by Ryan, Kaylee
“All right. Well, this goes until midafternoon. So, I won’t be home before then. I’ll see you tonight?”
Is that hope I hear in her voice? “I’ll be here.” I stand and follow her to the door. “Have a good day, babe.” Leaning in, I kiss her temple. “Love you.” She doesn’t say it back, but her eyes soften. I know she feels it. The love we share. She just needs a little more time to be convinced I’m not going anywhere.
I wait about ten minutes after she leaves to pull the boxes I’ve been hiding out of the closet. I called the public relations department of the Defenders and asked for some jerseys and other Defenders gear. I had them send some pink for the girls, but it looks like it’s just my girl who’s going to need that one. Her jersey was special order. I’ll take it today, just in case. I was going to leave all the other pink jerseys here, but I think I’ll just sign them too and leave them at the home for any future Little Miss Football Fans who might come through the doors.
I spend the next hour signing thirty jerseys, some foam footballs, and posters. Mary, the lady who handles the Defenders PR, also threw in some stickers and temporary tattoos. I rebox it all, and it doesn’t fit as well as it did before I unpacked it. Shrugging, I leave the lid open, grab my keys, phone, and tap my back pocket to make sure I have my wallet. Thankfully, there is an elevator. I’m not about to try to break my neck carrying this big-ass box down the stairs to get to my truck.
Fifteen minutes later, I’m pulling into the parking lot of the children’s home. I leave the box in the back seat for now as I go in search of Reese.
“Hi, can I help you?” a teenage girl asks. She’s wearing a name tag that reads Sage and has volunteer written underneath it.
“Hi, Sage. I’m looking for Reese Latham.”
“Sure, is she expecting you?” she asks, sounding way more grown up than she looks.
“She’s not. I was kind of hoping to surprise her.” I wink, and her face flushes.
“I-I’m not supposed to let just anyone in,” she says with apology in her voice.
“Are you Cooper Reeves,” a little boy asks, staring up at me.
He couldn’t be older than nine or ten. I crouch down to his level. “I am. What’s your name?”
“Travis. You’re my favorite player,” he says with awe.
“Thank you, Travis.” I hold my hand out for him to shake, and he doesn’t hesitate to slide his small, frail hand in mine. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“Are you here to foster?” he asks, his eyes wide.
Fuck, that’s a kick to the balls. These kids, I don’t know how Reese does this every day. “No, but I am here to help. I’m looking for my girlfriend, Reese.”
If I thought his eyes were wide before, they’re the size of saucers now. “You’re Ms. Reese’s boyfriend?” he asks.
I nod. “You think you could help me find her?” I ask him. His little head is bobbing up and down like crazy before I even get the question out. I look up at Sage. “Is that okay? I’m one of the good guys, I promise,” I tell her.
“Cooper?” I hear from behind me, and I would recognize that voice anywhere. Turning, I see my girl standing there with a look of confusion on her face, but it does nothing to hide her slow smile. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to help.”
“I—” She starts but stops when Travis pulls on her shirt. She immediately looks down, giving him all her attention.
“Ms. Reese. Is Cooper Reeves really your boyfriend?” he asks excitedly.
She glances up at me, and I shrug unapologetically. “Mr. Reeves and I have been friends since we were your age,” she explains.
“That’s so cool.” He turns to look at me. “Can we throw the football?” he asks.
“Sure, buddy. Later. Right now, I need to help Ms. Reese.” Mrs. Reeves sounds better, but we’ll get to that. “I promise we’ll toss the ball before I leave today.”
“I gotta go tell the guys!” He jumps in excitement, and then he’s gone, rushing into the building to find his friends.
“What are you doing here, Coop?” Reese asks again.
“I wanted to support you. I have some gifts for the kids in the truck.”
“This is a big deal. Word is going to spread that you’re here.”
“Good. Maybe it will bring awareness to the event, and the home.”
