A warm hand rests on my back, and his fingers gently push into my skin. I glance over and see him leaning toward me. I do the same. Julius places his hand near my ear and whispers, “Thank you for thinking about the kids and bringing them something to eat. If I give Roxy the muffin now, she will ask for another one when Reggie gets his. As for coming . . .” Julius doesn’t finish his sentence but nips at my earlobe. When he pulls away, he’s flush, and the color of his cheeks likely matches mine.
I glance over my shoulder to see if anyone caught what just happened, and no one is staring, so I think we’re in the clear.
“You are trouble,” I say to him quietly.
Roxy hands her dad the bottle of milk and decides it’s time to sit on my lap. She’s a wiggle worm until she finds what’s comfortable and tells me I should move closer to her father, so she doesn’t have to stretch for her drink.
“Is she always this blunt?”
“Most of the time, it’s worse,” Julius says. He opens the box of muffins and lets out a swear.
“What’s wrong?”
“They’re warm.”
“And that’s a bad thing?”
He shakes his head. “Nope, it’s an irresistible thing.”
“I’ll tell you what. Because I’m hungry, I’ll share my muffin with Miss Roxy here, and you can eat yours, and then when the game is over, Roxy and Reggie can have theirs. Does that work?” I look at Roxy when I ask. She nods, and Julius finally relents. He hands me one of the blueberry ones, and Roxy takes it upon herself to spin herself around on my lap until she’s facing me. I pick off a piece of my muffin, and before I can hand it to her, she takes her own piece.
“Dis good,” she says, nodding and taking another piece.
“I’m glad you like it.” She’s right. The muffin is good.
With Julius sitting closer, I can feel his every move. His hand brushes along my arm, and his leg presses against mine. He bumps me to get my attention and nods toward the field where the game begins.
“What number is Reggie?”
“Eleven.”
“Same as you,” I state.
Julius looks at me and smiles. “You know my number?”
I shrug. “I may have done some online searching myself since we had our day together.” This time I wink. Julius blushes and tries to hide his smile. I turn my attention to the field. I don’t know much about football, but I’m a damn good cheerleader and have no qualms about making some noise when it’s warranted.
During the game, I watch Reggie and the other kids on the field. They seem so small out there, playing this adult sport. I know kids start young and play through high school and college, but I have a different perspective after being on the Pioneers sideline.
Julius stands just as I notice that Reggie has broken away from his defender. He’s running toward the end zone, and I don’t know who I should watch, him or his father. I stand and place Roxy on my hip. She starts cheering right off even though I’m not sure she knows what she’s doing. Julius is yelling, telling his son to run, and my arm is pumping in the air. The bleachers shake. They rattle and vibrate from the commotion, not only from us but the other parents. On the other side of us, the opposing team's parents are screaming for their kids to “get him,” which I don’t care much for, but I get it.
Reggie crosses the line, and even I know it’s a good thing. He stands there for a second and sets the ball down—no celebration or anything, much like what his father does on the field. Granted, I haven’t seen Julius score a touchdown yet, but I did find some videos of him online. Reggie then runs to the sideline and salutes. Julius does the same.
“Did you see that?” I ask Roxy. “Your brother scored a touchdown!” She’s bouncing up and down in my arms. She’s heavy, but I find that I like having her there.
Julius holds his hand up high, and I slap it. “Thank you for inviting me,” I say to him because I’m happy to be here with him and excited to experience this side of his life.
“It was all Reggie.”
“Well, I’ll be sure to thank him after the game.”
Julius unexpectedly kisses me right in front of Roxy and everyone around us. I don’t know what to think, but Roxy does.
“Ew, Daddy.” She pushes him away, and he laughs. So much for keeping the PDA to a minimum.
Roxy glares at her dad and wraps her arms around my neck. “She mine.”
“You can share,” he tells her.
“No, you hab Mommy.”
Ouch, that stings, but I get it. Roxy is too little to understand that her mother has moved on.
