Kade’s hand drops from my shoulder, and he steps back, putting some distance between us. Ty is still running toward us, dripping water the whole way. “Ty Newton, you’d better get out that door with those wet clothes on.”
He stops suddenly, smiling. He doesn’t seem upset with the scolding from me, and it’s obvious that the kid has me wrapped around his finger, but he does listen to me and turns the other way. He doesn’t stop until he’s at the door he just came into. “Mom, can you get the football out of the bag so we can toss it around?”
“Sure. I’ll get it. Now scoot outside, you’re dripping all over the floor, and I’ll bring it out in a minute.”
As soon as he walks out the door, I turn to Kade. “So, uh, I need to get that. I’ll meet you outside.”
I don’t wait for his response because I turn to head out to the parking lot.
Just when I realize I’m being chicken and running away, Kade stops me. “Megan, I—"
I look at him over my shoulder and realize he’s right next to me, and I stop, holding my hands up. “Can we talk about this later?”
He nods and holds the truck keys up. “Yeah, sure. I was just going to say, go on out with to the pool. Ty had the football in the back seat. I’ll grab it.”
I should tell him no. I’m not used to being helped or even looked after, and in one day, I can already feel myself wanting to lean on Kade. “Sure, okay, thank you.”
He nods and smiles, but it’s not like the other smiles he’s given me. This time, he seems more reserved. And who can blame him? He just gave me a big heartfelt confession, and I completely blew him off. Maybe it’s because I can’t quite believe it.
I watch him walk toward the parking lot, and when I can no longer see him, I turn the opposite direction toward the outdoor pool. A few parents are sitting out under the umbrellas, and I make my way toward Krissy and sit down next to her. “You made it!” she says excitedly.
I nod and hope that she doesn’t ask anything else. I don’t know how to explain that Coach Kade brought me here. I definitely don’t want to when Kimber is sitting across from me. “Yep, we made it.”
The conversation carries on around us, and I watch as Kade comes back and throws the football with the boys that are here. They all take turns, with Kade throwing the ball out into the pool and them jumping from the edge to catch it before falling into the water.
I keep waiting for him to look at me, and I don’t have to wait long. But this time, the look he gives me is grim, and I wonder if I’ve already screwed up everything.
Chapter 5
Kade
I pushed her way too hard and too fast, that much was obvious. She wasn't prepared for what I said, and the rest of the afternoon she spent doing her best to avoid me. I’m willing to give her space for now, but I know it’s not going to last.
I hung out at the pool with the team as all of the other parents checked into their rooms. Everyone ate dinner together at one of the hotel restaurants, and now I'm checking in to my own hotel room. The room is nice, which I figured it would be. Krissy is the team mom, and you can always trust her to set us up in some nice hotels. At least the vacations that I've been on with her and my brother in the past have been nice.
I barely set my bag down when there's a knock on the door that connects to the room next to me. I go over and open it, and my nephew is smiling up at me.
"What's up, buddy?" I ask him with surprise.
"Not much," he answers as he peeks into the room.
I stand to the side and let him walk through, and he makes himself at home. I turn around, and my brother and Krissy are walking through the same door.
"Isn't this nice?" Krissy starts. "Ours is a two-queen bedroom and then yours has the king bed with the kitchen and living room. And then through that door"—she points to a door on the other side—"goes into another room that has two beds. Basically, this is a three-bedroom unit that can be completely blocked off."
Immediately my thoughts go to Kimber, and I look at my brother to see if he's up to something. It would be just like him to put her in the room next to me, knowing I would want anyone but her.
"Who's in that room?" I ask, pointing at the mystery door.