Page 49 of Catching Our Moment

Shaw

It was dark out when I finally pulled the rental car up outside a two-story colonial brick house in a neighborhood with perfectly manicured lawns and trees lining the road. It was the quintessential DC Suburb with mid-range luxury cars in the driveways.

The drive had been almost as quiet as the flight.

I’d never been to Kelcie’s home when she was married to Needle Dick. It was a surprising glimpse into the life she used to lead.

I didn’t bother with the driveway in case we needed to make a fast exit, and saw a dark-blue Explorer parked across the street, just as Wyatt had indicated.

“Let me go get him and see how quickly we can leave. Stay. Here. No matter what,” she said, glowering at me. “I don’t even want him to know you’re in the car.”

I stared back. “Remember what the lawyer said? Do not engage. If you want me to stay in the car, then there won’t be any witnesses to what was said. So just don’t say anything.”

She didn’t answer me, just got out of the car and slammed the door. She faltered for a moment, staring up at what used to be her house. I walked around the car to join her, wanting to reach for her hand. “We got this,” I whispered.

We were a few feet from the door when Aaron came bursting out of the house, his arms outstretched and his face a blotchy mess. “Mom! You came. Let’s go home. I want to go home.”

The boy was in the house he grew up in, but it wasn’t home to him any longer.

“Aaron, come get your bag,” James said, walking out on the porch, hands in his pockets. He didn’t give two shits what emotional upheaval he had caused. He’d managed to get her to leave me and run home. That was all he’d wanted—to see if he still could sway her.

Aaron ignored his father and held onto Kelcie like a child clutching his favorite teddy bear that someone threatened to take away. He was almost the same height as her, making her wrap her arm around his waist and whisper soothing words to him.

Amber came out onto the porch, carrying a backpack. James took it from her and walked it down to Aaron.

“Aaron, I will talk to you tomorrow. Remember what we talked about,” he said, pushing the backpack at Aaron, who was refusing to let go of Kelcie.

“I’m not talking to you,” he said loud enough for all of us to hear.

James glared at Kelcie and then over to the car, where I’d gone back to wait. He was no longer able to maintain his passive expression. His anger was cold and calculating.

Kelcie took the backpack and turned Aaron to the car.

“Don’t forget what the custody agreement says, Kelcie.” He smirked then raised his voice and added, “He can’t move without my permission.”

Kelcie opened the door to the car and helped Aaron get in it. “Hold your bag, honey. We are heading home.”

“You’ll be hearing from my lawyer.” James walked toward the car with the confidence of a man who thought he had us by the balls. “I would suggest you hold off on any trips out of state.”

Aaron rolled down his window. “When Shaw goes the Super Bowl, I’m going too. And you can’t stop me.”

Oh jeez.

Kelcie cringed and hurried up to situate herself then turned to me. “Let’s go. Now.”

Aaron fell asleep before we were on the beltway.

Kelcie was silent, leaning her head against the window. Lights from overhead and the oncoming cars caught random glimpses of her fear and anger.

I didn’t know what to say or what to do to help her.

She rubbed her hand over her forehead, her voice weary. “When do you have to be back?”

Tomorrow morning. I had workouts and meetings . “Don’t worry about it.”

“Why don’t we drive to the airport, and I’ll drop you off so you can get back?—”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m driving you two home and making sure you are good.”

She let out a sigh. “There isn’t anything you can do, Shaw. Especially not now. Just go back to Charlotte.”

It sounded like a dismissal. “I can?—”

She put her hand up to stop me. “I have to deal with this, and you being here is just going to make it worse. He’s going to do anything he can to gain leverage over me. You are the catalyst to all of this—just me being with you.”

What the hell?

“I didn’t do anything.”

“You exist. I almost replaced him with you.”

“He threw you away as soon as you became pregnant—like you were a burden.”

“And you are more successful than he could ever hope to be. His son worships you. He probably knows you would’ve been a better father than he is—though he would never admit it.”

“That’s his issue.”

“No, it's mine. Because until Aaron is eighteen and no longer a minor, James gets a say in Aaron’s life and, by extension, mine.”