Julius says nothing, which I do appreciate. What’s he going to do, air his dirty laundry in front of all these parents? I’m sure they already have some idea of what’s going on. One search on the web shows Julius’s ex with another man, and there isn’t anything in the pictures to suggest they are just friends. I’m sure seeing those pictures hurts Julius, and he deserves some happiness. If I’m it, why shouldn’t he show it? I am, however, concerned with how Roxy and Reggie will respond if Julius and I become serious.
When the game is over, I help Julius pack up and wait with Roxy while Julius goes out onto the field. During the game, I asked if he would ever coach, and he said maybe in retirement, but by then Reggie will be in high school.
Julius and Reggie walk toward us. Julius has his hand on his son’s shoulder and is carrying his pads for him. They stop in front of me, and I wait with bated breath for someone to say something. Finally, Julius clears his throat, and I feel like I’m meeting his parents or something. Honestly, this is probably worse.
“Autumn, I’d like to introduce you to my best friend and son, Reggie.”
He sticks his hand out to shake mine. I’m not surprised he has impeccable manners because Julius does, too, once he’s over his hatred for you.
“It’s nice to meet you, Miss Autumn.”
I crouch down so I can look this boy in his eyes. “It’s lovely to meet you, Reggie. Thank you for inviting me to your game.”
“Did you have fun?”
“I sure did! Here, I have something for you.” I hand him the muffin and bottle of chocolate milk and realize this probably isn’t the best gift. His eyes go wide, and he looks at his dad.
“Did you tell her chocolate milk was my favorite?”
Julius shakes his head. “Nope.”
Reggie looks back at me. “Wow, thank you so much, Miss Autumn.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Are you coming to lunch with us?”
I glance at Julius, and he shrugs. “Same place we had dinner the other night. I wasn’t sure how you felt about eating there twice in one week.”
I pretend to think for a minute. This is a no-brainer because I want to spend time with Julius, but I also want to see him in his natural state—with his children. They’re part of who he is and will be part of our time together if we continue.
“I’d love to go,” I say, much to Roxy’s delight.
Twenty
Julius
“Is she still there?” Roxy asks. I glance in the rearview mirror to make sure Autumn is still behind me.
“Yes, she is.” Roxy wanted to ride with Autumn, but it would’ve been more of a hassle than necessary with her car seat. Honestly, I’m glad I had the whole seat thing as an excuse because I didn’t want to put Autumn in an awkward situation. Not many people want a chatty toddler in the back of their car. Plus, my daughter can ask some really inappropriate things, and I didn’t want Autumn to feel uncomfortable. Although, I’m relatively confident Autumn can handle herself when it comes to Roxy.
My phone rings, and Elena’s name shows on the console. Internally, I groan and say “It’s your mom,” before I press the green button to answer.
“Hi, Mommy!” Reggie screams excitedly. Roxy follows him but is much louder because she squeals.
“Hi, my loves,” Elena says. “How was your game, Reggie?”
“It was awesome. I scored a t
ouchdown.”
“That’s fabulous. Did your team win?”
“Yes, by a ton.”
“Two touchdowns,” I mutter and give him a sideways glance. I’m trying to teach my son to be humble, that playing isn’t always about winning. Is it nice? Of course, it is, just as losing is the worst feeling ever. But in the end, someone has lost, and they're sad. We have to respect that, especially when they’re youngsters.
“I’m so sorry I missed it,” Elena says. My eyes roll hard. I’m of the notion she doesn’t care because if she did, she’d be here.
“When are you coming home?” Reggie asks. I can hear the longing in his voice, and it breaks my heart. My son wants his mother around, and as much as I can’t stand to look at her right now, I want her to be around for him and Roxy. Kids need both parents.
“I don’t know, Reggie. I got another part in a movie, and it’ll start filming soon.”
Wrong answer. “Are you filming now?” he asks.
There’s a long pause. The level of anger I’m feeling starts to rise. I desperately want to hit the button and just stop this, but I can’t.
