Page 25 of Coach Me (Boston Blues #2)

Dex

Lucie leaving this morning after getting back to the apartment was a damn blessing, but not because I actually wanted her to leave… I just very much needed a cold shower. When that didn’t work, I knew talking to my ex-wife would do the trick.

“So, about this weekend, I know it’s technically yours, but can I possibly get Miles? I can move some stuff around. I think he’d love to come see me.”

“Yeah, I think he also would have loved to see you two weeks ago.” The jab comes out before I can stop it. I shouldn’t have said it—I know that—but fuck, we’re still doing scheduled phone calls because she insisted on it.

“Dex, I told you I had a big case and it needed all of my attention. I’m finally making a name for myself in this firm.

I know you disagree with me, but it’s where I feel I need to put my focus.

Not all of us have a boss who lets their kid run around constantly.

And not all of us want to hire a young blonde nanny. ”

I pinch the bridge of my nose. Fuck, not this again. Callie took a candid photo of Lucie and Miles for the Blues Instagram story. I think only three hours passed before I got a screenshot and about fifteen texts with it.

I look around to make sure Miles hasn’t wandered into the kitchen. I don’t want him to overhear any of this pointless bullshit.

“Kate, we’ve been over this. She’s overqualified and can teach our son.

I respect that you’re Miles’s mother, and I’m willing to work with you on the weekend thing.

However, let’s not forget that you were the one who said you only wanted one weekend a month and granted me full rights on these decisions. ”

The line goes silent for a moment before she sighs. “Fine. I appreciate the weekend switch. Maybe if it’s possible I could get a little more time every now and then? When my work allows it.”

I really should have expected this. Kate hasn’t asked for any “extra” time in seven months, but now that Miles spent half of their conversations talking about Lucie, suddenly there’s time.

As frustrating as it is, Kate will always be Miles’s mom and holding petty stuff against her does nothing but make things worse.

Despite how she left and the decisions she made, I do know Miles is physically safe with her.

If she wants some more time, I won’t keep that from either of them.

However, I let her set boundaries first, now it’s my turn.

“Alright, we’ll talk about it. We can do Friday to Sunday this weekend. We can work out some days when we get back from New York.”

“Thanks, Dex. I’ll look at my schedule and let you know.”

“And no more comments about Lucie—you wanted to be hands off. I didn’t hire Lucie to get back at you. I needed help and now I have it.”

Kate goes silent again. She’s the lawyer so she’s strong in an argument, but she also knows when she’s lost. I get that being a mother wasn’t a part of her plan and I won’t judge her for that. At this point I think she’s giving what she can, but I’m going to do the same.

“I’ll bring Miles over before the game Friday. Is ten okay?”

Kate sighs. “Yeah, that’s fine.”

“Okay…” I start to say goodbye, but then I hear Miles yell Lucie’s name from the living room.

My feet start to move toward them instinctively, completely forgetting that I was on the phone until I hear Kate’s voice in my ear again. “One more thing, Dex. Don’t be that cliché guy who dates his nanny.”

I clench my jaw at her words, but then I see Lucie—I see the smile she has on her face while she greets Miles.

“I have to go. Miles will see you this weekend.” I hang up on her before she can respond.

Lucie has grocery bags in her hands, and when I step up to take them from her, the smile she gave Miles doesn’t falter. “Hey, I’m back.”

Yeah, Kate’s parting words don’t mean shit to me. There are other reasons to not date Lucie, but being a cliché is not fucking one of them.

Miles doesn’t miss a beat as he jumps on the top part of the couch and hangs his arms off the back. “Who will I see this weekend?”

“Your mom. She asked if you could spend the weekend at her house. ”

“Really?” Miles squeals but then looks at Lucie. “Are you going to come with me?”

Lucie’s mouth gapes open for a minute. I get her hesitation, and really I see where Miles would think that since Lucie does go practically everywhere with him while he’s with me.

Telling a five-year-old “no, because your parents are divorced and I only work for your dad” isn’t exactly Lucie’s style.

I know it’s so far from something Lucie would say, without a shadow of a doubt—if Miles really wanted her to go, she’d do it.

“No, bud, we have to let Lucie have some time off, okay? You and your mom will have lots of fun, though.”