“He’s going to tell them all that you’re my boyfriend.”
“Even better.”
“Cooper, this is serious.” She tries to give me a hard stare, but I can see through her to know she’s only making a big deal over this because she’s still worried I’m not sticking around.
“I agree. The world should know you’re mine.”
“Ms. Reese,” Sage says hesitantly. “The dunking booth is here.”
“Thank you, Sage. Can you please direct them to the backyard? There’s a sign that says reserved for dunking booth.”
“Okay.” She nods, smiling. Her shoulders straighten a little as if she’s honored that Reese is trusting her with the task.
“Cooper—” Reese starts, but I step closer and place my finger over her lips.
“I want to be here, baby. This is me supporting you. I’m going to run to my truck and get the box, then I want you to put me to work.”
“What’s in the box?”
“Defenders gear.”
“Where did you get it?”
“I called the PR rep for the team, had her send it to me.”
She nods and swallows hard. “Th—” She clears her throat. “They’ll love that.”
I lean in and press my lips to her forehead. “Not as much as I love you.” I pull back and turn to head back toward my truck. I smile when I think about the man I am with her. I’m waxing poetic and spouting off sweet shit, but I can’t seem to help myself when it comes to her. I vowed to never hold back with her again, and I’m not going to. I love her, so I’m going to tell her and show her every damn day.
She’s waiting for me at the door when I get back from my truck. “Where do you want this?”
“How about we rally the kids together and give it to them now? Before everyone gets there. I have a feeling the boys are going to need some time to get used to the fact that we have a professional football player with us today.”
“Nah, today I’m just Cooper, your boyfriend.”
She rolls those beautiful green eyes and smiles. “Come on, Romeo.” She laughs and opens the door for me.
Once we’re both inside, I follow her down a long hall that leads to a huge room. Glancing around, there are several couches, a TV, a bookshelf filled with books, and a large dining table that has pencil holders, and notebooks in the center.
“This is the activity room,” she says as another woman enters the room.
“Carla, this is Cooper Reeves. He brought some gifts for the kids.”
Carla smiles politely, and I can tell she has no idea who I am. “That’s very nice of you.”
Reese chuckles. “Cooper is a running back for the Indianapolis Defenders,” she explains.
“Oh.” Carla’s eyes widen. “How did you find out about today?” she asks.
“My—” I start, and Reese interrupts me. I smirk.
“Cooper and I grew up together.”
“Well, thank you for being here. The boys are going to be thrilled,” Carla tells me.
“I was thinking we should bring them in now, let the shock and thrill of Coop being here wear off. We still have two hours before the event starts.”
“That’s a great idea. I’ll go round them up.”
“Thanks, Carla,” Reese says and turns to me. “Let’s get this all sorted before they get in here. They’re going to want all of your attention.”
“Jealous?” I tease.
She laughs. I love the sound of it. “No.”
“Ouch,” I say, placing a hand to my chest, pretending to be wounded.
“Not of these kids. They deserve to feel like they are the center of
attention today. That’s the point of today, after all.” She starts pulling items from the box. “Cooper, these are amazing. The boys are going to love them.”
“There are some pink too. I wasn’t sure how many boys and girls until this morning. I went ahead and signed them.”
“They’re perfect. Thank you.” She reaches for the jersey that’s in its own bag. “What’s this?”
“Oh, that? Open it.” I’m not sure how she’s going to take this, but here goes nothing. I probably should have it at her place instead of bringing it here, but there is no going back now.
I watch as she pulls the jersey out and holds it up. “Turn it around,” I tell her.” She does, and I hear a small gasp. “You don’t have to wear it if you don’t want to, but I wanted you to have it.”
“Reeves’s Girl,” she reads from the back of the jersey.
“Has a nice ring to it, right?” I ask her.
“Cooper.” She lowers the jersey and gives me a look that I can’t quite explain.
