Page 31 of The Ex Next Door (Charming, Texas #8)

“Good to meet you. I’m Declan Sheridan.” Declan shook his hand.

“C’mon, Dec! Throw it back,” David yelled.

Declan threw the ball back to him and he caught it easily.

“Oh, I know who you are.” Mark chuckled and tipped back on his heels. “We’re very excited to see you helping out around here. The coach is a little young, don’t you think? He really doesn’t seem to know what he’s doing.”

Declan, who’d been taught to respect the chain of command, so to speak, couldn’t bring himself to go there. Besides, it was a recreational league.

“He’ll learn.”

“Yeah. Apparently your father sees real promise in Matthew.”

Sometimes, Declan wished his father didn’t try to recruit everyone he met into competitive sports.

“He’s good.” Declan caught the ball and threw it to Matthew.

Unfortunately, Matthew was looking at something else and the ball sailed right past him.

“Sorry!” he yelled and went running after it.

“See that? His only problem is he isn’t taking this seriously enough,” Mark said.

Declan was stopped from engaging in a mini lecture on fun versus competition in sports at an early age. There was plenty of time for that later. A lifetime.

The coach and the rest of the team had arrived, and it was time for the scrimmage to begin.

* * *

Amy tried to keep her eyes on the game, but it was tough with Bianca chirping in her ear nonstop, Mark yelling “encouragements” to their son and Declan looking so smoking hot wearing slacks and a button-down.

He’d rolled up the sleeves, displaying those powerful forearms. Maybe she was a wanton woman for noticing this, but the man was yummy.

“Mark took off early from work so he could be here,” Bianca said. “He’s being so supportive.”

“That’s good. I’m sure his support means a lot.” She glanced at her phone again to note the time.

She’d told Rob about the practice, and he was supposed to be here.

Not that David would be happy to see him but being a parent meant you couldn’t just give up trying because your kid was mad.

After her talk with David, she’d texted Rob with an honest update.

He’d been less than thrilled, accusing her of borderline alienation and reminding her they promised they’d never take sides against each other.

Withholding the less-than-kind words she wanted to hurl at him, Amy composed a text advising him she was doing no such thing.

She encouraged him to come to the game and show his support, omitting the fact Declan would be there in case that might discourage him.

She texted Rob a reminder of the time and location again. Within minutes he texted back:

Can’t make it. Huge problem at the office. Tell David I’ll catch him at the next one.

“Why is Declan dressed in slacks and a button-up?” Bianca said.

“I don’t know, maybe he had to go into work for a bit.”

“He looks good. Notice all the moms checking him out. What a great ass. Is he really just going to bartend for the rest of his life?”

“I don’t know, Bianca. I haven’t asked.”

“Why isn’t Rob here? You did tell him, didn’t you?” The tone sounded borderline accusatory, and Amy flinched.

“Of course. Why would you ask that?”

“Well, no offense, Amy, but I see how you’d want to slide Declan in there to take Rob’s place. He is pretty hot, and amazing, but he’s not David’s father .”

A slice of irritation hit Amy hard. “I know and I’m not trying to replace him. In fact, funny thing, but David mistak enly believed that Rob was trying to get him a new mother when he met his new girlfriend this weekend. We both made sure he understood that wasn’t true.”

“Oh brother.” Bianca rolled her eyes. “Rob is blowing it right and left.”

Amy refrained from defending Rob but just barely.

They were trying, damn it, and it was tough .

No one liked a divorce, least of all the children.

But Rob wanted to move on and so did Amy.

There was nothing wrong with that and she deeply resented people judging them.

She’d judged the situation enough herself.

It was a mistake, but it happened, and they were both to blame.

Before she spoke, Amy checked and saw Naomi still sitting a few seats over with a friend who’d showed up to practice with her brother, who was on the other team.

Amy kept her eyes on the game, not wanting to miss when David went up to bat.

Batting was his weakness and he tended to swing at anything that came over the plate.

Declan told her it was a common enough mistake and told her not to worry.

