by Ella Jade
“I like it when I visit Dad, but…I don’t want us to all live together again.” He focused on his feet, which didn’t quite reach the floor.
She took a slow breath. “I didn’t know you felt that way. Can you tell me more?”
Patrick brought his gaze up to hers, snuggling a little closer on the bed so their legs were touching. “Sometimes—before—I felt like…running away.” His eyes shined with the beginning of tears.
Her own eyes welled up too, while her heart surely cracked into a million shards. Run away? How could he have been so desperate and she’d never even known?
With one arm around the back of his waist, she scooped the other under his legs and lifted him onto her lap, wrapping him tightly in her embrace as she kissed the top of his head again and again. “I’m so sorry, my darling. Please tell me about it.”
He rested against her chest, snuggling in, the way he’d done when he was younger. “It felt like you and Daddy were always cross. I didn’t like it.”
Maggie kissed his head again. “You’re right. We were, and I’m so sorry we upset you.”
“Why do you want to go back?”
She held her breath for a moment, knowing her answer mattered more than ever. “Daddy feels sad without us, but more importantly, I thought it was something you wanted.”
He shook his head vehemently, starting to cry. “No, no, no!”
“Oh, honey.” She held him more tightly, running a hand over his curls until his sobbing eased. “Can you do something for me?”
He nodded against her cheek.
“Can you tell me what it means if we stay here and don’t live with Daddy?”
Patrick pulled his head away, looking at her with an air of maturity, in absolute contrast to the little boy who’d snuggled into her lap. “It means you and Dad will get a divorce. I’ll live here with you, and Dad will pick me up on Saturdays for a sleepover.”
“And you’re okay with that?”
“Yup.”
Maggie pursed her lips, hardly daring to believe what she was hearing. “What would be the best thing about it?”
He was quiet for a moment, contemplating. Maggie rubbed his back, waiting for him to answer with something like he’d be able to keep playing soccer, or that he liked Nanna’s cooking. “I’d be super happy.”
She smiled. “How come?”
“Because you’d be super happy too!”
The all too familiar guilt tugged in her chest. “Honey, please don’t base your decision on what you think will please me. I want you to do whatever you want.”
“I am, Mummy.”
She ran a finger over the soft skin of his cheek, still damp with tears. “Are you sure?”
He grinned. “I like the mum you are when you’re not with Dad.”
“Oh boy. Was I really that bad?”
Patrick’s grin turned into a giggle. “I just mean you’re different now, in a good way. When you’re with Dad, you have this kind of funny smile, not your proper smile.” He put his hands on her mouth and contorted her lips into shape.
She nipped lightly on his fingers, sending him into peals of laughter. “Okay, Patrick, let me get this straight. You don’t want us to move back to Sydney, and you don’t want Daddy and I to stay married. Is that right?”
He nodded.
“But you do like spending time with Dad on the weekends?”
More nodding.
“And sometimes it’s nice for the three of us to get together, like we’ve been doing after soccer, as long as I don’t have a funny smile?”
Vigorous nodding.
“Am I missing anything?”
“Um.” He gazed up at the ceiling, thinking carefully. “Will you get a new boyfriend?”
“Gosh, that’s a grown-up question. Maybe.”
“Could it be my coach? He’s so cool.”
“Leo? Well, I think he’s a bit cross with me at the moment.”
“How come? Ooh, I know, probably because you keep losing your games.”
Maggie sighed softly, wondering if it was fixable, or whether she’d totally blown it with Leo.
“I know, Mum!” Patrick leapt off her lap, standing up excitedly. “I’ll show you an awesome soccer move and you can do it in your game. Then you’ll win and the coach will be real proud!”
If only it was that simple. “You know what, Patrick? I love you this much.” Her arms stretched wide, and she stood up, enveloping him in her embrace. “And I accept your offer.”