Miles’s frown isn’t exactly what I wanted to see, but as usual, he bounces back pretty fast. “Okay, I guess I’ll get to swim! Mom’s place has an indoor pool, so make sure to pack my swim stuff.”

I chuckle. “Okay, I can do that.”

“That sounds like a lot of fun.” The relief on her face doesn’t go unnoticed by me, but now it hits me that if Miles isn’t here…will Lucie leave for the weekend? Will I be alone in this apartment all weekend with just her? I can’t think about that. I need a new topic to focus on.

“So, what’s all this?” I gesture to the bags I took from her.

“Well, I got some groceries. I thought it could be fun to actually make some homemade pizzas if you guys are up for it? Or I could just make them?—”

“No! I want to help!” Miles yells, jumping up from the couch and racing into the kitchen.

Lucie looks to me with that soft smile. I swear I see a damn gleam in her eyes. “What about you, Coach? Want to join us? ”

I guess I’m the different side of the same coin because I’ll do whatever Lucie asks when she smiles at me like that.

“Yeah, count me in, Luce.”

Lucie tucks some of her hair behind her ear and I get a glance at her freshly-painted yellow fingernails. God, I love that color.

Lucie walks around me to the kitchen, but turns back after a few steps. “Heads-up…I cheated a bit. I bought the dough ready to go from the bakery. You have to give it time to rise and?—”

“So, we’re skipping the boring stuff Miles wouldn’t be interested in?”

Lucie chuckles. “Exactly. I thought starting out with rolling and tossing the dough would be the crowd pleaser.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Is throwing it really necessary?”

“It is when you’re making it with a five-year-old.”

Back in the kitchen, I unpack the bags and get everything out on the counter while Lucie helps Miles wash up.

When Miles moves his stool over to the island, he snarls at the spread in front of him. “There’s a lot of stuff I don’t like, Lucie.”

“Miles, manners,” I say in a warning.

“But I don’t like them.” Miles shrugs. “I don’t know how to have manners about things I don’t like.”

Don’t laugh. Don’t laugh.

Lucie pulls her lips in a thin line, and I can tell she’s thinking the same damn thing.

“It’s okay to not like things, bud. I know I got some stuff that you don’t like, but I do. I also got things that your dad likes. We can each make our own pizzas, and it could be fun to try slices of each.”

Miles scrunches his nose while he thinks on Lucie’s idea .

“We also need to be appreciative that Lucie bought all of this and wants to do something fun.”

Miles finally relents. “Thank you, Lucie. I am excited to make my pizza. But I’m not sure about trying everyone’s.”

Lucie lets out an amused hum. “Alright, we’ll think about it?”

Miles nods. “I’ll think about it.”

“Good.” Lucie looks around the kitchen. “This kind of feels weird to say, but this is the first time I’ve actually cooked in this kitchen. Where is everything?”

“Whatcha need, Luce?”

“A rolling pin to get the dough ready, a cutting board, and a knife for the veggies.”

While I get the things she needs, Miles helps Lucie wipe down the counters.

Finding the cutting board and knife is easy; the rolling pin, however, is some weird miracle.

I had no fucking clue that I even had one, but there it was in some random drawer full of utensils that I’ve probably only used a handful of times.

Once the counters are clean, Lucie pulls over the bag of flour and the wrapped-up dough. “Okay, so three pizzas?”

Miles points his finger at himself, then at me and Lucie. “Yep, three.”

I chuckle. “I’ll let you guys handle that, while I cut up the vegetables. Luce, you like banana peppers, green peppers, and cherry tomatoes?”

Lucie looks at me, her eyes bright as she pulls her hair back in a ponytail. “Yeah, that’s right.”

Of course it is. I know how she likes her pizza, her coffee, and the concession hotdogs.

Lucie’s eyes linger on me for a moment, and it takes a lot not to hold her blue eyes, but I start working on her toppings. Lucie goes back to Miles with a small nudge. “Alright, Miles, you ready to make a mess?”

“Yes!” Miles cheers.

Lucie splits and rolls out the dough with Miles’s help. All while, yes, making a fucking mess with the flour. I don’t give a single damn about it either. I don’t think this kitchen has heard this much laughter ever.

Miles giggles uncontrollably as Lucie tosses the dough in the air like she’s done this forever.