He didn’t really have to tell Amy twice as she worried about real-life stuff, not a game.

“I’m not making the same mistake. Which is why I’m not telling the kids about me and Declan,” Amy said quietly.

“Ooooh, and how’s that going?” Bianca said, turning her folding chair to face Amy and away from the game. “Did you two get jiggy with it?”

“Hey, ladies. Mind if I join you?” Declan’s deep voice interrupted from behind them, and they both turned.

He stood in the sunlight, practically bathed in the golden rays. The golden boy. At least, he’d been her golden boy, now a man.

“Hey, Declan!” Bianca practically giggled. “So good to see you here!”

“Good to see you, too.” With no extra seat, he crouched beside Amy.

Usually, Declan stayed close to the action, observing as if he couldn’t tear himself away from the game.

She was flattered he’d come to find her.

“Hey,” he said, taking her hand in his. “Missed you.”

She squeezed his hand. “Me, too.”

She was still living on the memory of their lazy Sunday together and for the first time since the divorce looking forward to when the kids went to see their father.

Safe to say she would no longer be crying herself to sleep or falling asleep in her daughter’s bed.

It had been a tough time, grieving the loss of a marriage and partnership, but now she was on the other side of it.

And while she’d never expected this with Declan, she would luxuriate in the sharp sweetness of the moment.

“So, Declan,” Bianca said. “Mark and I were talking. Can we hire you for private coaching lessons? We want Matthew to go all the way with this. He shows such promise.”

“Is he having fun out there?” Declan asked, looking at the field.

It was not lost on Amy that he’d carefully avoided answering the question. She didn’t see when he’d have time to coach but he’d already made such a difference with David simply in his casual spare time.

“Oh yes!” Bianca went on, her back still to the game. “We’re signing him up for Little League, for sure. Mark is talking about pitching clinics and camp. What do you think is the best-rated one in the area? Should we go to Houston?”

“You could do any of those things, but why not just let him have fun for right now?”

“Yeah, fun’s great but competition is stiff. Nine is really a good age to start training, isn’t it?”

“It can be, with the right kid. Unfortunately, I’m not going to be available for private coaching. Looks like I’m going back to teaching and coaching at the high school level.”

“Really?” Amy whispered. “You’re going back?”

He nodded. “If the employment offer comes through as expected, I should start in the fall.”

“In… Houston?” she hesitated, worried about him dealing with big-city high school booster politics.

“Actually, right here in Charming. Funny, right? Our old alma mater.” He grinned. “They’ve been wanting to talk to me for a few years, but I wasn’t ready until now.”

“Declan, that’s perfect.”

Both of them would be teaching right in Charming, he at the same school where they’d first met.

“Thanks, Tinks.”

“Yeah, that’s awesome,” Bianca said, getting the answer to the burning question of whether or not Declan would bartend for the rest of his life. “That’s where Matthew will be going to high school. Hopefully by then he’ll be one of your all-star players.”

Loud male voices rose from the field.

“Are you kidding me, Coach? He’s not out! Is there something wrong with your eyesight?”

“I hate when parents get out of control like this,” one of the mothers sitting behind them said. “And it’s always the dads.”

“Girl, wait until they get to Little League,” another one said. “You ain’t seen nothing yet.”

Bianca had turned her entire body to watch the scene play out. It was her husband reading the riot act to the poor harried coach.

“Oh, Mark,” Bianca said, covering her face with her hands. “Nooooo.”

Declan stood. “I’ll be right back.”

She watched as he strode purposefully toward them right into the middle of the melee. He shoved his big body between the coach and Mark, who was still angrily pointing from Matthew to the plate.

“He’s been under a lot of pressure at work,” Bianca said. “This is so humiliating.”

“Don’t worry. Declan will get it under control.” Amy pushed her chair closer to Bianca and draped her arm around her shoulder. “I’m sure it will be fine.”

But Amy suddenly wasn’t so sure of that as she watched Mark storm off.