Huffing I sat back. He didn’t come over here for me. He came for Gabe. No need to talk to him. Gabe stopped packing the sand and looked up. His light green eyes sparkling. “My mommy doesn’t like you.”

That’s my boy.

Gage looked from Gabe to me. “Is that so? That’s a shame because I like your mommy. Maybe if you like me you could talk your mom into being my friend.”

Gabe gave me his watery grin and laughed. “She said you were a conceited cock jockey.”

Leigha, Lydia, and Jase busted out laughing. I wanted the earth to swallow me whole. I chanced looking at Gage to see his reaction. Laughing. That ass nugget was laughing.

“I think we should be friends, little man. What do you say?” Gage asked. He sat his daughter in the sand next to my son. “This is Londyn. She likes to play in the sand, too.”

Gabe stared at the baby. “She’s cool as long as she doesn’t poop. I don’t change poopy diapers.”

And that my friends sealed the deal. Gabe and Gage were inseperable the rest of the afternoon. Which also meant, Gage and I were inseperable the rest of the afternoon, too.

I watched as Gage taught Gabe how to toss a football. Something felt different having Gage around. He seemed to fill that father figure role for mys on just fine and never blinked an eye.


…And I liked it.

Oh yeah, I was screwed. 

17

Gage

“You know I play football, right?” I asked Gabe as he tossed the football back to me.

He nodded. “Yeah. My Uncle Jase likes football. We watch it a lot.”

“What would you say if I told you I could get you tickets to one of my games?” I watched as his eye lit up. His smile took over his face.

“Could I bring my mommy? I don’t think she would let me go by myself, I’m only five.” This kid was hilarious.

“Of course. You could bring your Uncle Jase, too, if you wanted. I will make sure you get to meet my team and you can even come into the locker room. Only the really cool kids get to do that.”

“No, I don’t think I want Uncle Jase to come. Just me and mommy.” Gabe smiled at me then looked at his mom.

She had Londyn in her lap, playing in the sand. Seeing Londyn with another woman who wasn’t Cobie or Jenna had my heart skipping. It shouldn’t feel right, but it did. Keeping my eyes on Annie I asked, “Your mom, does she hate most guys or just me?”

Gabe took a minute to think then said, “She hates Tristan. I think my mommy likes you, though.”

I knew it. This little kid was my way in to his mom. My plan was working perfect. “I don’t think so, buddy.” I was hoping he was right, but not getting ahead of myself.

“Gabe, come here. Mommy has to leave.”

Dropping the football in the sand, Gabe ran to his mom. “Gage told me we could go to his game!”

Just the mention of my name and Annie stiffened. “Well wasn’t that nice of him. But, we can’t baby. Mommy works on the weekends.”

I scooped the football up and walked over to Annie, Gabe, and Londyn. “Then you’re in luck. My game is on Monday.”

Annie’s dark blue eyes met mine. She didn’t look happy. “I probably have to work that Monday.” She dropped her eyes back to her son. “Why don’t you ask Uncle Jase to go, I bet he would love it.”

Gabe’s smile fell from his face. It looked like he could cry. “Why can’t you just miss work? I really want you to go, mommy.”

Annie sighed. “I’ll see what I can do buddy.”

“If you were scheduled to work, consider yourself approved to take off. ” I ruffled Gabe’s hair as I walked passed hi m to pick up Londyn.

“Um…thanks?” It sounded more like a question than an actually thank you but I ’ll take it.

“The game is on the fourteenth. Starts at seven thirty. I will have my car pick you up at your house. I ’ll get you a hotel room for the night. My car will bring you home Tuesday afternoon.”

“I am perfectly capable of driving there and back. It’s only a couple hours. We don ’t need to stay at some hotel when we have a house that I pay for.” She tossed a towel into her beach bag and pulled her sunglasses down, covering her eyes.

“I don’t want you driving that late at night, Annie. Think of your son and how tired you will be while trying to drive. Just accept my offer and make your son happy. ”

“Humph. Gabe, you’re so lucky I love you as much as I do. Fine. What time should I expect your car? And, by car you mean something normal like a Honda Civic and not some giant limo, right? ” She looked cute when she was aggitated.

Gabe high fived me and I laughed. “See, how hard was that? ”

Annie rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. “What kind of car, Gage?”

“I will make sure it’s nothing too flashy. No pink streched Hummer ’s, okay? ” This girl was hell bent on making things difficult.

