Football Daddy

by Ava Walsh

  “Yes, I completely understand that. You couldn’t leave him alone like that,” I assured Lance.

  “I do have a top-of-the-line baby monitor that you can put in your pocket if you want to go outside. It’s both audio and visual. I like to get some fresh air some nights and decompress, particularly during the summer months. I’ll take a swim every now and then, and it goes out as far as the pond. I mean, if you want to use it.” I realized that it was him I’d seen at the pond yesterday evening. I kept my face neutral and nodded. “Great.” Lance looked over at Logan wrapping his little arms around his legs. “I’ll have something for you to look at tomorrow. Be good for Miss Terley, bud. I’ll see you for dinner.”

  I walked away as they exchanged a long hug. There was too much heat in my body at the moment. I knew what my boss looked like nearly naked. My boss! It felt so wrong to admit how good he looked.

  I joined Irene as she cleaned up the counter. “He’s thrilled, Brie. I’m so glad you’re here to help out.”

  “I am, too.” I was happy that everything had fallen into place even though I had some uncertainty about keeping up with an active three-year-old. I doubted that I would keep him happy at the ranch all the time. Maybe I should ask if I was allowed to leave the property with him. “Mr. Burke?”

  He stood and walked Logan over to me as he gave me a curious look. “It’s Lance,” he told me as I raised an eyebrow at him.

  “You called me Miss Tenley,” I reminded him, making him chuckle.

  “Logan will be calling you that, so I’m setting an example. I’m old fashioned that way. But it’s Lance when we’re one on one. Sound good?”

  “Only if you call me Brie during those times as well,” I offered, and he nodded. “What I wanted to ask is if it’s okay to leave the ranch with Logan? I think it’s good for kids to go places and explore sometimes. I also need to study up on some of his favorite characters.”

  “Oh, of course. I support that entirely. You can use the new blue Compass in the driveway for anything you want to do with him,” Logan told me. “His seat is already in the back, and there’s a system for his movies in there as well. Logan needs to be distracted during a car ride sometimes.” Lance grimaced. “I’m going to finish up some fence work with the men, but Irene is here if you have any questions. Sarah is a great help as well.” He glanced at her. “Can you give her my number, Irene? I’d like to be reached if needed.”

  “Sure thing,” Irene told him as he kissed Logan goodbye and left the house.

  Chapter Five

  I had Lance’s number in my phone by the end of the day. I wanted to help this single father as much as I could. I told myself to forget about how good-looking he was. I was his employee. I was here to start over with a family that just happened to live at this ranch. I still suspected that my aunt was playing matchmaker to some degree too, though she didn’t say anything to me about it.

  I could just see the smirk in her eyes when she gave me his number. I could see the way that she looked at us when we were talking together about Logan from that day on. She wanted Lance to be my version of Michael. She was happy and in love.

  The days passed easily with meal preparation and playing with Logan. He was such a fun kid to hang out with, and it was hard to believe that I was being paid so generously to watch him like this. It was the end of the week when I took him and Sarah into town to see the movie Finding Dory. I hoped I could love his favorite characters as much as he did.

  I was used to groups of people with kids, but I had never been the one in charge and liked to be in the background, observing everyone else. Now it was all me. I parked the compact Jeep near the theater and we got Logan out of the car. He took each of our hands as we walked towards the small building, talking excitedly about the movie.

  I bought our tickets with money that Lance had provided and stopped at the concession stand for popcorn and drinks. I knew that Logan was allowed treats from previous conversations even though all of the meals we served were healthy. We made our way to the theater and sat midway down the aisle.

  Logan was so innocent in his enthusiasm. Sarah was great with him. I was getting attached to my cousin more and more by the day. I loved my aunt as well, and I wondered why Mom never let us meet one another while she was alive. Had they been awful people, I’d understand, but they were amazing and warm towards me. I hated that I felt resentment towards her for that, but it was there. I could’ve had them in my life for the last eighteen years.