“Please don’t get the pizza stuck on my ceiling.”

“I think I’m really getting the hang of this.” Lucie beams as she catches the dough and then lays it back on the counter.

Miles jumps up and down. “Do the next one! Do mine!”

“Okay, okay.” Lucie picks up his next, and Miles’s laughter fills the apartment. God, it’s the best fucking sound.

I continue to cut the veggies while still watching Miles be completely mesmerized by Lucie. I’m completely mesmerized by Lucie.

And that comes at a cost, because as Lucie tosses the dough in the air I completely slice my hand. “Motherfu?—”

“Dex?” Lucie cuts me off, keeping her voice even. I’m sure it’s not to freak out Miles any more than I just did.

“It’s fine, I just cut my finger.” It’s a cut from a sharp blade, so naturally it’s bleeding pretty good.

“It’s bleeding, Daddy! Lucie! It’s bleeding!” Miles panics.

Shit, I grab a nearby rag to hold on my hand. “It’s okay, bud, I promise. I’m okay.”

Lucie gives Miles a small smile, then moves to me. She grabs two cherry tomatoes off the board and hands them to Miles. “I’m going to go help your dad. Why don’t you give these to Pip and Pop for me?”

Miles’s bottom lip hangs. “But Daddy’s bleeding.”

“And I’m going to make it stop.” Lucie’s voice is calm. “I promise. Now, give the turtles their treats and we’ll meet you there, okay?”

“Okay.” Miles sulks the whole way to the living room.

Lucie turns to me with a small smile. “Let me see, Masterchef.”

“Luce, if you weren’t just so good with my son, you’d be paying for that comment.” The flirt comes out before I can stop it, but Lucie doesn’t even blush, or I think even catch it.

She steps in, standing so close to me now—hell, even the way she smells feels bright, like honeysuckle and jasmine.

Lucie looks up to meet my eyes as her hands touch mine. “I’m not afraid of you, Coach.”

Fuck, she’s killing me. Here I am, thinking my comment will throw her off kilter, but no, it’s her throwing me off.

I swallow hard and whisper, “I think I’m afraid of you.”

The admission isn’t something I want to take back—I am scared of Lucie. Scared of what having her around much more will do to me. Scared of what it could mean if she left, because let’s face it, I won’t exactly need a nanny and homeschool teacher forever.

But to Lucie, I’m pretty sure my whispered confession comes off more as a joke. The corners of her mouth tilt up for a second before she swallows, then looks down at my hand. It’s for the fucking best, I guess.

It’s finally stopped bleeding, and really, it’s fine, but Lucie hums. “I’m going to get a Band-Aid for Miles’s sake. Where are they at?”

“Under the sink in the guest bathroom. ”

Lucie looks back up at me as her hands still rest on mine. Everything about this moment feels charged. One sign—I mean one fucking hint of her wanting more—and I might finally break. One more second of her hands touching me. One hitch of her breath and a part in her lips, and I’m done.

Yeah, I’m fucking afraid of her. I’m afraid I’ll never know what she tastes like. What her moans sound like in my ear. What these days could be like if she was more than the fucking nanny. I want her so damn bad that it terrifies me.

Her hand is still touching me. Fuck, what’s one lean in?

“Daddy! I got you a Band-Aid!”

Motherfucker.

Lucie and I both jump back from each other as Miles barrels back into the kitchen, waving a Band-Aid in his hand.

When he gets to me, he has the most worried look on his face. “Are you going to be okay?”

I’m not entirely sure if I’m grateful for Miles’s intrusion, but it was needed. Wanted ? That’s a different story.

“I’m going to be fine. It’s not even bleeding anymore, but I’ll still use the Band-Aid.”

Miles’s face changes instantly, a proud grin pulling at his mouth. “Good, I knew Lucie could fix it, but I wanted to help.”

“That was very thoughtful, Miles.” Lucie places her hands on Miles’s shoulder. “Why don’t we finish up our pizzas?”

Miles squeals. “Yay!”

Lucie is here for Miles. Not for me. Lucie is here for Miles. Not for me.

I watch her as she picks up Miles’s pizza dough, repeating that in my head. Her eyes connect with mine.

Damn it. I want her for us.