Strong and Steady

“Hey, wow. I didn’t recognize you at first, but it’s a pleasure,” Simon gushed, practically ogling Gray. “How are you enjoying retirement?”

Simon knew Gray? Brant Valley was a pretty big town, so what were the chances?

Gray glanced at me as he answered. “Getting better every day. Everyone usually goes to the bar down the street after the game for some burgers. Want to join us?”

Simon looked to me to answer. He was waiting for me to decide if he was still needed or not. Since he and Gray seemed to know each other, he’d pro

bably want to tag along, but he seemed to have the wingman thing down. He gave me a little head nod, and I knew he was giving his personal green light on Gray.

This was it, the moment between a life of normal and a life of… God, I could only imagine. “I’d like to go, but Simon has something to do.”

Simon smiled broadly, clearly thrilled I was content to not need him to tag along. If I'd said otherwise, Gray would blatantly know Simon was sticking around for me, and that would only be more embarrassing. Besides, it would make Gray think I thought he was a letch or something, and I needed a chaperone, which was the farthest thing from the truth.

“Yeah, I have plans,” Simon said, but no doubt, everyone knew he was lying through his teeth. “Another time, however. Definitely.” He turned to me. “Do you want me to take your car?”

I paused. “Oh, um. I hadn’t thought of that.”

“I’ll drive you home later,” Gray offered.

Simon raised a brow, waiting. Pulling my keys from my little purse that I had slung cross-shoulder, he took them, gave me a wink, then grabbed the blanket and cooler.

“Thanks, Simon,” I called out as he left.

He spun and replied as he walked backward. “Anytime.” He gave a little salute and turned.

Gray watched me closely, silently.

“I’ll have to catch up with you,” Thor told us. “My wife’s going to kill me if I don’t get home. Kids,” he added, as if that clarified everything.

“How old are they?” I asked. This was a topic I was familiar and comfortable with.

“Four and six. Boys.”

I nodded, a little wistful. It was at rare moments when I longed to see my son, to hear his voice, even to have him little again. “I remember that age. It’s hard.”

Gray looked to me, his face neutral. “You have kids?”

I nodded. “Yes, a son.”

By his look, I couldn’t tell if he was okay with this or not. Some men wanted a woman with no strings attached, and a child was a big string. A guy with kid issues was an obvious deal breaker for me. Chris might be in college, but he wasn’t going anywhere. This wasn’t a real date, so it wasn’t as if Gray was going to end it. It hadn’t even started.

Thor gave me the look of a suffering parent. “Then you can understand.” He ran his hand through his goatee. “The babysitter comes in an hour, so Laura can join us at the bar. A few hours of just grownups.”

“I’m past the babysitting stage now,” I shared. “Some things get easier.”

His smile slipped and looked as if I’d kicked his puppy. “Only some things?”

I laughed at the forlorn look on such a brute of a man. “Only some things.”

“How old is your son?” Gray asked.

“Eighteen.”

Both men stared at me, stunned. Thor's mouth even dropped open.

“Eighteen? Holy hell, woman,” Thor said. “You were just a baby when you had him. Is he a senior this year? Can he babysit?” His look changed to eagerness at the idea of a possible babysitter.

“I was twenty, so not much of a baby. And no, he’s in college.”