Page 33 of Poppy Kisses (Return to Coal Haven #3)

Chapter Nineteen

Poppy

The week after Hassie’s call turned into one of the best weeks of summer I’d ever had.

I’d done my lessons with Auggie. Then more tutoring, went to the house to paint and clean, or snuck into the shop for a quickie with Jensen.

Some days, we weren’t so quick. But with Auggie at his grandma’s for certain hours of the day, it was like we were kids at home alone and ready to party—but with each other.

Jensen had gotten two more queries this week.

He’d had me proof his replies, and while the editing programs had caught some minor issues, it had let a few slip through.

I would have to look through some other programs, ones that he could input what he wanted to say and have it clean up his grammar.

I had another parent ask me about what others did, those who’d slipped and slid through the school system, adapting and learning by brute force that hurt their brain, only to have a few lingering issues as adults.

I’d have to make some resources for adults, too, who came to me.

I finished typing up my notes for my last client and made a few reminders for me for next time, then answered a few emails. Just as I hit send, I sensed Jensen’s heat before I saw him.

“Hey,” I said.

“Hey.” The corner of his mouth tipped up. “Mom’s texted me twice on Auggie’s behalf. He’s excited for tonight.”

I groaned, but a smile still played over my lips. “I’m only nervous when I think about it.”

“And that’s every second?” When I nodded, he chuckled and walked toward me. “I’m excited to see you out there, Coach, being bossy and showing those legs off.”

“Who am I showing my legs off to?”

“Trust me. Dads and a few moms I know are going to be looking.”

I tapped my chin. “Hmm…what if I’m checking out their legs?”

He sucked a breath through his teeth. “I’m going to have to put my shorts on so you’re only looking at mine.”

“What’s my incentive to check you out?” He had nice ones.

Muscled with dainty ankles that I admired.

I’d always had sturdy legs and was more self-conscious in dresses because of them.

Then there had been Hassie and Jensen’s dress comment.

That hadn’t helped. But each time Jensen ran his hand over my skin rewrote history.

“You can check out anyone you want, as long as these legs are wrapped around me in the shower tonight.”

Arousal kindled in my gut, always on a low burn around him. “You’re getting bold, Hollis. You think I’m a sure thing?”

“If you’re not, I’m doing something wrong.” He knelt and slid his arms around me, tucking them between my back and the chair.

I took his hat off and stuffed my hands into his short hair, letting the soft strands float through my fingers. “What if no one shows up?”

The soccer club was Aspen’s show, not mine. Technically. I was involved, and the closer we got, the more emails she’d sent me, and she’d called a few times. Whatever I felt could be considered nerves by proxy, but the first practice was only a couple of hours away.

Jensen buried his face in my lap. “At least one kid is showing up, and I know Auggie will shout to the world that he loves it.”

“I can see that he enjoys playing. I’m not worried about working with him.

What if kids have changed since I coached?

Or they get there and think it’s lame?” I lived for the sport, but it wasn’t my identity.

However, coaching had been my personality once.

I’d loved it, I’d loved mentoring, and I got a thrill out of watching skills develop and grow.

Jensen lifted his head. He rubbed my back with his thumbs, relaxing more than the knots he worked through. “Then coach for Auggie. Every kid out there is an Auggie. A sponge who loves it.”

I pushed my hands over his scalp and skimmed them around his head to frame his face. I appreciated him for more than his rugged good looks. He boosted me up. Even when we were kids, he challenged me because I was the only one he’d seen as real competition. I was the only one he’d cared about.

The deal between us…what if it grew into more? What if…

“Dad!” The front door slammed and footsteps pounded up the stairs.

Jensen pushed back, and my hands dropped away.

He jumped up, adjusting himself as he half turned his back to the door.

The bulge behind his jeans was noticeable, but Auggie wouldn’t be able to see from the doorway.

He definitely wouldn’t get a glimpse with the lightning-fast way Jensen put distance between us.

I was the one who made the rules. Of course, I respected that he didn’t want to confuse his son by telling him that our marriage wouldn’t be real and then him see us making out. Yet hurt echoed through my chest, plucking at each rib until tears pricked the backs of my eyes.

I was being unreasonable. I was stressed. Tonight was basically a replication of the worst debacle of my life, an old professional humiliation that could occur again right here in this town where I hadn’t even started over yet.

No pressure.

That was why I was feeling so emotional. Had to be. Otherwise, I was in for over a year of watching Jensen drive away from me.

* * *

I pushed my sunglasses up my nose. Fifteen kids were in a file, kicking the ball around the fresh lines that Aspen had arranged with the city to paint. Her blonde hair was piled on her head, and she wore aviator shades that were infinitely cooler than my gas station pair.

She was working with another fifteen kids.