Chapter 9
They only had a few days before Maggie’s soccer match, and she and Patrick put every spare moment to good use. He was right. It was an awesome move, and by the time Thursday arrived Patrick assured her she was ready, even going as far as calling her ‘superhero soccer mum’ at every opportunity. Of course, being Patrick, he embellished with ideas of magical boots that sparked flashes of lightning and sent the ball flying at breakneck speed, but still, she was flattered.
Leo had sent an email last night and Maggie had opened it eagerly, hoping he was replying to her many calls that had gone unanswered. But it was just a brief message to the team, letting them know that tonight was their last game. Given they hadn’t won any matches, their season couldn’t progress to the upcoming rounds of semifinals. He’d then added that there wasn’t much point training before the match, so for everyone to come ten minutes before the start for a quick warm up only.
She recognized his anger in the abrupt message, rightly so after the ludicrous way she’d behaved. But she’d been calling all week to apologize and he never answered the damn phone! Sure, she could have stopped in to see him at the police station, but she didn’t want to create trouble and figured he needed some space. Her final, desperate move had been to send a text.
I was a complete fool. It’s over with Felix. I’m staying.
He didn’t reply.
Maggie’s conversation with Felix had been difficult. He’d ranted and raved about taking legal action in regard to Patrick, but in the end agreed to continue their current arrangement, and seemed to accept that their marriage was over. Maggie had cried herself to sleep that night, but woke feeling fresh and able to move on, as though she’d put a whole load of mess behind her.
On Thursday evening Maggie, Patrick, and her parents hopped in the car and headed for the oval. Given it was the final match, she’d agreed to them coming along to watch. Patrick was fidgety and excited in the back seat, constantly offering Maggie tips for the game. Stay on your toes, keep your eye on the ball, kick it down the line!
Her stomach churned with nerves. She really wanted a win tonight. Wanted it for Patrick, who’d painstakingly handmade a ‘superhero soccer mum’ cardboard poster. But she also wanted it for Leo. Maybe Patrick was right and if she pulled off the move Leo would be proud of her. Simply talking to her would be nice. She missed him.
She jogged from the car over to the field, while her parents helped Patrick with his coat and scarf in preparation for the cold winter night. Leo avoided her gaze as she arrived, and sent the team on a run to warm up.
All the training over the past months had done wonders for Maggie’s fitness, and she no longer felt like her lungs were splitting when she ran further than fifty yards. She’d have to find a new sport to keep her in shape after tonight. It was a sobering thought. Despite their appalling performance, she’d loved being on the team. It had given her a real sense of belonging, right when she’d needed it most.
Arriving back from the run, she started doing some leg stretches, keeping an eye on Leo who was rummaging through his sports bag about six feet away. He looked tired and more than a little grumpy as he pulled out the stash of orange bibs, throwing them roughly into a pile on the grass. Surprisingly then, his face lit up and he muttered something that from where she stood sounded like there you bloody are.
Shifting legs, Maggie watched as he flicked through his cellphone, his fingers scrolling quickly through his messages, barely reading them. But then he stopped and stared at the sc
reen, blinking slowly, taking his time. His head remained low, but his gaze lifted, landing directly on her with a look of such intensity she had to take a sudden gasp for air.
One corner of his mouth lifted upward. A half-smile, that was all she got. But it was enough to release an ounce of hope, and she gave a half-smile of her own in return before the whistle blew and they had to take position.
She was playing in the forwards tonight, along with Leo, Kate, and Alexander, one of the other dads. The air was freezing, and puffs of white steamed from everyone’s mouths with each exhale. Maggie danced from foot to foot, trying to keep her muscles warm and her nerves at bay.
The game began in a frenzy as the ball scrambled haphazardly among clumsy feet. But then people found their momentum, and there was a loud cheer from the sideline as the ball headed in Maggie’s direction. She trapped it quickly and glanced around for someone to pass to, spotting Kate in front of the goal. She kicked, backing it up with a screech at her friend to go for the score.
