Rough Love (Tannen Boys 1)

“I think that’s a good point to call it a night,” Mike interrupts. “I’m nervous what Johnathan would have us do as a follow-up, and I’m already not gonna live down that I did the chicken dance in the park.” He looks around like there might be someone watching him make a fool of himself, but he grins, letting everyone know that he’s not really embarrassed in the least.

Their eyes jump to me and I scoff. “I ain’t embarrassed. I can cut a rug and teach ya how to Dougie.”

The boys look to each other in confusion and then back to me. “What’s a Dougie?”

I hang my head in faux shame, a hand pressed to my chest. “You wound me, making an old man feel even older.” They giggle and I look back up. “I’ll show you another day. For now, everyone under six feet tall had best be getting home for a shower, a healthy dinner, and early bedtime. Bring it in one time.”

We do our pile of hands in the middle, cheer loud and proud, and then they scatter.

“Hey, Evan, why don’t you go look at the ducks for a second? We’ve got a coach meeting really quick,” Mike says, and though he’s talking to his kid, he’s really telling me to sit tight. Evan runs off for the water, shouting something that sounds like ‘here, ducky, ducky,’ and Mike turns to me, his hands on his hips. “Can I talk to you about something?”

I dip my chin in permission and he goes right for the jugular.

“What’s the deal with you and Cooper’s mom? You dating, fucking, one-night standing, she stalking you, you stalking her?”

My eyes narrow and I rumble menacingly. “Those the only options?”

His shit-eating grin tells me he wants the story, no matter what. I growl but give in. “Fine. Though you’re worse than the gossipy moms.”

He shrugs and interrupts, “Jamie’s waiting on the good gossip when I get home.”

“To use Allyson’s word, we’ve got history.” I even do the air quote thing with my fingers. “We were high school sweethearts, serious. Even thought she was The One. Then she went to college and shit changed. That’s it.”

He looks surprised. “That’s it? Are you fucking kidding me, man? That woman was about to eat you with a damn spoon and I thought you were going to throw her over your shoulder and run out of here like a caveman. Hell yeah, I’d say there’s history, but there’s some present too.”

I look across the field, immediately picking Allyson’s curvy figure out in the group of mothers and sons heading to the parking lot.

She’s avoiding me. None of the other moms talked to me tonight either, and I don’t think that about them in the least. But Allyson? Yeah, I know she purposefully didn’t say one word to me, which pisses me off and makes me hungry for her all at once.

I huff a laugh. “Less than you’d think. She yelled up one side of me and down the other. I think she decided we’re going to ‘be adults’ and play nice for the kids’ sake.”

“You agreeing with that plan of action?” Mike asks hesitantly. “Don’t let her run you off. I need you, man. The boys need you.”

I meet his eyes. “I’m not letting her run me off. I’m the damn assistant coach of the Wildcats and that’s what I’ll be as long as you let me or until the season’s over. My word’s good.”

“Thank fuck. I was scared I was gonna lose you. Actually, I was afraid it was some one-night stand thing that was going to make everything really awkward. If you start doling out dick, every mom is gonna line up and I’ll have a roster of dads wanting to take a sucker punch at my assistant coach.”

He’s joking, and I laugh deep in my belly, which feels foreign but good. “I ain’t dicking the moms.” At his questioning look, I add, “Or the dads.”

He laughs too but puffs up a bit. “By the way, have I mentioned my wife, Jamie? The one I love with my whole heart. Have I mentioned that I would kill anyone who so much as looked at her sideways, much less touched her?”

I hold up my hands. “I’ve got no interest in your wife, Coach.” I grin wolfishly. “Wait, what’s she look like?”

He lobs a solid punch at my shoulder, but his fist pings off the hard muscle. “It’s a good damn thing I like you. But for real, fuck your way through the moms and dads, for all I care, but not mine.”

“You’re the one who asked me. I ain’t dicking the moms or dads,” I repeat. “Just here for the kids and the football, though I’m second-guessing that right this minute.”

He points a finger at me like he’s going to hold me to it, and that’s just fine.