“Whatever.” Annie scoffed. She bent down and kissed Gage on the cheek. “Love you buddy. Be good for Uncle Jase and remember what mommy said about Tristan. I will see you in the morning. ”

“I know. Stay away from Tristan. Love you mommy. ”

Annie came over to me and rubbed Londyn ’s cheek. “Bye sweet girl. Maybe we can play again, another day.” Londyn giggled and reached out for her. “Sorry, sweetie, I have to go to work.” Grabbing her tiny hands, Annie kissed them before turning and trekking her way back through the sand.

“OK, little man. I also have to go to work. I will see you in a few days though, okay?”

Gabe nodded. “I will talk mommy into getting me one of your jerseys so you can see me at the game. ” Little did he know during a game I couldn’t see anyone in the stadium. I smiled and said, “I will get you one and I will sign it for you. I will give it to your mommy to give to you. ”

“Maybe you could get her one, too. ” Gabe raised his eyebrows, looking hopeful.

“Do you think she would wear it?”

Shrugging he answered, “Probably. She always complains about not having clothes to wear. Now I won ’t have to listen to her complain.”

“Ok. Then I will get a jersey for her, also. I ’ll see you in a few days, buddy.”

“Bye, Gage.”

Walking back to were Jenna was sitting in the sand with Evie I had a smile on my face.

“She’s cute,” Jenna said bluntly.

Setting Londyn down beside Evie I watched the two small girls dig into the sand. “She is. I like her, but she won’t give me the time of day.” I shouldn’t care. But, I did. I was attracted to her.

“She seemed good with Londyn. Was that her little boy?” Jenna asked.

“Do we have to do this? I don’t want to play twenty questions. I like her and I shouldn’t. Five months, Jenna. That ’s it, but there is something about her that keeps drawi n g me to her like bess to honey .”

“Why shouldn’t you? Gage, look at me. ” Jenna put her hand on my arm, and I looked at her. “ She would want you to be happy. There is no time frame for mourning. You can still miss her and be sad. That doesn’t mean you have to pause your life for a certain amount of time. ”

I guess we were going to do this. Much to my disapproval. “I do miss her, everyday. But, there is something about Annie that makes the pain a little less. I ’m still trying to figure out what’s going on with her and her son. I know that today, spending time with Gabe, I felt the best I have in months. It felt right, like I was exactly where I was supposed to be. ”

Jenna had tears forming in the corners of her eyes. “Maybe, that’s because you are where you’re supposed to be. Watching you today, I saw the old Gage. I haven’t seen him in a long time. I loved seeing you smile and laugh.”

“This afternoon I was happy. Playing football with Gabe felt natural. Seeing Annie holding Londyn seemed like it should be an everyday thing.” I brought my eyes to my eight month old daughter. She was the spitting image of her mom. “’I asked them to the preseason game on Monday.”

“Well, are they going?” Jenna asked, excitedly.

“Yep. I’m having a car pick them up and drive them home. I’m also having her stay the night in New Orleans.”

Raising an eyebrow she asked, “With you?”

I shook my head. “No. I don’t even have a place there. I have just been staying at The Roosevelt when I need to. I’ll get them a suite for the night.”

Jenna slowly nodded. “Just take it slow, okay. I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

“I’m not looking for a relationship, Jenna. Hell, I would take her being my friend. I married Cobie, that’s it for me.”

“Don’t use her either, Gage. I know what you become when you’re hurting. I’m not a blithering idiot. I know exactly what you did a few years ago. It’s my fault. I should have never said yes when you asked me to marry you. I was in love with Larkin. Deep down I always knew we would never get married. But, you sacrificed so much. I didn’t want to let you down. Then, I did. I chose Larkin. You shut me out, and drank like a fish, screwing anything that would drop her panties and spread her legs. Don’t go back to that.”

I knew my reputation as a man whore had gotten out. I didn’t know Jenna had blamed herself. I was waiting for the sting in my chest to come. Nothing. Not even a dull ache. I loved Jenna, always would, but I had moved on. “It wasn’t your fault. I knew you would chose him. I fooled myself into thinking that you were in love with me. And, for a little while I actually thought we would be a family. All it took was the look on your face when you saw Larkin holding Evie to know how wrong I had been. I wanted you to be happy and I knew that wasn’t with me. It hurt, I won’t lie. I handled it wrong. But, if I hadn’t then Londyn wouldn’t be here.” I curled a piece of her hair around my finger. “Cobie and I only wanted one night. It turned into so much more and I am so thankful for that. If it weren’t for Londyn,”- I sighed and shut my eyes- “If it wasn’t for her I don’t even want to think about the kind of person I would be today. She saved me. She changed me.”