“It’s you! It’s really you!” a young boy says, racing into the room.
I lean into Reese and whisper in her ear, “I love you.” That’s the best I’ve got for her. She needs to see it, and she needs to hear it.
“It’s really me,” I say, pulling back from her. “What’s your name?”
One by one, the boys take turns, shaking my hand and telling me their names. Reese stands next to me and passes out all the goodies to each of them. The smiles on their faces, and hers, is a smile I will never forget.
I’ve never really thought of myself as much of a celebrity before, but today, seeing the looks on their faces, and their eyes light up, I vow to use this new-found fame for good. Sure, I was popular in college, but this… it’s an all-new level. I could actually make a difference, and with Reese at my side, together, we could make a huge impact. It’s something I need to think about, but definitely an avenue I want to pursue.
* * *
Five hours later, the mini carnival has been cleaned up, and the boys are still bouncing with energy. “Do they ever slow down?” I ask Carla.
“Nope. Many of them have never experienced anything like today, so their high is going to last for a while. And you—” Carla pauses to glance over at me. “You made their year by being here and being so good to them. Thank you for that.”
“Thank Reese. I wouldn’t be here without her.”
She nods. “She’s a huge asset to us.”
“I’m glad that’s not going unnoticed.”
“Cooper!” one of the boys calls out. “Come toss with us.”
“Duty calls,” I say, standing to stretch my legs and join the boys where they’re gathered just a few feet away. “All right, how about some drills. I’m going to toss each of you the ball, and you toss it back then go to the back of the line. That will get us all warmed up,” I say, holding up my hands for the ball. Joey, one of the smaller boys, rears his arm back with all his might and tosses it to me. It doesn’t even make it halfway. I hold in my laugh and move forward to retrieve the ball.
I spend the next twenty minutes or so letting them toss me the ball. “All right. We’re going to mix it up a little. I’m going to yell go, and you take off running, but keep your eyes on me. I’m going to toss you the ball, and you’re going to try and catch it. This works on your speed as well as your hand-eye coordination,” I explain.
Pass after pass, the boys try their hardest to catch the ball. A few of them made it happen, and the others, the smaller of the group, came pretty close. There have been a lot of laughs, and today has reminded me why I love this game. I don’t know how many nights after dinner my dad and I would do this very same thing. Then when we moved next to Reese, she and her dad would join us while our moms watched from the lawn chairs.
It feels as though every part of my life is entwined with hers, and I love it. I love her for it. She has been there when I was just a kid with big dreams, and now, today, she’s here living that dream with me. At least I hope she will be.
“Boys!” Carla calls out. “It’s time to come in and get cleaned up for dinner.”
“Aw, do we have to?” one of them complains.
“Hey, now,” I chime in. “You need to listen to Carla and the other adults. They’re just looking out for what’s best for you.” There is some collective grumbling, but they nod as each one of them lines up to give me a high-five.
“You’re good with them,” Reese says, walking toward me.
“They’re all good kids. I hate that they’re here.” I point to the large building.
“Yeah, me too. However, what’s worse is that this place is better than where they were. This gives them structure, stability, a safe place to lay their head and food in their bellies,” she says sadly.
“You’re doing good work here, Reese.”
She shrugs. “I’m their social worker. It’s my job to look out for what’s best for them.”
“I agree, but you went above and beyond today. No one before you has ever taken their own time to plan something like this for them.”
“You were a hit,” she says, ignoring my compliment.
“We make a good team.”
She smiles up at me. “Yeah, we really do.”
Reaching out, I entangle my fingers with hers and lead her to her car. With a quick peck on the lips, I promise to see her at home.
Home.
Reese is my home.
Chapter 12
Reese
Reaching for my coffee cup, I find it empty. With a heavy sigh, I toss it into the trash can and debate on running out to grab another. I’m exhausted. It’s been a long day. When my phone rang at four this morning, I knew it wouldn’t be good. It never is in my line of work. Cassie, a little girl who just turned six, was removed from her home. This is the third time she’s been removed, and this time there were signs of abuse.