  I came back to the moment as I munched on buttery popcorn and sipped the lemonade that I was sharing with Sarah.

  The movie started, and I glanced down at Logan as he stared at the screen. His brown eyes were riveted, and I decided to watch the movie from his point of view. I could let my guard down a little bit for the time being. The movie was funny and lighthearted, like any kid’s movie. I surprised myself by liking it as much as I did, laughing a lot as well as wiping a tear away a time or two. I watched Logan more than I did the screen at times.

  I loved the entire experience, and I vowed to do the same every couple of weeks with Logan and Sarah too, if she wanted. It could be on weekends and, if Lance didn’t have plans, he could come too. It could be just Logan and I sometimes as well. I became more comfortable with him as the days went on. I knew that I could handle this.

  I finished my first week successfully, and it was Friday evening when Lance approached me with a worried look on his face. “I had friends ask me to come to their rodeo tonight, and it’s going to run a little late for Logan. Would you mind staying here while I’m gone?”

  I knew that it’d been a busy week as the men had faced some challenges at the ranch. I shook my head. Lance was too young to never go out. “Of course not. He’s had dinner so we can just hang out until he goes to bed.”

  “Thank you, Brie.” Lance held my gaze for a moment and I felt my heart skip a beat. “I appreciate it.”

  “No problem. Everyone deserves some time to themselves.” I knew that I sounded like I was ninety years old. I forced a smile on my face.

  “When do you get that?” he asked as I tilted my head. “You watch Logan all day and help around here in addition to that. Have you gone out for fun just on your own at all?”

  “It’s been a week, Lance. I’m sure I’ll get there. For now, though, I love the peace that comes along with this property. It’s worth its weight in gold,” I replied as I realized that I was starting to sound like my aunt – both her accent and her little sayings.

  “I can’t argue with that,” he agreed as he reached for his cowboy hat hanging by the front door. I was starting to like cowboy hats. Especially when combined with great looks, an accent, and some of the best manners that I’d ever seen. All of the men I had met here so far were like that, though I had to admit that Lance was my favorite by far. “I’ll try not to be too late, Brie.”

  “Don’t worry about that. Have fun! I know where to find my bed if I get tired,” I assured him. I was comfortable here now and, in fact, I found this place to be very homey. Lance had a lot of money, but he decorated his house simply with comfortable couches and furniture that could be dinged up. Perfect with a little kid around.

  Logan and I went for a walk on the property. The sun was setting and we talked about the cows and the horses, Logan’s favorites out of all of the animals. This land still took my breath away. I found myself thinking that I might have been a country girl all along.

  I took Logan back to the house and locked up before we settled in for a movie. I wondered if Lance was having a good time. I’d never been to a rodeo, but I was sure the girls were pretty and probably all over Lance, looking the way that he did. I wondered if the feeling in the pit of my stomach was jealousy. I quickly pushed the thought away. This was ridiculous. Lance was twenty-eight and I was only eighteen, not to mention his nanny.

  Logan took my hand and led me to his cowboy-themed room when the movie was done. I tucked him into bed and read his favorite book. I assumed
this was what his dad did for him as a bedtime routine, and it was sweet to see his big eyes drop as I read the last words. I tucked the blanket in around him gently before I closed the door and walked out into the hallway.

  It was still early and didn’t want to go to bed yet. I could watch a movie for myself on one of the many cable channels that Lance had on his television. I made a small bowl of popcorn, grabbed a soda from the fridge, and dropped onto the soft cream sofa, the baby monitor within reach. I loved spending time there.

  I found an HBO series and watched it as I munched on the buttered popcorn and settled against the big pillows piled around me. I wondered if I’d someday have a house like this with a guy that I’d meet here–a place where I could relax and just be me. I felt like I was finding myself now, here on my own. I said a small prayer for my mom before I looked back at the hot vampire on television.