The panicked expression in Kate’s eyes didn’t inspire much confidence, especially when she squeezed them shut, but she still managed a decent kick, and for the first time all season, they scored. There was a moment of disbelief, and then everyone’s arms flew into the air and the sound of excited screams filled the oval. Kate’s were the loudest of all, and she ran to Maggie, hugging her tightly, shrieking in delight.
The referee didn’t allow much time for celebration, blowing his whistle to restart play. On Maggie’s way back into position for the kickoff, she passed Leo, relieved to see his earlier tiredness replaced with the pride of a coach whose team was one ahead.
He slowed, deliberately brushing her arm with his, and lowered his head. “That goal was your doing. Great assist.”
The praise danced in the air around her, circling her body like a protective shield. Maggie squared her shoulders and moved into position, sneaking a glance to her right, where Leo was in place across the field. He smiled, the first proper smile since their disastrous afternoon all those days ago.
It was a glorious vision, and Maggie’s head suddenly filled with images that were extremely inappropriate for a soccer match. She held her breath, moaning on exhale, and from the corner of her eye caught her opponent staring curiously. Time to focus.
Play resumed with the ball seeing a lot of action at the other end of the field. It was frustrating, and Maggie jumped on her toes, stealing looks at Leo who was watching the game with similar impatience. When the other team scored, she was fairly certain she heard him growl, and she had to concentrate extremely hard on not thinking about him making that kind of noise when he was with her...naked.
The next kickoff saw the ball back at their end, and there was a collective gasp of appreciation as Leo demonstrated some fancy footwork before scoring an easy goal. Maggie could hear Patrick’s cheers from the sideline, and she turned to see him waving his poster, grinning madly.
At half-time the team huddled together, buoyed up and keen to increase their lead.
“Fantastic work, everyone.” The gray flecks in Leo’s stubble shined under the glow of the overhead lights. “This is the best game we’ve ever played, so instead of changing positions like we normally would, I want you to all remain where you are, and keep doing exactly what you’re doing!”
Maggie felt a rush of nerves as the second half began, and the ball passed between players, cracking loudly off each boot. She ran forward, keeping a close watch on the black and white as it disappeared under a scurry of feet and materialized again in a new location.
The defense from the opposing team was strong, with little opportunity for movement to either goal end. It seemed to go on that way forever before a wayward kick allowed the other team to take possession and go for goal. She swore profusely under her breath as the ball went through and leveled the score.
There couldn’t be much time left on the clock, and an air of urgency became evident from both sides. A mass of players scurried after the ball at the kickoff and Maggie’s breath was shallow as she lost sight of it, squinting into the mass of legs.
A good kick from an orange bib—she couldn’t tell who—allowed the ball to travel up the line, trapped cleanly by Alexander, who then passed in her direction. Maggie darted in front of her opponent, capturing it safely with light feet, keeping the ball moving while firmly in her control, the way she and Leo had practiced every Sunday.
She glanced around, spotting Leo who nodded for her to kick forward, running to trap the ball when she did. There were suddenly players everywhere, desperate to defend the goal area. Leo clasped his hands behind his back, seeming to dance with the ball as he maneuvered it from one foot to the other, faking a move in one direction, tricking his rivals, while his opposite foot somehow sent the ball racing toward her.
Maggie sucked in a breath as three huge, male players advanced, with no sign of slowing despite her being in their path. It was now or never. She had to use Patrick’s awesome move. Turning her back to the onslaught, her right foot shuffled the ball sideways a few inches before her left leg swung wide, capturing the ball’s round edge in the curve of her boot, sending it flying with a loud crack toward the goal. She used more force than in any of the practices with Patrick, and the momentum behind the kick kept her leg rising, lifting her completely off the ground, before landing with a heavy thud on her back.
