Circle of Family

by Mia Ross

  “Okay, but we gotta go or we’re gonna be late.”

  “We can’t be late, Mommy,” Emily chimed in. “The team needs me.”

  To avoid just such a disaster, Marianne always scheduled in fifteen extra minutes. They both knew that, but she decided not to spoil their excitement by reminding them.

  Marianne smiled at their enthusiasm while she snapped their picture. After taking an extra for good measure, she checked the digital display. “Got it. Ready?”

  “Ready!” they shouted together, making a beeline for the van.

  Marianne followed after them, astonished by what she saw. She’d stacked lawn chairs and her bin of spare equipment next to the van, figuring she’d load it while the kids got settled in their seats. Instead, she found everything in its place and both sliding doors open. Ridge stood next to the driver’s door like a valet.

  “What’s this?” she asked.

  “I was late, so I wanted to make up for it.” Bowing, he motioned to her seat.

  Marianne got in and smiled when he closed the door for her. She thanked him through the open window.

  “You’re welcome.” Peering in Emily’s door, he grinned. “Look at you, sweetness. You gonna show all those older girls how it’s done?”

  Eyes sparkling at the special nickname he’d given her, Emily beamed. “You betcha!”

  Ridge rolled the door closed and climbed into the passenger seat beside Marianne. She still wasn’t used to having another adult in the car with her, so it felt a little strange. Shrugging off her discomfort, she rolled up the windows, turned on the A/C and headed down the driveway.

  The practice field was fifteen minutes away. To keep the kids from bouncing through the roof, Marianne plugged in her iPod so Kyle and Emily could sing along with their favorite new tunes. She glanced over to find Ridge with his head buried in his coach’s manual. For the first time since she’d met him, he seemed unsure of himself. Charlie Simmons’s rigorous coaching requirements didn’t seem to faze him, but the prospect of working with a bunch of kids clearly had him rattled.

  Hoping to ease his mind, she said, “You won’t need that today. Mostly, you’ll be sorting through the talent and learning which face goes with which name.”

  His head flew up, his expression one of pure horror. “Names? I never even thought of that.” He spun backward to look at Kyle. “How many of you are there?”

  “Coach said twenty-three, but there might be a couple more after camp starts. We’re always looking for more players.”

  “Twenty-three kids,” Ridge murmured, looking a little pale.

  “Don’t worry,” Marianne reassured him. “We put their names on their shirts with fabric tape. When they start with helmets, we label those, too. By the time the season starts, you’ll know them all.”

  “What about the Perkins twins?” he asked. “They must look alike.”

  “Justin got a crew cut, and Jimmy dyed his hair blue and gold,” Kyle informed him. “No problem.”

  “Blue and gold, huh?” Ridge commented. “Now that’s team spirit. I got a feeling I’m gonna like that kid.”

  During the rest of the drive, Kyle went through the roster, giving Ridge hints on how to keep them all straight. When they arrived at the field, Marianne bypassed the parking area and continued along the dirt path the field manager used for his equipment truck.

  “How come you get such a great spot?” Ridge asked.

  “Team mom,” she replied. “I’ve got all the gear, so I get VIP parking.”

  “Where’d you get so much stuff?”

  “When the season’s over, I go around to the parents and collect cleats and any other equipment they bought that won’t fit next year,” she explained as she parked in the shade of a maple tree. “Folks can take what they need out of the bin so they don’t have to buy everything new. Sports equipment is expensive, and sometimes getting it for free means the difference between a kid playing or not.”

  “Great idea. I’d hate to have kids miss out because they couldn’t afford the gear.”

  She’d expect him to be more concerned about the team losing a talented player, so his comment impressed her. He really understood that this was about what football meant to the kids, not the other way around.

  This man was just full of surprises.

  * * *

  The kid was a natural.

  Proud as any father watching from the stands, Ridge marveled at Kyle’s speed in the flat, the crispness of his patterns and the fact that he never dawdled. No matter how far out he’d run, he always trotted back to his place, ready for the next drill.