I signal to pull into the parking lot next to the pizza parlor, remembering how Autumn doesn’t prefer parallel parking. Again, I find myself tempted to shut the car off, ending the conversation, but I don’t.
Elena clears her throat. “Sorry, someone was talking to me,” she says, which I feel is a lie. She doesn’t want to answer her son's question.
“What are you doing today?” she asks.
“Going to lunch with Miss Autumn,” Reggie says.
“I like Miss Au-um. She’s pretty,” Roxy adds.
“Who is Miss Autumn?”
Before I can say anything, my daughter blurts out, “Daddy’s girlfriend.” I glance at Roxy. Her legs are bouncing, she has a smile on her face, and she’s looking out the window without a care in the world. She doesn’t know the magnitude of what she just said. Roxy starts to unbuckle, ready to get out of the car and get some pizza.
“We’re at the pizza place,” I say. “The kids will call you later.”
My finger is poised to press the ignition button and open my door, ending this call, but Elena blurts out, “Wait.”
I pause.
“Take me off speaker, Julius.”
I roll my eyes and look at Reggie. He has unshed tears in his eyes. I motion for him to get out of the car, and I reach for my cell phone, transferring the call. I don’t say anything for a bit. Instead, I focus on getting Roxy out of the car. Autumn walks toward me, and I point to the phone and then to the kids and finally the door. She nods and takes Roxy’s hand. As they walk away, I notice Autumn put her arm around Reggie and watch as he leans into her. Is she intuitive or just being nice to my son?
“What?” I bark into the phone.
“How long have you been seeing this new woman?”
My personal life shouldn’t be any of her business, but we share children, and regardless of what she’s done to our marriage, she has a right to know who is around her kids. My fear, which is sitting heavily in my stomach, is that she’s going to ask that Autumn not be around the kids. I’ve done this with her boyfriend. In my defense, though, Elena broke our family up for this man.
“Things are new. We’ve known each other for a little bit and just started dating.”
“And you’re already bringing her around the kids?”
“That wasn’t my intention,” I tell her. “Someone posted a photo of us, and Reggie saw it on social media,” I say this, hoping that Elena understands the message I’m sending her. That each time she’s out canoodling with her boyfriend, her son sees it thanks to the internet.
“And because he saw it, you decided to bring her home?”
“No,” I say, trying not to lose my temper. “Autumn—that’s her name—she’s on the news, and Roxy recognized her at the park. They hit it off. After your most recent outing with what's his face, Reggie asked if Autumn could come to his game.”
“Why would he do that?” she asks.
“I don’t know, Elena, maybe because his mother won’t.” My words have a little bite to them. I regret them, but I don’t apologize. “Because he sees you flaunting your relationship in the tabloids but can’t be bothered to come to visit.”
“That’s not fair.”
“Of course, it isn’t.”
“I think you should keep your girlfriend away from the kids until I’ve had a chance to meet her. I’m their mother.”
“Then act like one. You’re not filming anything that has you on set every single day. You can be up here, taking them to school, helping them with their homework, and spending time with them. But you’re not. You’re living the responsibility-free life while the rest of us watch it play out on the gossip shows.”
“My manager says—”
“I don’t care what your manager says.” I cut her off. “Listen, I’m meeting with my lawyer this week. Because of the prenup, things will be easy. You just have to sign and send them back. Hire a lawyer if you want. I’ve said you can keep the house in Los Angeles, and I’ll keep the apartment here. The kids will stay here until we can figure out a viable custody agreement, but as far as our marriage goes. It’s over. I’ve accepted it, and it’s time to end it.”
“I agree,” she says. “But I still want custody.”
My thumb and index finger push into my closed eyes, and I groan. “And I will fight you on this. I don’t care what it costs. The kids are better off with me. I gotta go.” I hang up, not giving her a chance to disagree with me. She wants money, and the prenup is very clear. The only way Elena gets a dime out of me is if she has full custody of the children, and I can’t let that happen. Not because I don’t want to support my children, but because the money is the only reason she wants them with her. I don’t want them living with a nanny while Elena is off doing whatever the hell she’s going to end up doing with her life.
