Page 35 of Keeping the Single Dad
Okay.
I’ve got this.
Maybe, it could even be fun.
Another football blasted into my middle, knocking the air from my lungs. This was not fun. We’d split the kids into boys’ and girls’ teams. I glanced across the hall at Alex, who was happily practicing his skills with a group of well-behaved boys. My girls were wild. They were more intent on hoofing the ball at each other than practicing kick-ups. Just my luck to get a bunch of little hell-raisers while Alex got the cherubs playing harps. These girls could be perfect if they could concentrate for five minutes.
“Right.” I clapped my hands together. “Let’s have a practice match. We’ll split into two teams.”?
A hand shot in the air. “Have you got a boyfriend, Miss?”
I tried to keep the annoyance from my face. What business is it of yours? “No. Let’s save questions until the end.”
“Why haven’t you got a boyfriend?” The girl stared back at me. There was defiance in her tone, along with a subtle challenge. Her dark hair flowed from a center part. She was a head and shoulders taller than the other children, including the boys. Good. I’d put her in goal.
“I have no time for boys because I’m too busy playing football.” I handed out the colored bibs for the girls to wear.
The tall girl eyed me suspiciously as she took her bib. “Can’t you have both?”
“Yes. No. I don’t want to. Let’s focus on the task. I’m going to split you into two—”
“Is Mr. McAllister your boyfriend?”
Oh my God, kid, really? What was with this child? I’d definitely put her in goal, as far away from me as possible. I followed her gaze to Alex, and the boys that surrounded him in a nice neat circle and hung off his every word. Irritation ground my gut. Of course he would be good with kids. He had a son. How old was Alex’s son? A little younger than these kids? It must have been tough raising him alone. These kids were hard work, and I’d been here less than half an hour. Alex must have the patience of a saint to put up with one around the clock.
The girl clapped her hands together and sang in a high-pitched voice. “Miss Sinclair and Mr. McAllister up a tree.K-I-S-S-I-N-G.”
Heat climbed the back of my neck to the tips of my ears. “Stop that.”
Instead of stopping she went again, louder this time. Another couple of girls joined in. The embarrassing chorus echoed around the high ceilings of the school hall. Alex glanced over and raised an amused eyebrow. At least someone was entertained.
I threw my hands up in exasperation. “Does anybody even want to play football?”
Alex drifted back to my side with the teacher.
Another small girl put her hand up. “My brother says girls can’t ever play as good as boys.”
I snorted. “Your brother sounds basic.”
Alex coughed to smother a laugh. “What Miss Sinclair means to say, is that it wasn’t kind for your brother to say that, and it’s wrong.”
“Of course it’s wrong. Girls can do anything boys can do, and most of the time, we’ll do it better.”
The little girl beamed. “Jacobisbasic. Can I tell him you said that?”
“Absolutely. You should tell him.” I peered around the group, sizing up my opponents. “Anyone else think football is just for boys?”
The girls huddled and conferred. I stiffened my spine and jumped in before having to listen to any more annoying backchat.
“Because football is definitely not just for boys. People will tell you it is, so you’re going to have to fight to show them what you’ve got. It shouldn’t be like that. You shouldn’t have to fight, but this is life. Women have to fight for a seat at the table, and women had to fight just to step on the pitch. If it means something to you, then you never give up.”
I prowled in a circle around the huddle of girls who had all miraculously fallen silent.
“You’re going to need to be brave and strong. If you don’t have fire in your belly, then you may as well stop now, because there’s no point. But if you’re not a quitter, if you have this fire inside you that is burning you up then you keep it lit because one day, if you work hard, you’ll get to be part of a team. You’ll get to walk onto the pitch with your team, knowing you’ve got each other’s backs, no matter what. Knowing that you fought with everything you had, for the honor of being there.”
Every set of eyes in the hall burned into me. I’d forgotten myself. Was I getting too carried away? Angry flames heated my chest. How could Claire bench me? My path into football had been easier than most. My dad had been a famous footballer, but still, I’d had to fight to be taken seriously. I’d endured all the jokes at my expense. When men weren’t trying to get into my football shorts, they were making fun of me. I wouldn’t stop fighting to stay on my team. I’d made mistakes, but I’d given everything to football.
Alex’s hand brushed mine. Heat seared from his touch. “They’re listening.” His voice was low and gentle. “Keep going.”