  Ridge had to remind himself to keep an eye on the others, too. Since Ridge had played quarterback, Charlie had asked him to work with their potential receivers and running backs and highlight the best candidates. Five of them stood out—players like Kyle who could manage a basic pattern and weren’t too bothered by the heat.

  The younger ones were dropping like flies, though. Whenever one of them started to stagger, Marianne swooped in and walked the kid off the field to the chairs she’d set up in the shade. After getting them some water and spritzing them with a spray bottle, she made sure they were good to go and sent them back in. She didn’t baby them, he noticed, but she wasn’t heartless, either. Obviously, Kyle had trained her well.

  During a water break, Ridge looked around at the teams set up in the other three corners of the huge field. The flag footballers were basically learning how to stand still and listen, while the three older teams were already walking through patterns. All four cheerleading squads were nearby, and occasionally their chanting drifted in on the breeze. They weren’t quite in sync yet, but the girls looked like they were having a blast.

  Taking another swig of water, Ridge noticed a kid leaning on the fence that surrounded the field. Openly interested, he was watching the drills intently. Taller than the other kids, he had the in-between look of a little boy rapidly growing into a bigger one. Ridge had a tough time gauging kids, but he pegged him at around Kyle’s age.

  He was dressed in well-worn shorts and sneakers, his T-shirt clean but faded. Ridge recalled the look well. Poor but proud. It was like seeing a picture of himself twentysomething years ago. As if that weren’t enough, his gut told him this boy wanted to play. That was really all he needed to know.

  Ridge sauntered over and leaned on the gate near their visitor. “Hey there. I’m Coach Collins.”

  The kid hesitated, then stuck his hand over the fence. “I’m Danny Hodges. Nice to meet you, sir.”

  Those careful manners came straight from Mom, Ridge knew. He recognized so much of himself in Danny, it was hard not to pull him onto the field and pop a pair of cleats on his feet. Big feet, he noticed with a quick glance down. He wondered if Marianne had anything Danny’s size in her bin. If not, the problem was easy enough to solve with a trip to the local sports shop.

  Whoa now, he cautioned himself. First you should ask him if he wants to play.

  “So.” Leaning back so he’d look casual, Ridge sipped from his water bottle. “What brings you by?”

  Danny indicated a woman sitting in the stands. “My babysitter’s sons both play. I’m here with them.”

  “Oh, yeah? Which ones?”

  “The twins. Jimmy and Justin.” He pointed them out on the field. “They’re really good.”

  Ridge gave him a quick once-over and grinned. “I’ll bet you’d be good, too, if we got you out there.”

  Danny swallowed hard and firmed his brave little-boy chin. “That’s nice of you to say, sir, but I can’t.”

  Ridge leaned close, like he was sharing a secret. “Y’know, when I was your age, I wanted to play football more than anything. I thought I couldn’t ’cause we didn’t have the money for it. Then the coach told me there were some scholarships, and if I wor
ked real hard, he’d make sure I got one.”

  “Really?” Danny’s dark eyes glittered with interest, and he looked up at Ridge like he was the latest superhero. “Do you think maybe Coach Simmons has one of those for me?”

  Touchdown.

  Ridge swung the gate open and stood back to let Danny through. “Tell you what? Come on in and show me what you got. Then we’ll talk about that scholarship.”

  If they didn’t exist, Ridge vowed to invent one. In his mind, no kid who wanted to play should ever be left standing on the sidelines.

  * * *

  Kyle and Emily were devouring slices of watermelon while Marianne made sandwiches for lunch. When Ridge pulled open a drawer and slipped in a small stack of twenties, she gave him the eye.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Paying the fee for Danny Hodges,” he said quietly. “I told him there was a scholarship, and he won it today. Charlie agreed to back up my story, but I want to cover it in cash so nobody finds out it was me. I know I can trust you.”

