Page 64 of Before It's Too Late

“I take it you’re done for today?” Zach asked, picking up the ball from where it fell after Taylor had dropped it. Most of the guys had wandered off. A couple stood around in the middle of the small grass area, talking.

Zach made his way back to the bench as Cael followed behind with Taylor in his arms. Zach set the football on the bench.

“Yep. Take her?” Cael held Taylor toward Zach, and Zach took her. Cael grabbed his still half-full sports drink from the diaper bag. Twisting the cap off, he guzzled down what was left and wiped the sweat from his face with his shirt.

“Good game? You seemed a little distracted here and there.” Zach stood Taylor on the bench, keeping one arm around her so she wouldn’t fall, and began packing up what few items he’d pulled out.

“Oh, you noticed that, huh?”

Zach twisted his lips into a knowing grin.

Cael leaned over and kissed him. “I wasn’t the only one. Who was that woman you were talking to?”

“Just Marleigh, from Taylor’s daycare.”

Cael hiked a brow, slinging the diaper bag over his shoulder and picking up the football. He looked toward the field. “Hey, Joshy!”

Josh turned his attention toward Cael.

“Catch!” Cael threw the ball.

Josh caught it. “Thanks. Hey, see you at work tomorrow, yeah?”

“Absolutely!” Cael spun back to face Zach and Taylor. “So, just Marleigh?”

“Yeah, why?”

Cael reached for Zach’s free hand and held it as they walked toward the car. “She seemed awfully close forjustMarleigh?”

“She’s just a friend, sorta, I guess. We talk for a little almost every morning when I drop Taylor off.” Zach huffed a quiet laugh.

“What?”

“Would you believe she was actually going to ask me out?”

“She was, huh?”

“That’s what she told me. After I pointed out the fact that you and I were together.”

“Would you have gone out with her if we weren’t together?”

“Fu—shoot,” Zach said, and Cael chuckled. Zach nudged him lightly in the arm with his shoulder. “I don’t know. Maybe? I mean, she’s nice and obviously likes kids based on where she works, but I’m not really attracted to her.”

Zach buckled Taylor in as Cael climbed into the front passenger seat. Settling into the driver’s side, Zach noticed Cael staring out the window, completely quiet.

“Hey, man. You okay?”

“Yeah.” Cael gave his head a subtle shake. “I’m good. Just need a long, hot shower.”

Zach threw a couple glances at Cael as he pulled the car away from the curb and into traffic. “It’s more than that, isn’t it?”

“Not really. Just, something one of the guys said earlier that bothered me. Kind of pissed me off, actually.”

“Who? And what’d they say?” Zach glanced in the rearview mirror, catching sight of Taylor wide awake and observing the world around her, proud of himself for not cussing in front of her.

“Greg.” Pause. “He said something about you that wasn’t true.”

“Oh.”