  I pulled a blanket over me after a while and watched the third show of the season with a happy expression on my face. I could get used to this.

  Chapter Six

  I woke up in a darkened room. I blinked and stretched my arms. I felt around and came to the conclusion that I was on a bed. I looked around slowly and saw that I was in the room near Logan’s. I wondered if Lance carried me in here when he arrived home. If so, why?

  I was covered with a soft blanket. I rolled over and saw on the alarm clock that it was coming up on four in the morning. I must’ve been tired. I certainly had no recollection of being brought in here. I turned onto my side, closed my eyes again and listened to the sounds of the house for a moment.

  I realized that I was thirsty. I pushed the blanket back to stand up. My clothes were the same except I couldn’t find my shoes. I padded into the hallway and listened at Logan’s closed door for a moment before walking to the kitchen. The light was on. I looked around and ran a hand through my hair. Nobody needed to see me like this–especially Lance.

  I grabbed some water and walked into the living room to see the television still on and some beer cans were lined up on the coffee table. Lance was stretched out, sleeping in his worn jeans and a fitted t-shirt.

  It would be best if Logan didn’t walk in on this so I cleaned up the cans, draining them in the sink before they went into the recycling bin in the garage. Lance slept the entire time, a frown on his face. I covered him with the blanket I had used earlier and turned the television off. I grabbed the monitor from the table and carried it back to the bed, setting it on the nightstand beside the bed.

  Had something happened? I didn’t know Lance well enough to know if drinking was normal for him, but it didn’t seem like it would be to me. He looked troubled in his sleep, and I pushed the image away as I curled up under the covers and closed my eyes. I needed to be fit when Logan woke up tomorrow.

  It seemed like only moments had passed before I heard noises from the handheld unit a few feet away from me. I grabbed it and blinked at the image on the screen, seeing Logan sitting up in his bed calling for his daddy. Jesus, it was six in the morning. I slipped out of bed and made my way to his room. There was a look of confusion on Logan’s face as he walked over for a hug. “Hey, little man. Your dad has an upset tummy, and he’s sleeping on the couch. Want to get dressed and go make breakfast with me? We have to be super quiet.”

  We ate some cereal and toast before I took Logan to his playroom. There, we built Lego castles and filled them with a variety of figures. He declared war on my castle, making me laugh. We played like this for a few hours before he asked to go outside. I straightened my appearance as best as I could before we ventured outside.

  There was still heat in the air from the previous day. Logan went tearing through the grass towards the pond. I had learned early on that the pond was his favorite spot, but I needed to be careful with him here. Logan had taken some swimming classes on and off, but he was not good enough to save himself from drowning. I watched him as I used my dying phone to take some pictures of the beautiful area.

  It chimed a little while later, and I glanced down to see a text from Lance.

  Lance: Where are you guys?

  Me: We’re by the pond. He wanted to burn off some energy.

  Lance: Sorry for dropping him on you. I didn’t think I’d sleep this long.

  Me: Are you alright?

  Lance: Mostly. I’ll jump in the shower and come give you a break.

  I put the phone into the pocket of my cotton pants. Logan was running towards the fruit trees, and I laughingly called out to him as I followed and tried to fix my hair into a presentable messy bun. It was there that Lance found us, dressed in some jeans and a long sleeved shirt that brought out his eyes. The only bad thing was that they looked troubled.

  Logan jumped up and hugged his dad before going back to playing. Lance looked at me. “I’m sorry, Brie,” he told me, his voice contrite.

  “What are you sorry for, Lance? You work so hard. It’s okay to take a break. I got plenty of sleep, and he’s a blast to hang out with.” He blinked at me. “Are you okay?”

  “It was something of a bad night,” he admitted. He looked over at his son playing with a branch on the ground with a smile. “I still feel bad. Do you have plans for today?”

  “No, I don’t think so.” I waited for him to speak, beyond curious.

