I glance across the field to the dugout and sure enough Tanner is sitting with his cap pulled down over his face and his arms crossed. I can just imagine the stink eye he’s giving the players on the field. “The only reason I even let him wear his uniform and come is because Chase talked me into it,” I tell her. “But he has to learn his lesson.”
She nods, her gaze turning serious. “Yeah, I know we haven’t been able to get breakfast since the incident at school, but Aiden told me about it.” She shudders.
“Yeah, I’m going to find the parents of the child who heard them gossiping and get them set straight. I mean, fuck, why would they even be discussing our business anyway?” Despite all the other things going on in the last couple of days, I haven’t forgotten about the gossiping bittie who needs to be in their place. My anger has only been simmering. “And doing it in front of a child.”
Jamille hums in agreement, “You let me know if you need back up.”
I let out a laugh. “Of course.”
The game goes by quickly and it doesn’t take long before we’re celebrating another victory. Tanner marches over with a frown on his face after the final whistle, but I don’t allow myself to feel an ounce of guilt.
Chase walks over with a smile on his face and I return it.
I watch as the other parents start packing up and turn to Tanner. “Where’s the kid?” I ask him and he points over to a kid, standing with two parents, one I recognize as one of the mothers who is always sneering at Jamille and I.
Of course it’d be Beth or whatever the fuck her name is.
“Can you keep an eye on the kids?” I ask Chase, passing over the end of Lilly’s leash to him.
His brows wrinkle. “Of course,” he says, a slight frown on his face. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, just got some business to settle,” I tell him, before moving in the direction of the family. “Excuse me,” I say, grabbing the attention of the man, who reaches over to tap the woman. She turns and when she looks at me, her red painted lips parts slightly. I’m a little shocked when I see the black eye their son is sporting but I can’t say he didn’t deserve it.
“It’s Beth, yea?” I don’t give her enough time to reply, diving ahead. “I don’t know anything about you, but I’m Tanner’s aunt, the hooker,” I say coldly and she freezes, her eyes wide. I take a step closer to her and lower my voice. “I don’t know how you run your household and frankly I don’t give a damn, but you have no right to bring up mine and my family’s personal business. Especially not in front of a child who’s going to go to school and repeat what his fucktard of a mother said.” I take another step closer to her and she looks around worriedly. “If I ever hear about you talking about me or mine again, the black eye that Tanner gave your kid will look like a slap on the wrist. Do you understand me?” I keep my voice low and calm.
Her mouth opens before abruptly closing again.
“I said do you understand?” The extra flare of anger in my voice is mostly to get my point across. As much as I’d like to deck her, I know that it’ll end with me in a cop car that not even Chase would be able to save me from and then social services will be here for the kids.
The woman takes a deep gulp before finally nodding her head.
“Good, I’m glad we got an understanding.” I turn on my heels and move away from her.
I feel the gazes of the other parents on me, but I don’t care. I dare one of them to say anything to me. Chase’s lips are parted slightly and Nathan’s brows are raised slightly.
“She really had the nerve to look shocked,” Jamille says, shaking her head as she stands, the only one not shocked from my performance.
I snort a laugh. “Of course, I’m sure she thought I was going to actually hit her, as if I’m really going to risk going to jail over her.” I turn my gaze to the parking lot, watching the little family hurry into their car.
‘I’m sure I’ll get a phone call about kicking Tanner off the team,'’ Nathan says, shaking his head slightly. “What she doesn’t know is that her son won’t be on the team after this year, not with parents like that.”
“I think Ivy handled it pretty calmly, all things considered. I wouldn’t have been nearly as nice,” Jamille says as she places a hand on Aiden’s shoulder. “Well, I’ve got to get out of here. I’ve got a meeting with a marketing firm.”
“Sounds exciting,” I remark sarcastically and she laughs.
“Yeah, I’m sure I’ll only fall asleep once or twice.” She grabs her purse. “I’ll still be over to get the kids tonight, though.”
“Huh?” I ask with a frown.
Her lips part into a small o as she looks at Chase and Nathan. “Oops.”
Chase lets out a soft laugh, “It’s okay.” He turns to me as I look on in confusion. “I hope it wasn’t overstepping but we asked Jamille if she could watch the kids so we could take you to dinner tonight. Kind of figured if you weren’t on board, you’d just turn us down, so no harm, no foul.”
I frown slightly, thinking about that. Were they overstepping in asking Jamille to watch the kids without my permission?
An answer doesn’t come to me immediately.
I’ve been a lot better with not having to keep the kids in my watch twenty-four seven so I’ve been slowly letting the guys spend more time with them without me. Not often, but for little things like when Nathan and I were working on dinner or like the other day when Tanner had gone over to their house to toss the ball around with Chase.