  Considering his vagabond lifestyle, she was stunned to hear those words come out of his mouth. She was also honored. He trusted her. She had no idea why that meant so much to her, but it pleased her immensely.

  “Did you see that Danny Hodges run?” Ridge asked in his normal voice as he took the fresh pitcher of lemonade from the fridge. He poured out glasses for the kids, then for Marianne and himself. “He’s like a colt who came out of nowhere to run the Kentucky Derby. We just have to get him trained and into the starting gate.”

  “Wait a minute.” Marianne stopped spreading mayo and held up a hand to slow him down. “Are you talking about the boy who needed size-seven cleats?”

  “The same. He’s amazing, isn’t he, Kyle?” he added, turning to his adoring sidekick for support.

  “Real fast,” Kyle agreed around a mouthful of melon. After swallowing, he went on. “I was talking to him on a break, and he said he and his mom just moved here. He’s gonna be in my grade, so I introduced him around to the guys. He’s cool.”

  It was so like her son, Marianne thought proudly. It would never occur to him that making the new kid feel welcome was anything out of the ordinary. He did it because he was Kyle.

  She caught a flash of movement outside and saw an unfamiliar hatchback drive around the circle to park next to the barn. A slender woman stepped out, pulling back when Tucker loped over to greet her. He did his exuberant glad-to-meet-you dance, then sat and wagged his tail for attention. After a few seconds, she relaxed enough to reach down and pet him.

  “Now, who could that be?” Marianne asked, thinking the woman looked terrified as she made her way toward the house. “Poor thing. She’s probably lost and wondering where civilization is.”

  Wiping her hands on a towel, Marianne smiled and opened the back door. “Can we help you?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” their visitor said in a voice so faint, Marianne could barely hear her. “I’m looking for Coach Collins.”

  Ridge joined them at the door, wearing an unnervingly charming smile. “I’m Ridge Collins,” he said, extending his hand.

  The woman hesitated, but he didn’t withdraw his hand. When she finally accepted the friendly gesture, he went on. “What can I do for you?”

  “I’m Pamela Hodges,” she said a little more forcefully. “Danny’s mother.”

  Uh-oh. Marianne knew that tone, had heard it on the sidelines plenty of times. It was the sound of an unhappy parent. She was curious to see how Ridge would handle the awkward situation.

  “I’m glad you came by. It’s great to meet you.”

  He sounded as if he really meant it. From his reaction, Marianne guessed that he’d been expecting the visit and was actually looking forward to it. More proof that the man was insane.

  “I have some concerns about Danny playing football.” A flinty look came into Pamela’s soft gray eyes. Protecting her son made her bolder, Marianne noted with admiration. Timid as she seemed at first glance, this woman had a streak of mama grizzly in her.

  “Is there someplace private we could talk?” Pamela asked, glancing at the kids who were trying to look as if they weren’t listening. They weren’t fooling anyone, but Marianne silently praised them for the effort.

  Opening the door, Ridge stepped out and motioned her ahead of him. He ushered her to what they all called Ethan’s tree, and Marianne had to smile. She wondered if he was hoping to get a little help from a wise old farmer he’d never met but openly admired.

  Pamela stopped and turned to him, her expression hardened by determination. Her voice filtered in through the screen door, but Marianne couldn’t hear anything beyond the tone. She couldn’t hear Ridge’s voice at all.

  Trying not to eavesdrop, Marianne filled a bowl with chips and set everything on the table. She sat down and started on her sandwich, then snuck a look out the window. Arms folded, Ridge seemed to just be listening, nodding here and there.

  It didn’t look good.

  After several minutes, Pamela apparently ran out of things to say. Marianne could relate to the perplexed look the woman gave Ridge before she offered up a tentative smile and went on her way. When Ridge came back inside, he was smiling, too.

  “You worked your magic on that poor woman, didn’t you?” Marianne asked.

