Home to You

Chloe sighs. “Fine,” she grumbles, reaching out her hand for me to take. “But I can still come out with you, right?”

“Of course you can,” I reassure her, knowing this is one of her favorite parts of Friday nights.

We walk together to the locker room, stopping before we hit the doorway. “Look, Daddy! It’s Miss Haven!”

I glance toward the entrance to see the very woman I can’t stop thinking about walking alongside her father. She’s carrying a thin blanket to sit on, and her face lights up when she sees my daughter. Chloe starts waving emphatically, causing Haven to do the same. My heart sort of skips around in my chest knowing she’s here. I haven’t seen Haven Decker at a football game since our senior year, the last game of the season. I received a kiss after my final high school game, and I can’t help but think about what it would be like to have that again tonight.

After throwing Haven and her dad a wave, I knock on the locker room door to make sure they’re ready. They know Chloe is coming in, so chances are the players are prepared for her arrival. One of my assistant coaches hollers, letting me know we can enter the locker room.

Inside, my team takes a knee and waits for me to speak. “Tonight, we’re two and oh, but that doesn’t matter. Focus on this game. Gleason is a tough team, but we’re smarter, tougher in the long game. Watch for the blitz and the outside linebackers.” I look around and make eye contact with as many as I can. “Captains, bring in your team.”

They all jump up and gather in the center of the room. I take Chloe to the door and wait for the four senior captains to pump up the guys. When they’re ready, they line up at the door, an electricity buzzing through the room I can feel coursing through my own veins. I love this feeling, this moment. The few moments right before we take the field, where the entire game is before us, the win for the taking.

When I get the cue, I step out of the door. The field is before us, the cheerleaders forming a tunnel of pompoms that lead to a paper sign. Each game we choose a different senior to lead us on the field, and I wait until Liam gets in place. Our school fight song starts, and I slap him on the shoulder pad, signaling it’s time. “Let’s go!” he yells before taking off out the door, the rest of the team hot on his heels.

The crowd erupts as the boys take the field, Chloe and me right behind them. The rest of the coaches are hot on our heels. We wait on the sidelines for the players to run through the paper banner and join me. They form a circle around Chloe, always making sure she’s a part of this moment. “Tigers, are we weady?” she hollers, jumping up and down with the boys.

We all shove our right hands in the center, Chloe’s little arm extended up in the middle. “Tigers on three. One, two, three…”

“Tigers!” the team echoes into the Friday night lights.

I take my daughter’s hand and lead her toward the stands. Instantly, she spots her mom, who starts waving, but my eyes are drawn upward. Two rows up from where my ex-wife sits is my ex-girlfriend. They’ve never met, yet here they are so fucking close together. Chloe notices Haven too and waves up at her too.

“All right, sweetheart, head up to sit with Mommy, okay?”

“Bye, Daddy,” she says, heading for the bleacher stairs. “Go Tigers!” she adds before she even hits the third step.

I watch as everyone gives her plenty of room, some even greeting her by name as she goes. It makes me feel good how the community has embraced her as much as they have me. When she reaches Trina, I go to turn, but my eyes slip a quick glance up to Haven. She smiles and flutters her fingers in a wave before turning her attention to Chloe, who has turned around and is begging for her to notice.

Grinning, I turn back around and slip on my headset. My captains come off the field after winning the coin toss. It’s time to forget about my daughter and the sexy woman from my past in the bleachers and how easy it would be to fall into something I’m not sure either of us are ready for. It’s time to focus on the game, on the next four quarters of football.

Easier said than done.

Chapter 4

Haven 4

My eyes are glued to Sebastian the entire game. I couldn’t tell you what the score is or how well either team is doing. I can tell you that he’s run his hands through his thick locks at least a half a dozen times and that about two minutes ago, something good happened if the way he was jumping up and down and smiling is any indication. I’ve spent the entire first half watching him, thinking about how this would be my life if things were different. If I’d made different choices.