I make my way into the pizza parlor and tell the hostess my family is already inside. I have no idea where they’re sitting, but I don’t care. I’ll wander around the entire place if I have to. I head toward the fire truck, knowing Roxy likes to sit by it and stop dead in my tracks when I spot Autumn and the kids.
They’re sitting in the booth. There are drinks on the table, and the menu is gone, making me think Autumn has already ordered our food. But this isn’t what has me standing still in the middle of the room. Roxy is on Autumn’s lap, and Reggie has pressed himself right up tight to Autumn’s side. The three of them are coloring and seem to be in a deep conversation about where each color should go. I don’t know what part of the scene in front of me is making my heart twist in knots the most. Is it the sight of my daughter being attached to Autumn, Autumn caring for my children, or the look of happiness on my son’s face? Ten minutes ago, when he was on the phone with his mother, he was sad. I thought lunch was going to be an emotional time for him, that he’d be despondent. But from the looks of things, Autumn isn’t allowing any of that to happen.
I clear my throat as I approach the table. Three sets of eyes look up at the same time. “Hey, guys.”
“Hey, Dad,” Reggie says and then goes back to coloring.
“We ordered already, and I got you a soda.” Autumn motions to the lone drink on the other side of the table. “Everything okay?”
I nod as I slide into the booth, feeling lonely because everyone I want to be with is across from me. “We can chat about it later.”
“Only if you want,” she tells me. I like that she’s giving me an option and not demanding she be in the know. Honestly, I like that Autumn hasn’t pestered me with questions about Elena or about opening up regarding my failed marriage.
“Dad,” Reggie says, grabbing my attention. “Miss Autumn drew this, and then we started coloring it.” He slides the placemat over toward me, and I lean in to take a better look. There’s a house with windows and a chimney, a field with flowers and grass with two children standing in it.
“You drew this?”
She nods and adjusts Roxy on her lap. “My mom is an artist, so I know a few tricks.”
“This is pretty awesome.”
“Thanks, but the kids did all the work. I just gave them the outline. Reggie decided on what colors the house should be while Roxy worked on the flowers.”
“I love it.” I give it back to Reggie and place my hand on his, giving it a firm squeeze.
When our pizzas arrive, I suggest Roxy or Reggie come over and sit on my side. Neither of my children budges. I’m not sure if I should feel bad because they don’t want to sit with me or happy because they like the woman I like. I feel like I’m losing no matter what, though. I like Autumn and want to spend time with her, without my kids, but something tells me unless I’m sneaking around or Reggie is in school and Roxy is with Miss Meghan, I’m not going to get much alone time with Autumn.
Autumn doesn’t encourage either of them to move. She simply adjusts the way she’s sitting so Roxy can stay on her lap while they both eat. Autumn even beats me to cutting Roxy’s pizza and offers to do the same for Reggie.
“What, no way,” he says. “I can eat it with my fingers.” To prove his point, he picks up his cheese pizza, tries to fold the thick crust in half, and takes a bite. The only problem is, the pizza’s hot and very cheesy, which means he’s making some horrible noises with his mouth while cheese and sauce ooze everywhere.
“Reg.” I reach for the pizza just as Autumn places a napkin under his chin. Roxy isn’t helping matters by giggling. “Come on, dude.” I take the slice out of his hand and manage to get the cheese pulled apart. “Manners,” I remind him as Autumn is rolling the sauce and cheese-soaked napkin into a ball.
“Let’s either wait until the pizza cools down, or I can cut you a smaller slice,” Autumn says. While her voice is kind, I fully expect Reggie to start sulking. But he surprises me and says a smaller slice would be fine. Autumn places another piece onto a clean plate, slices it down the middle, and gives it to my son, only for him to repeat the same thing he did before. This time, successfully.
Fourth Down: A Beaumont Series Next Generation Spin-off Page 14