The age ranges varied, but from the forms they turned in, we could actually make a couple of teams. Then there was Hadley with a group of her friends.

They were laughing and joking as they kicked around a few balls.

She said she’d work with the younger kids, but this was an intro and a couple more older girls showed up.

There could be one team with her age group alone.

“All right, that’s time.” I waved my group in. “Dribble your balls here.”

I dropped to my butt in the cool grass. They formed a half circle around me and dutifully sat. One kid leaned back and pushed the ball back and forth with his heels, touching each side and rolling it back and forth. He was going to have killer footwork if he kept that up.

“You guys did good. I’m really excited for this year and glad that you joined me.”

“My mom said you played pro,” one boy announced.

A group of wide eyes swiveled toward me.

“Uh, not pro, no,” I said.

“The Olympics?”

I chuckled. “No. I played through college.” Sage nods were the only response I got. “So, after we learn some more skills, there’s an app I want to let your parents know about.”

“For games?”

“No, for skills, but it’s only if you want to use it.

” My answer was met with disappointment.

I stuffed back a smile. “Am I going to see you all on Monday?” Our practices were Mondays and Thursdays.

They nodded and half waved their hands in the air.

No questions, just an enthusiastic response. “See you all then. I can’t wait.”

Aspen let her group of girls go, and I met her by one of the goals.

“How’d it go?” She grinned, her amber eyes twinkling.

“Great. I think I’ll even see them all back.” I hoped so. I pressed a hand to my stomach. I’d never been this worried before, but the nerves threatened to come back.

She bounced on her heels. “That’s awesome. I’m so glad the first night turned out. I’ve even got some emails from parents in Crocus Valley and a few other towns asking about getting their kids on the team.”

“We’ll need more coaches.”

Her gaze landed over my shoulder. “Any chance your fiancé is harboring a lifelong passion for coaching kids’ soccer?”

My fiancé? Oh—Jensen. Yes. I was engaged. I twirled the ring on my finger. Moments like this felt like I had a foot in two worlds. “I can ask him.”

“You two make such a cute couple. He’s a fan favorite with a lot of the single moms, but I think they all thought his wife was just out of town with the way he wasn’t interested in anyone.”

“He keeps his feelings close to the chest.” Except he didn’t, while at the same time, he did. I shouldn’t want everything from him, but the more he gave me, the more I wanted.

She laughed. “No, after seeing him with you, I really think he wasn’t interested.” She hitched a netted ball bag over her shoulder. “Have a good weekend. See ya Monday.”

“Enjoy summer vacation.”

“I get this week and then summer school starts,” she called as she walked off.

Smiling, I turned. My heart somersaulted.

Auggie was giggling and trying to steal the ball from Jensen.

For a guy who’d never played soccer outside of gym class, he had hidden skills.

He’d always been good at whatever he’d tried.

Looking back, I could see how he’d been making up for his struggles in the classroom, trying to earn respect and recognition outside of his academic attempts.

He glanced up and kicked the ball to Auggie. “Hey. You were a rock star out there.”

Auggie veered off, dribbling the ball down the line.

“Thanks. It was fun.”

Jensen’s attention went deeper. “Yeah?”

Was he worried about me? When the soccer debacle had happened in South Dakota, I’d been alone. Now I had Jensen. “Yeah. I’m only fifty percent terrified this will be an epic failure that I’m at the center of.”

“Not every endeavor is a raging success. Doesn’t mean you shouldn’t keep trying.”

“I like being on top though.”

His eyes heated. “I know.”

My arousal flared. Auggie would be asleep in a few hours and then I would be in Jensen’s arms. We started for the gravel parking lot outside of the pitch.

“What are we doing for our date tomorrow night?” he asked.

“You keep making me suffer the punishment of Saturday night dates.”

“It’s awful, I know.” His eyes flashed when he grinned, and my stomach was the one to flip this time.

“Horrible. I don’t recommend it. But I hear Bishop’s is open.”

His eyes lit with interest. “Bishop’s. They have good seafood for being right smack between two oceans.”

“We used to go there before we moved. I was delighted to hear it’s still open.”

“Then we’ll go.”

He put a hand on the small of my back as we walked across the plush grass. “Mom’s coming over to watch Auggie, and I told her if she falls asleep on the couch again, I’m not waking her up to drive home in the dark all groggy.”

“Fair.”

He tipped his mouth close to my ear. “But that means I won’t wait until we get home to get inside of you.”

I shot him a sly look, but my body tingled in all the right places. “There are a lot of secluded spots by the lake.”

“A lot. And since I’ve been out there doing some estimates in the last couple of weeks, I’ve learned about more.”

A shiver traced down my spine. “It’s a date.”

“It’s going to be.”