“He’s remarried. He has his ready-made family.” She gave the smallest flinch, accentuating the point that I wasn’t helping, even now.

She stared back out the window, her hand over her mouth as if stifling what else she wanted to say—needed to say.

“What?”

“We need to take a few steps back. I can’t be involved with you—with anyone—until I can figure out a way to get James to back off.”

I gripped the wheel again, and this time, I felt the fancy leather wrapped around the steering wheel start to give. I bit out, “You are giving him exactly what he wants, you know that.”

She remained silent.

“Fine, I will stay away for a little while?—”

“It’s not going to work. You heard him. Even if I was able to maintain custody—or even joint custody—he’s never going to let Aaron move to Charlotte.”

“So, I’ll commute during the season—many players do it.”

She shook her head. “It won’t work.”

I glanced at the backseat to see if Aaron was awake.

He didn’t need to hear me getting dumped on top of the drama his father and mother were fighting.

I pulled into a well-lit parking lot and got out of the car.

I walked around and opened her door, giving her my hand to help her out of the car, and closed the door, trying not to slam it.

She still wouldn’t look at me.

I paced and ran my hand through my hair. “It's like the universe is determined to keep us apart.”

Her arms crossed over her chest, and she stood with her back to the car.

I stepped up to her, fencing her in with my hands on the door behind her. “I love you. Do you get that? I love you, and all I want to do is make a home with you and Aaron.”

The gasp of air she let out was the only indication I was getting through to her. I tipped her head up. “Babe, look at me.”

“Do you—” She put her hand over my mouth before I could ask, Do you love me?

“Don’t. Don’t do this to me. I need to focus on Aaron and the nightmare his father is about to make his life. I don’t have the mental capacity to analyze our relationship. Not now.”

“Let me help you."

“You can’t.” She pushed past me. “I don’t need you to come in and rescue me.”

“I know you don’t need me.” And damn, if that didn’t hurt to say. “But for Christ’s sake, Kelcie, sometimes it’s good to have support from the sidelines, someone who’s there for you, waiting to be called in as back-up when you need him.”

She turned and wiped her hands over her eyes. Then she drew in a deep breath, straightened her back, and said, “We—I mean, I need to get Aaron home, and you need to get back on that plane to get ready for this weekend’s game. You are probably on thin ice with the team as it is.”

That was true. If Yaz found out I took a night flight out of town, she would have my balls.

I was particularly attached to my balls and my career. Screw it.

She stepped close but didn’t touch me. Her arms wrapped and folded over her chest, her eyes determined and decided. That made the distance between us real.

“Fine. Get in the car,” I said, my heart growing cold while my knees weakened. I couldn’t believe she was doing this. “I tell you I love you, and you tell me to leave. I don’t think it gets any clearer than that. I guess I should just be thankful you didn’t just drop me another Dear Shaw note.”

I didn’t wait for her response. We both rode to the airport in silence. I had the plane on standby, not knowing what the evening would hold. Maybe deep down, I knew this would be the outcome.

When we reached the tarmac, I got out of the car and popped the trunk.

“Shaw? Where are you going?” Aaron’s sleepy voice said from the darkened backseat. He straightened up and leaned into the light from the overhead light in the car.

“I got to get back to Charlotte, buddy. Your mom is going to take you home and get you settled. You have school tomorrow, don’t you?”

“When will you be back?”

I didn’t have the strength to answer that, and I refused to admit I didn’t know. “Not sure, but hey, you call me or text me. Okay? About anything.”

“I wish I could go with you,” he said, his tone hiding his real age and sounding like a small child.

I put my hand in the car, mussed his hair, and said, “I know. Me too.”

Kelcie was behind me, ready to get into the driver’s seat. The wind had picked up, and she tucked the hair straying from her ponytail behind her ears. With her back to the light, it was hard to see her face. “Good luck this week.” She shifted on her feet, probably anxious for me to leave.

I put my unused duffel bag over my shoulder and stared at the plane. There wasn’t anything left for me to do except fulfill the one thing asked of me. I left. “Drive safely.”

Then I walked up the stairs to the plane, my eyes burning, and lied to myself that it was the wind.