Page 35 of Forever Offsides

“How does he feel about the new coach?” Skylar asks with an innocent smile I see straight through.

“I don’t know,” Sorel admits, tucking her shoulder-length blonde hair behind her ears. “He said the jury’s still out. I think it’ll take some adjusting—whoa. Is that him?”

I sigh.

“Yep!” Skylar rubs her elbow against Sorel’s arm.

“He’s, well, impressive.”

“Right?” Skylar shrieks. “Like I would blow that man’s whistle⁠—”

“Oh my god!” I cry out. “Stop it! These pregnancy hormones are making you nuts. You sound like Braelyn.”

“And Serena.” Sorel giggles. Serena is her twin sister who lives in Paris and works as a fashion designer.

“I was just getting a temperature for things,” Skylar defends with her hand up.

“Well, quit it.”

I glared. She nodded, finally getting it.

“Dada!” Nolan shouts so loud it rattles my eardrums, and it calls the attention of the players on the field.

“Oops. That’s likely not good.” Sorel winces sheepishly.

Mason doesn’t seem to care. He jogs over and takes his son from my arms as he plants a deep kiss on Sorel. “My favorite people.” He kisses Nolan’s nose before he tosses him high up in the air and catches him, making Nolan squeal in delight.

“Hey, Reyes,” Coach calls out. “Not break time yet!”

“Sorry, Coach. Coming.”

Mason sighs with regret, kisses both of them again, and hands him back off to me. Only he doesn’t get far before Coach Jones is beside him. “You must be Sorel.” He sticks out his hand to shake hers.

“Yes. Hi! It’s so nice to finally meet you. Sorry for interrupting your practice.”

He waves her off. “Is this your son? He’s beautiful.” Rhett has his eyes glued to Nolan.

“That’s my guy,” Mason tells him, his voice oozing with pride.

“He looks happy in his aunt’s arms.” Except he doesn’t look at me. Not at all. And his tone is cold. Clinical.

“Hi, I’m Skylar.” She juts her hand out for him to shake, practically knocking Sorel out of the way. Super smooth. “I’m Sorel’s cousin and Dr. Reyes’s best friend.”

“Nice to meet you, Skylar. We better get back.”

“Right.” Mason ruffles Nolan’s hair and jogs onto the field.

“It was nice to meet you both,” Coach says generally before he’s gone. Skylar throws me a side-eye, and I return it with a raised eyebrow that says, what the fuck was that? I mean, I’m not expecting anything. But he didn’t even acknowledge I was here. So what was all that it happened stuff if he’s going to pretend as though I don’t exist now?

Whatever.

Maybe that’s the easier play with this. No harm, no foul.

An arm gets tossed over my shoulder, and I start only to smile when I see it’s Hayes. He drops a kiss on my head, then Nolan’s. “Look how big you’re getting.”

“You better not be talking to me,” Skylar jabs.

Hayes snickers. “I’d like to keep my spleen and my balls. I meant this big guy. Obviously.”