"Okay. Home by midnight, please. Or do I need to pick you up?"
"Jayvin's going to give me a ride." He turned to walk away.
"Cody?" Pleading was in my voice.
He immediately faced me.
"I love you." I knew that didn't make it better, but it was all I had to offer.
"Love you." He took off and never looked back.
The tears didn't wait. They filled my eyes. In a rush, I headed toward the stadium parking lot.
Not even my name being called was going to stop me.
"Sam," the familiar voice rang out.
Where had he come from? I didn't care. I kept my hurried pace to the car.
"Sam," the persistent voice neared.
I was wiping tears furiously as I walked.
"Sam," the voice was upon me and it came with a touch. Reed gently grabbed my arm. "Hey there, slow down."
I tried to turn my head away so he wouldn't see the emotion pouring out of me, but there was no hiding it.
His instinctual response was apparently to reach up to touch my tear stained cheek, but thankfully he stopped himself. What was he thinking? His blue eyes were big and flooded with curiosity and worry.
"What's wrong?"
I stepped away, making him let go, which was my plan. All I needed was this scene to play out in front of someone. Though it was innocent, after tonight, I felt like I had a mark on my head. Or that I had just became aware of it.
"I need to go." And that's what I did.
Did I mention Reed was persistent? He followed. "Sam, what happened?"
"Life." I kept my pace.
He had no problem keeping up. His legs were longer than mine and I'm sure he was in better shape. I was still sore from that stupid hip-hop class five days ago.
By the time I reached my car, I was a shaky, emotional wreck. Was I so naïve to think the Sidelined Wife stuff wouldn't get around to the people at Cody's school? Or did I just assume everyone would be happy for me? And then there was Neil. I was going to call him and let him have it. All of this was his fault. He divorced me, not Cody.
But before I could, I found myself in the most unexpected place. Reed wrapped his arms around me.
"Please tell me what's wrong." His chin rested on my head.
I stood stiff, in shock. But then he ran his hand down my back. His kindness and gentle touch made me lose it. I just needed someone in the moment. I sobbed into his chest until I realized he was back in his suit. I tried to pull away. "I'm sorry. I'm going to ruin your shirt and tie."
He pulled me closer. "I only care about what has you so upset."
"Why?" Why did he seem to care so much about me?
He thought for a moment and let out a slow, deep breath. "Let me take you to dinner, and we'll talk."
I jumped away from him. In a panic, I looked around, begging whatever saint I could that my meltdown and Reed's consoling wasn't on display. I didn't see anyone in the barren parking lot.
"Thank you, but we shouldn't."
He tilted his head. "Why not?"
"You're Cody's coach. Some things were said tonight. I don't want to give anybody the wrong impression. I really appreciate your offer and your kindness, but I better get home."
That answer didn't seem to satisfy him. He took my hand in his. "Who said what?"
"It's so embarrassing." More tears streamed down my cheeks.
"Did someone say something about us?"
Us? Why would he jump to that conclusion? I shook my head, confused. "No. Let's just say I'm a fool."
"Sam." He drew closer. "Please tell me what happened?"
I took a deep breath full of shudders before letting out my mortifying tale of the two women, and since I was on a roll and it felt good to let it out, I kept on going. "And to top it off, I feel like there is a flashing neon sign on my head that shouts, ‘divorced woman, stay away!' Why?"
I just wanted to know why this was happening to me. I'd been wondering that for months. It was like the gift that kept on giving, but I wanted to give it back to the sender with a note telling them to go to the deepest place in hell.
Reed was more touchy-feely than expected. He went from holding my hand to hugging me again. I let him. This time I wrapped my arms around him. I needed a friend, and he would do. Besides, he smelled nice. And it was the most warmth I had felt in months. Peace settled into me.
"I know those women," he said as he rubbed my back. "They're jealous because their kids are, let's say, not Cody material. Had I been here when tryouts were held, their kids would have never made the team. Don't you dare let them make you feel inferior. You're a beautiful, intelligent, capable woman."
I snickered into his chest.
He leaned away and met my eyes. "What's so funny?"
"You called me beautiful."
His eyebrows knitted together. "Okay . . . ?"
"You don't think it's funny that you, the boy that once teased me about playing connect the dots with the pimples on my face, just said that? I appreciate the gesture, but I don't need more lies."
He pressed his lips together, causing his jaw to twitch and then tighten. His gaze was penetrating. "I'm not that boy. But here's a news flash, even that boy knew you were beautiful."
I was taken aback by that revelation. But there was something else to address. How many times would I have to apologize to him? "I didn't mean to offend you again."
The warmth returned to his blue eyes. "You didn't. Let's go grab a late dinner."
"We shouldn't," I hedged.
"Sam, I just won my first game as head coach. I want to celebrate with you. And I don't think you want to be alone either. We'll go somewhere private if it will make you feel more comfortable."
Comfortable was something I hadn't been in months. And now I was anything but. Some sensor tingled in my brain, telling me that I had been naïve about a lot of things. But he was right. I didn't want to be alone. I gave him a weak nod.
Chapter Twenty
We sat in Reed's jeep with the top down, eating cheeseburgers and fries under the starry canvas in one of the forest preserves in Clearfield. Did I mention the forest preserve was closed? Reed took some back-access road he knew about. So to top it off I was breaking the law. I mean why not? I had already made a fool out of myself for the night, I might as well get arrested.
I looked out over the lake. The moon reflected in the ripples. The night had cooled off, making me glad I brought my jacket, though my legs were filled with goosebumps.
Reed was observant and slipped off his suit coat. "Take this."
"I would hate to drop any food on it."
"I'm already going to have to have it dry cleaned. Someone used it as a makeup wipe."
I gave him a small smile. "I don't wear that much makeup."
"It's one of the many qualities I like about you." He handed me the suit coat.
I draped the charcoal jacket over my legs. His lingering body heat felt good against my skin. In the awkward silence, I ate a fry and observed how clean his jeep was. I was surprised. Peter and he were slobs growing up.
"Thanks for dinner, by the way." I couldn't think of anything else to say, and he seemed nervous. Not sure why. Maybe he was worried about getting caught, though he assured me we wouldn't.
"You're welcome. I'm glad you finally agreed to go out with me."
I choked on my fry, coughing and spluttering.
He patted my back. "Are you okay?"
I was going to go with no. I held my chest and coughed one more time before taking a sip out of the bottle of water that came with my to-go meal. Once the coughing fit was over, I wasn't exactly sure what to say. Did he mean what I thought he meant? Or was it a general getting-together kind of a thing? My gaze stayed fixed on the lake while I tried to process.
"Will you look at me?"
That was an odd request. "What?" I didn't look at him.
He took the bottle of water out of my hands and placed it in the center console. "Sam, look at me."
I turned my head slowly, as if I was fighting against an unseen force. My plan was to do a quick glance, and that's what I did, but-
"Really look at me."
My eyes shifted downward. "I did." Why was he being so weird?
"No you didn't. And you haven't since I've been back."
My head whipped his way, our eyes locked. "I have no idea what you're talking about. Every time I see you, I look at you."
"You look for the boy you knew. He's not there."
"I know that."
"Do you?"
"I don't understand why this matters to you." Or did I just not want to admit it?
He was silent while I peered into his eyes doing my best to see what it was he wanted. A strange thing happened as I looked deeper. I saw something. Me. What was I doing in them?