Page 26 of The Ex Next Door
Declan was still absorbing the scouting comment, so it took him a minute to correct his father. “I’m not going to coach. I’m just here to support my other, um, project. You know, the one I told you about.”
Truthfully, Declan hadn’t thought of any of this as one of his goals in a while. Not until he saw his father.
“Ah, yes. How’s that going? When I told your mother Amy moved in next to you, she did a little jig. You know how she adored her.”
Declan shook his head. “We’re just friends.”
“That’s how it starts.” His father clapped Declan’s shoulder. “So, which little guy is yours?”
“That’s David.” Declan pointed. “Amy and Rob’s son.”
His father crossed his arms and spread his legs, coach style. “Well, let’s see what he can do.”
“Dad, look. This is a fun league. We just want him to enjoy the sport of baseball, not start grooming a major league player.”
“Absolutely. I get it. Going all the way is always up to the kid. But let’s face it, it’s fun towin.”
When his father was right, he was right. Yes, winning was fun. That’s why Declan was here to watch. He still loved baseball because the desire had never totally dimmed. The game could be fun and winning could be fun. It was just the “at all costs” part he had a little trouble with.
“Your boy is looking good out there,” his father said.
David was running near the head of the pack.
“He’s enthusiastic, that’s for sure.”
“When are you coming over for dinner? Your mother wants to know.”
“Soon, I guess. I figured you two were happy enough with Finn and Michelle taking up all your time.”
Finn had asked his girlfriend to marry him, and the wedding plans were ongoing. Declan had grown tired of hearing about flower arrangements and color hues. He’d check out and was fairly certain Finn did as well but didn’t want to admit it. Not in front of his lovely fiancée, in any case. Declan had never seen his brother so in love with a woman and recognized the glassy-eyed “I can’t believe I’m this lucky and she chose me” look in his brother’s eyes.
Declan had seen it in the mirror once before, a long time ago.
“They’re not over all the time. We want to meet Samantha,” his father said.
“Sure, at some point you will.”
Declan wasn’t quite ready to introduce her to the family. He realized that probably said something.
“Still too new, huh?”
“You could say that.”
Finally, the coaches organized the kids into positions on the field and it began to get interesting. Levels of talent and experience were almost immediately apparent to Declan. One kid, the one who’d been hanging close to David, was a natural. Declan could see it in his form, in his easy handling of the mitt and ball. They were well-acquainted friends.
David, on the other hand, seemed to be meeting the ball and mitt for the very first time.
* * *
“Who is that guy?” Amy overheard one of the moms whisper to her friend. “Is he a dad?”
“Is he single?” someone else asked. “Does anyone know?”
From beside Amy, Bianca elbowed her. “Single or taken, he still has that tight ass and wide shoulders.”
“I hadn’t noticed,” Amy said.
Bianca snorted. “Right. Just keep telling yourself that.”