  She’d meant to scold him for it, but it came out sounding almost proud. As a teacher, she knew Danny was the kind of kid who could slip through the cracks, missing out simply because his mother couldn’t afford things beyond the basics. School was important, but it could only get him so far. While he was by nature a great kid, Kyle had benefited tremendously from learning to work as part of a team.

  Unlike his father, she added bitterly before she could stop herself. Too late, she’d discovered that Peter was an egomaniac, completely ignorant of how his self-centered attitude affected those around him. If she accomplished anything in her life, she wanted to make sure her children were very far removed from that kind of selfishness.

  “Not exactly,” Ridge began, joining them at the table. “She’s got some legitimate concerns and wanted to talk to me about them, face-to-face. See what kinda guy I am,” he added with a playful grin.

  Marianne caught herself before she responded to that smile, but just barely. To avoid temptation, she picked up her lemonade. “And?”

  “I told her we really need him and she’d be doing the team a big favor letting Danny play. That’s why he got the scholarship. She said school comes first, which Charlie and I totally agree with. Mrs. Perkins is his babysitter, so he can ride to practices with her. No problem.”

  In the short time she’d known him, Marianne had learned this was Ridge’s approach to life in general. When he hit an obstacle, he circled it for a while, considering all the angles until he figured a way around it. As if his rugged good looks and quick mind weren’t enough, beneath it all beat a kind and generous heart.

  Much as she hated to admit it, the cocky pilot was beginning to grow on her.

  Chapter Six

  Sunday was game day.

  Opening game day, to be precise. After four grueling weeks of work, it was time for the kids to put what they’d learned into practice against another team. To make sure everything ran smoothly, Marianne got up an hour earlier than usual. Two coolers, bowls of frozen fruit for snacks, and the first aid kit went into the van before breakfast. The kids could barely eat, but she forced some oatmeal and bananas on them, reminding them both to start hydrating.

  Church came first, so they wouldn’t be back before the game started at noon. The online weather channel predicted it would be a humid eighty-seven by then.

  When she decided they’d eaten as much as was reasonable, she shooed them upstairs to get dressed. She was checking things off her list when Ridge came through the back door with a shiny blue-and-g
old gift bag in his hand.

  “What’s this?” she asked as he gave it to her.

  “For you. From the team,” he added quickly.

  Wrapped in the tissue was a game jersey like the ones the players wore. On the front was the number one, and on the back it read WESTON. Totally baffled, she looked at him for an explanation.

  “We wanted to thank you for all the time you put in. I hope you like it.”

  Something in his tone got her attention, and she grinned at him. “This was your idea.”

  “Well, yeah,” he admitted slowly, as if he’d gotten caught doing something wrong. “But the other coaches and the kids thought it was cool.”

  It was such a thoughtful thing to do, she wasn’t sure how to thank him properly. Stepping closer, she kissed his sunburned cheek. “It’s very cool. Thank you.”

  “Sure.”

  They stood there for a few seconds just looking at each other, and she wondered if she’d overstepped some unspoken boundary with him. As her face warmed with embarrassment, she pulled back and searched for something to say. “You look nice. Ready for the big game, I mean.”

  The dark blue coach’s shirt accented his broad shoulders, and the gold in the Wildcats logo picked up the unusual color of his eyes.

  “I didn’t know you owned a watch,” she said.

  “Bought it yesterday,” he confided, looking at it as if he wasn’t quite comfortable wearing it. “I thought it might make me look more official.”

  She’d never seen the cocky pilot so unsure of himself. Marianne wouldn’t have thought it possible, but that sliver of vulnerability made him even more appealing.

  “You look completely official to me,” she said as she pulled her new shirt on. “And I should know. I’m number one.”

  “Yes, you are.” Eyes twinkling with approval, he leaned in to kiss her cheek. When he pulled away, he gave her a broad grin. “You’re finally starting to like me, aren’t you?”

  It was easy to smile back. “Maybe just a little.”

  “Took you long enough,” he grumbled. “Most women take to me right off, y’know.”