I wasn’t working for the county the first time she was removed, but I was there the second during my internship. Luckily, we were able to place her in foster care. Her parents did the required rehab, and she got to go home. This time, I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I have to wonder when is enough enough? When does the court system not see that this isn’t what’s best for her, to be bounced around?
I’ve been trying to place her in foster care all day, but I don’t have any families who can take her on. Not yet. There are many who are in training, but there just are not enough foster families to love and care for these kids. It breaks my heart.
Glancing at the clock, I see it’s already five o’clock. I’ve done all that I can do today, and it’s time to go home. I don’t need more caffeine. I need sleep. Lots and lots of sleep. Saving the court document I was working on, I close down my computer, and instead of packing up and bringing work home with me, I leave it all here. I need a night without it. I just need… to decompress from the sadness of the day.
I work for the county, but my office is in the children’s home. Normally, I go and say goodbye to all the kids, pass out some hugs. I know I’m breaking the cardinal rule to not get attached, but I can’t seem to prevent it. It’s not in me to not care about these kids. That’s the huge part of my frustration with my job. I don’t feel as though I’m making a difference. Instead, I feel like a hamster on a wheel, just going through the motions. Just like Cassie. This is her third time being pulled from her home. Third time. I know we want to keep families together, but is that really what’s best for her if that’s the kind of environment she’s living in? I’m conflicted and disappointed in our system.
I’m unlocking my car when my phone rings. Stopping, I dig it out of my purse and see Cooper’s face smiling at me. “Hey,” I greet him, unlocking the car and tossing my purse into the passenger seat.
“How’s your day going?”
“Don’t ask.”
“That bad?” he asks.
“Unfortunately.” Not like it’s news to him. He’s texted me a few times today, checking on
me, asking me if I needed him to bring me anything. “Just one of those days,” I say, starting the car and blasting the air conditioning. It’s hot as hell for May.
“I’ve got dinner covered, just text me when you’re on your way home so I can put it in the oven.”
“I just got in my car.”
“Perfect. I’ll put it in now. Drive safe. I’ll see you when you get home.”
“Yeah,” I agree. “I’m on my way.”
“Reese?”
“Yeah?”
“I love you,” he says, and the line goes dead.
He didn’t give me a chance to say it back. Not that I was going to. Sure, I want to. It’s getting harder and harder to not tell him, but I don’t want to do it like this. On a day that’s been complete shit. That’s not how I want to remember it. He knows I never stopped loving him. I told him that. However, I’ve yet to say the words. I’ve been holding back when it comes to declaring that I love him. Saying I never stopped and saying the three words I know he longs to hear are two completely different things. I feel as though after all this time, it needs to be the right moment. A small blip of time in our universe he will never forget. He deserves that, after all my waiting and uncertainty.
Things have been good between us. He’s been staying with me for over a month now and he’s kept to his promise about sleeping in the spare room, now that we have a bed in there. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t take any and all opportunities to touch me. When we’re making dinner, which we seem to do together more often than not, he finds subtle ways when we’re sitting on the couch after dinner, rubbing my feet or playing with my hair, while I rest with my head in his lap. If there is a way, Cooper has found it.
Most nights, I rush to my room to keep from begging him to sleep with me. Our night in the hotel room constantly plays on my mind. It was explosive and intense. I can’t help but wonder if that’s us… how we will always be, or if it was the tension and the fear taking hold of us. I admit I’ve been tempted to find out, but I’m holding strong.
Last weekend when he came to the home and spent the day with me and the kids, his support meant everything to me. I admit I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop, but nothing’s happening. Cooper has proven to be certain in his feelings for me, and I him. I’ve always known I was in love with him. The issue is finding the courage to speak those words aloud. To finally give voice to what my heart has always known.
