Page 9 of Coach Me (Boston Blues #2)

Dex

“I’m just saying, why not look at today’s game as a trial run?”

I couldn’t decide if I wanted Lucie to show up to today’s game or not. I’ve been back and forth on it all week. The way I’m leaning really changes every time Callie brings it up. And if there’s one thing about our photographer…she talks a lot.

“A baseball game isn’t exactly the place to have a trial run for a homeschool teacher, Callie.”

I stand off to the side of the bullpen as our pitchers finish up, and while I’m pretty sure Callie is supposed to be getting pictures right now, she’s bugging me.

“Oh, come on, Dex. You know this is a good idea. Lucie’s qualified to be Miles’s homeschool teacher, overqualified to be the nanny, and?—”

“And she knows the schedule. You’ve mentioned all of this already.”

I don’t want to dismiss Callie, but she’s been on this topic all week.

I know she has good points. On paper, Lucie is perfect for the job, but I can’t pull the trigger.

No matter how many positives Callie adds to the scale, the weight of our interactions combined with the number of times I found myself looking over at Lucie during the game earlier this week, outweighs it by a ton.

Her warm smile when she interacted with my son had me tempted to leave the dugout to sit with them countless times. He had all of her fucking attention, and I’m the shitty father who just wanted a second of it for myself.

“And yet, you still haven’t offered her the job.”

I toss one of the baseballs from my back pocket into the bucket next to us, then pick it up to carry to the dugout. Callie naturally follows.

“Didn’t you say she thought I was an ass and didn’t want the job? Gee, I wonder why I haven’t offered her a raise with the offer?” I say over my shoulder.

“Okay, I may have been paraphrasing the whole ‘you’re an ass’ part. Lucie doesn’t cuss anyway?—”

I tilt my head back again. “She doesn’t?”

“No, she doesn’t. See? Added perk number one million.”

Fucking hell, she’s relentless. “Cals?—”

“She might not have called you an ass, but she did feel like you didn’t like her. She didn’t know anything about the job until after either. Think about that Dex, she wanted to hang out with Miles tonight without even knowing she could get paid for it.”

Well, I guess her thinking I didn’t like her was kind of my intention, even if it’s the furthest thing from the truth.

I drop the bucket of balls by the dugout and run my hands over my face just as Will starts to walk up after finishing his pregame warm-up.

“Please take her away,” I beg.

Will holds his hands up in surrender. “I already told you guys, I’m not touching this conversation with a ten-foot pole.”

“Much to my annoyance,” Callie mumbles.

Adam comes up behind Will, clapping him on the shoulder. “Oh, come on, Anderson, pick a side. Girlfriend or coach?”

Will gives him a blank stare. “No. No, I won’t be doing that.”

I can’t help it, coach or not, I don’t think I’ll ever not be able to cut up with the guys. “And why not? As your coach, I’m curious. I’m sure your girlfriend is too.”

“Yeah, Will.” Callie crosses her arms. “I’m curious.”

Will gives Callie a playful smirk. “Right, right. Let me explain, I like having a very beautiful girlfriend. I like having a sister who is happy and not stressed out. I like having a coach who isn’t an asshole—most of the time—and has a really cute kid, despite all his attempts at stealing said beautiful girlfriend.

Now, I want to keep all these things, and if I get involved and something goes wrong, I will lose one, if not all of them.

So I’m going to let you guys make the decision, and I’ll support whatever you decide. ”

“You say that now. Wait until some player starts dating your sister.” Adam pins Will with a glare.

Not that he actually cares about Will dating Callie, and really I don’t think Will would care with Lucie, the whole pot-meet-kettle saying, but when I think about Lucie dating another player…

“That’s not happening,” I say, much to my shock—and horror.

Will cuts up an eyebrow for a moment. He better not question me on it, because I can’t explain why I said that out loud either .

“Well, Lucie’s a capable adult, so like I said, I’m not getting involved. If she wants to work with your surly ass, then that’s her choice.”

Callie swings her head toward me. “It can be her choice if Dex would offer her the damn job.”

For all that’s holy, I’ve got a fucking headache. I give Will a pointed glare, and he knows I’ve reached my limit on this topic for right now.

“Come on, Blaze, let’s drop it with Dex for a bit.”

As Will pulls Callie away, she starts her argument. “But?—”

“I know, you can still talk to me about it,” Will says, cutting her off.

Adam shakes his hand and claps me on the shoulder. “She’ll be back.”

“Well-fucking-aware.”

With a sigh, I look out to the outfield where Miles is goofing off with some of the guys shagging balls during hitting warm-ups. As a batter hits one ball, Beck throws Miles a grounder off to the side so he’s out of harm's way but can still feel included.

This team has been so great to Miles—they’ve helped more than they’ll even know. I don’t want him to lose days like this where he gets to be active and a part of the Blues’ family.

The only way I can ensure that will happen is if I get a nanny and a homeschool teacher who can travel with us.

“Fucking hell,” I grumble to no one.

I knew the idea of this job was too good to be true. As much as the team has helped with Miles’s confidence, I made a selfish fucking decision and it seems like the one person who might be able to help is my pitcher’s little sister .

His really pretty, much younger sister.

My phone dings just as that thought enters my brain, thankfully giving me an out as to why those details should matter when considering Lucie as my kid’s nanny.

I pull out my phone and give one more glance at Beck playing with Miles.

It’s almost too hard to look away with the huge smile on Miles’s face.

And boy, do I not almost have immediate regret when I read the message from my ex-wife.

Kate

I know it’s my weekend with Miles, but I’m going to have to reschedule. I have a huge case on Monday. I really can’t be distracted right now.

I grind my molars.

You know what? Fuck it.