  “I’m starving, and I’d like to take you both to lunch. There’s a diner nearby that cures hangovers with their cheeseburgers like nothing else. Care to join me?”

  “Do I look acceptable enough to go out in public?” I asked him.

  He narrowed his eyes for a moment. “You’re gorgeous, Brie. Don’t you know that?” I shivered as he spoke and he shook his head. “Nobody has told you that?”

  “Just friends and family, but they’re obligated to say that,” I replied. I felt my cheeks blush.

  “That’s hard to believe.” He looked me over. “You look beautiful. But if you want to change or anything, we can wait here for you.”

  I thought that over before I shook my head. “I think I’m good.”

  “So you’ll come?” Lance verified and I nodded. “Good. Hey, buddy! Want to go see Mabel and have a grilled cheese sandwich?”

  “Yes, Daddy! I’m so hungry!” Logan came running over to hug Lance and grabbed my hand. “Come with, Miss Tenley?”

  “I already invited her, buddy. She’s coming along.” Logan smiled, and we made our way to Lance’s green truck. He let me get in before easing himself in to buckle Logan into his car seat. Once he was in his seat and starting the engine, I felt a smile crossing my face. “What is it?” Lance asked.

  “I haven’t been driven to town by another person until now,” I said quickly, not wanting to say that I was happy to be going with him. “Just a few times with Logan to do a little shopping for groceries and such.”

  “How does a girl from New York get excited about going to a small town diner?” Lance asked as he pulled forward and headed down the long driveway.

  “They say it’s the little things in life that you should appreciate,” I responded. We smiled at each other.

  I loved driving in this powerful truck. Even if I did go on dates in New York, we more than likely would’ve taken a cab. There was something manly and sexy about this. I rolled the window down some and let my hand rest on it. I asked if he minded.

  “No, I work outside so fresh air is essential for me. I only run the air conditioning when it’s sweltering out and almost always leave the windows open,” Lance replied, and I silently agreed. It was brutal sometimes in New York, but I always preferred the fresh air when I could get it. “So, you haven’t met Irene before this? That surprised me.”

  “That’s something I’d ask my mother if I could. They’re great, and I am going to make up for lost time as best I can,” I replied, shrugging.

  “I’m sorry for your loss,” Lance said.

  “It happens, right? You lost your parents as well,” I said.

  “Yeah, I did, but the farm got me through that. I’d always thought th
at I would take over some time. It just happened faster than anticipated and a lot was going on.” Lance glanced at Logan in the rear view mirror. “I’m just sorry they didn’t get a chance to know him.” He looked over at me. “What about your dad?”

  “I never knew him. He left when I was young, and that’s all I know,” I explained with a small smile.

  “That’s tragic, Brie. He missed out on so much,” Lance said as we pulled into town. I looked at the small businesses that made this town tick. There were the usual chain stores scattered about, but they were mixed with mom-and-pop places that had clearly been there for ages. There was a great mix of contemporary and small town architecture, something I appreciated. Some people think that New York is all big buildings. While Manhattan is mainly composed of those, Brooklyn had a feel that reminded me of this town in some muted manner. I smiled as I looked around. New York was missing Lance in that worn cowboy hat, though.

  Chapter Seven

  He pulled up to a restaurant that looked right out of the sixties or seventies. It was cute. I smiled widely. “Like it?” Lance asked. I felt his eyes on me.

  “I do. Diners are my favorite. The food is always so simple and good,” I replied as Lance hopped out of the truck and walked around the front to get my door for me.

  “Thank you, Lance.” I smiled at him and as I slid down he made sure that I didn’t fall. The truck was made for a man his height and not so much for my five foot five frame. The idea of him catching me made me giggle as well as blush a little. What would it feel like to be held by him?

  “Daddy! Miss Tenley!” The little voice from the back broke the gaze lingered between us.

  “Coming, buddy,” Lance said before he went to open the door and get him out. I smiled at both of them. “Hungry?”