —the pain in his arse— Peters, of all people?
The loneliness was getting to him, that was all. Having the stress of this new job, knowing that the team’s owners were expecting the team’s premiere season to be a successful one and that it was riding on his shoulders to ensure it was hard enough. But being a single dad was also harder than he’d thought it would be.
Once the shine of him being someone new and different had worn off, Ava had gotten comfortable…which meant that she had started to tantrum and test his limits. His sister had assured him that it was a good sign —that Ava saw him as a safe space or some shit like that— but all it was doing was hiking up his blood pressure. Now that he was pushing forty, that had to be a bad thing, right?
Then in walked Peters, looking fresh and youthful at his entire twenty-six years of age, and delivered a pile of necessities to his daughter which he honestly should have thought about organising for her himself.
The gesture, however, was a kind one and he did genuinely appreciate it. In fact, for half a moment, he’d felt a spark of something undefinable for Peters. Something softer and warmer than the irritation which usually boiled his blood any time his key striker was around.
That had to be the reason he’d lowered his defences and confessed how terribly he was struggling. A momentary weakness caused by…what? Elation at seeing the younger man interact so easily and sweetly with his daughter? Relief, perhaps, that for just a moment, someone else was helping him with her?
It had been a sweet picture, he had to admit that. Ava’s hair was a similar shade of brownish-blonde to Peters’ own, making them appear a pigeon pair. Like…siblings, perhaps? No, that didn’t feel right. An uncle and a niece? Well, that was a closer comparison, but it still feltwrongsomehow.
“I’m not laughing at you, mate,” Peters’ broad Australian accent cut into his musing, and he remembered that he was scowling across the table at the other man, still clutching his bottle of water as condensation ran down the plastic surface and puddled on the glass tabletop.
“You could’ve fooled me.” AJ felt embarrassment creep over him. He didn’t like people thinking he was weak or incompetent, and in that moment he felt both of those things keenly.
“I mean, I was laughing at the surface of the sun thing,” Peters continued with a shrug, leaning back in his chair. “You’re really not a fan of the weather here, are you?”
“What gave it away?” AJ asked scathingly, still feeling the itch of being judged.
Instead of mocking him, Peters said, “I get it. My brother-in-law’s from Scotland.Lovehis accent,” there was a pause as Peters’ gaze went distant and a tiny smile played on his pouty lips. AJ felt the strangest pang of jealousy and had no idea what had caused it. But then Peters continued, and the moment was gone. “Anyway, it took him a couple of years to acclimatise to the weather in Adelaide…and summer here is even more humid than down there.”
“So, you’re saying I’m going to hate it here for another couple of years?”
Peters looked stricken, then concerned. He leaned forward again, almost whispering as he asked, “You really hate it here?”
The young man looked so much like a kicked puppy that AJ almost asked him if he was part Golden Retriever. Feeling irrationally guilty for having put the expression on Peters’ youthful face, he sighed and shook his head. “No, Peters. Not really. I’m actually really enjoying coaching you lot, even when my captain gives me grief.”
“Bailey.”
AJ blinked. “What?”