Maggie blinked, turning her head just in time to see the ball go straight past the surprised keeper and hit the back of the goal net with a satisfying whoosh. Screams from several directions filled her ears, and she chuckled from her position on the grass, not entirely sure she’d be able to get up, but not really caring as the whistle signaled the end of the match.
“Maggie!” Leo’s voice was close, and then his face appeared, full of worry as he crouched beside her, eyes darting to assess any damage. “That was the best kick of the decade, but how do you feel?”
There was no hope of removing her beaming grin. “The decade? Try the century!”
Leo laughed. “Okay, the century. Can you sit up?”
She did, without too much trouble, and came face to face with Leo. His smile fell. “I lost my phone and didn’t get your message until—”
“Shh.” She curled her fingers into his hair and pulled him forward for a kiss. She’d only meant it to be quick, conscious of everyone around, but when his lips molded against hers she lost all sense. He was such a good kisser, and the others had all probably gone by now anyway.
She was smiling when they finally broke apart, oblivious to everything, and when a loud cheer erupted it gave her such a fright she nearly pounced into Leo’s lap.
Glancing up, Maggie was mortified to find she and Leo surrounded by a circle of people. All their teammates, her parents, Patrick—who was waving his poster with glee—Isaac and his grandmother, Vanessa, as well as a whole stack of others who’d ventured out to watch the match.
Without warning, several of them rushed forward, grabbing Maggie by the arms and legs, and she felt herself rise off the ground, over the heads of the crowd. She squealed, half-delighted and half-petrified, as she searched for Leo, who was also hoisted into the air, grinning like crazy. Everyone cheered again, amidst the chaotic noise of clapping and whistles while they were paraded around like champions.
Maggie laughed, brimming with a hundred different emotions that, for the first time in far too long, were all good. Patrick waved his poster from below and Maggie blew him a kiss, feeling exactly like the colorful words proclaimed—a superhero soccer mum.
About Lisa Knight
Romance is my absolute favorite thing, whether it’s reading, writing, or watching. Curling up with my laptop on a cold winter’s day to write a contemporary romance is my idea of heaven, and if there’s coffee and chocolate close by that’s even better.
I’m always on the lookout for story ideas and am inspired by everyday things like people doing their grocery shopping, having morning tea at the local café, or the beautifu
l welcome-back hugs and kisses at the arrivals gate at the airport.
In real life I’m a social worker with far too many celebrity boyfriends. I live in Canberra, Australia with my husband and our three boys, who are growing up too fast.
Lisa’s Website:
www.facebook.com/lisaknightauthor
Reader eMail:
[email protected]
More Beachwalk Press Titles by Lisa Knight
Dessert First
Celebrity Free Pass
Boot Camp
Psychic Seductions
Second Time Around
by Olivia Starke
Kelly Atkins has dedicated her life to caring for the horses at her off-track Thoroughbred rescue. When she’s forced to sell part of her land to cover mounting expenses, she’s shocked by who steps in to buy it—her high school sweetheart, Dustin. She didn’t even know the man had moved back to town. Seeing him brings back memories of the most painful time of her life. Not only had she lost the man she thought she would spend forever with, she had also lost her twin brother. And for years she held Dustin responsible for his death.
Dustin, a former rodeo bronc rider, has plans to start a retired rodeo horse rescue. As he and Kelly start to rekindle the love they once shared, he fears what will happen when she learns his secret. A secret that could drive her away forever.
Dedication
This is dedicated to the volunteers who put so many self-less and often heartbreaking hours into horse rescue. Kindness and compassion enriches the world.
Acknowledgements
A special thank you to the talented authors who contributed to this anthology. I’m honored to be counted amongst you. Also, thank you Beachwalk Press for being such a wonderful publisher to work with.
Prologue
“I hate this…this stupid, stupid sport. If you can even call it that.” Kelly Atkins stared at the sandy arena, nervous sweat beading on her top lip and dampening the armpits of her t-shirt. Her heart beat at an unhealthy rate as she waited.
