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“Because you seem uncomfortable, and that’s the last thing I would ever want. Your dad and I…”

She leans back a little in her chair. “I’m okay with you guys dating.”

“Does our holding hands bother you?” I ask.

“It’s a little weird…he’s my dad.” Her face scrunches up a little in the most adorable of ways. “I’m getting used to it.”

“We can stop,” I say.

She shakes her head. “No, he likes it. I want him to be happy.”

I lean a little forward. “I like it too, but I want you to be happy, A. You’re part of us. You know that, right?”

She smiles. It’s sweet, but I’m not convinced that she is okay with this.

Ollie comes back with the water and brings one for me as well. He tells us about his trip.

They leave an hour later. At the door, she hugs me. “Would you like to come to my game on Saturday?”

It feels like I’ve been holding my breath until that moment. So, I exhale and say, “I wouldn’t miss it.”

Oliver

Saturday

“She walks in her heels like she’s barefoot, and she looks at the camera like she’s looking in a mirror,” Ayla says, and I pause my stirring to look over my shoulder into the family room where she and Lux are watching a red-carpet show. They look so comfortable, like they do this all the time.

“That’s because she’s comfortable in her own skin. When you’ve done something enough times and you’ve mastered it, it shows even in the way you pose,” Lux tells her.

My negrita looks at her. “Like you in your videos.”

Lux shrugs. “Maybe…but you know who’s the better example?”

“Who?” Ayla asks.

Lux tilts her head toward her. “You in the pitcher’s box today.” She taps Ay’s shoulder with her finger and yanks it back like it burnt her. “Talk about girl on fire. It reminded me of watching Cam pitch. You weren’t nervous or self-conscious. Even with that ten pitches at-bat. You kept going after that hitter until she got overanxious and struck out.”

Heat explodes over my chest, and I have to turn my head away. I don’t want them to catch me looking or eavesdropping, but I’m listening to everything.

“Thanks, Lux.”

I know my baby is blushing. And I’m blushing because this is seriously the best compliment Lux could have given her. From the moment she showed up to the game this afternoon, the day has been nothing but idyllic. Though the moms and teenage girls tried to make something of her being there, Lux’s attention was on Ayla and Bron.

She was supportive, and cheered for the team, and took more photos than anyone, but she didn’t post any of them. And I know because I follow her, and I set up my alerts for whenever she posts anything. Instead of pizza after the game, we did milkshakes, and she integrated to the conversations easily.

Then she came home with us, and Ay has been showing her around while I cook.

“Oh no. Is that awkward? He’s your ex.”

I turn around quickly, and Mateo is on our screen. He’s in a tux and smiling.

Lux snorts. “Not at all. Our relationship has been over for a while.”

“But don’t you feel anything? You were together not long ago.”

Lux shrugs again. “Sometimes you care about someone, and you stay for that reason, but you shouldn’t be together. It’s hard to explain, but it’s one of those lessons that we as girls and women need to learn early.”

“Because he cheated on you.”