Clutch Player

by Ash, Nikki

  Last night was amazing. More than amazing. But it wasn’t my reality. I don’t get to go out on dates and spend carefree nights and mornings in bed, tangled up with the man of my dreams. And there’s no way Landon would want to deal with climbing out of windows. He’s a grown man.

  I stare at his text, trying to figure out how to respond. What would I even write? Thank you for the great sex! Sorry we got interrupted by my ex-husband and children!

  Closing my eyes, I remember the look of devastation in Landon’s eyes all those years ago when I told him I was pregnant and engaged. I destroyed us. Trying to pull him into my mess of a life would be selfish and inconsiderate. It would be cruel. No, while last night was perfect—a night I’ve dreamed about having with Landon for years—that’s all it can ever be. One night. We got caught up in the moment, in our past, and got lost in each other for one magical night.

  I grab a quick shower, then throw on my swimsuit. On my way upstairs, I put my sheets into the washer. I pop my head into Ella’s room first to let her know Bridget, Simon, and the kids are on their way over to go swimming. When I get to Hunter’s room, the door is closed, so I knock.

  “Come in,” he yells. I step into his room and he looks up from his phone. “We’re going swimming?” he asks, sitting up.

  “Yeah, the Hogues are coming over.”

  “Cool.” He stands and walks over to his dresser to grab his board shorts.

  “We need to talk.”

  He turns around and leans against his dresser, crossing his arms over his chest.

  When the hell did he grow up?

  “What is there to talk about? Samantha told Dad she wants a bigger house when they move so they can have a baby, and Dad said he doesn’t want any more kids.”

  Ouch, I bet she wasn’t thrilled about that, but it doesn’t explain why Hunter got mad at his father.

  “Okay, but what happened that made you mad at your dad?”

  “Dad got offered a job in Hartford and is going to take it. He’s moving there as soon as they find a house.”

  Hartford? What the hell is going on here? That’s in Connecticut, over an hour away from his kids, and in the opposite direction from where his parents live. There’s no way Richard would move even farther, just for money. But as I think the words, I already know he would. Money and rank are what Richard thrives on. The job is probably higher up, which means the pay is more.

  “And him telling you that he’s moving upset you?” I ask carefully.

  “Umm… well… he didn’t tell us,” Hunter says slowly. “I was listening to them talk in their room.”

  “Hunter,” I admonish. “Eavesdropping is not okay.” This explains why he wouldn’t answer his dad when he asked what was wrong. He would’ve had to admit he overheard an adult conversation.

  “I don’t care if he moves,” Hunter says, but I can see it in his face he does, in fact, care. “But Ella is going to be sad.” He will be too, I think but don’t say. No matter how much he tries to act unaffected by his father’s choices, at the end of the day, he loves his father and wants his attention.

  “Once he moves, we’ll never see him again, so we might as well stop going to see him now. I’d rather be here with you anyway.” He shrugs and my heart breaks for him. He’s trying so hard to be strong and not let his feelings show. He’s at a delicate age, caught between being a little boy and a young man, and he’s not sure how he’s supposed to react.

  “I’m going to speak to your father about what you overheard. The thing about eavesdropping is sometimes you don’t catch the whole story. Instead of getting mad and saying you wanted to leave, you should’ve spoken to him about it.”

  “I guess,” Hunter says.

  “Get ready to go swimming and I’ll meet you downstairs.”

  “Okay, Mom. I love you.”

  “Love you too, Hunt.”

  As I’m walking downstairs, I pull my phone out and send a text to Richard that we need to talk soon. I find Ella outside in the back with Bridget, Simon, the twins, and Brendan all hanging out by the pool.

  “Mommy, can I go in now?” Ella asks, knowing she’s not allowed to open the pool gate until I’m here. I turn the alarm off and then tell her to go ahead. She and Brendan both run and jump in at the same time. Hunter comes out a few minutes later and joins Ella and Brendan in the pool.

  “So…” Bridget starts. “The kids are home early?”

  “Yeah, apparently Hunter overheard a conversation about Richard moving and it upset him. He demanded to be taken home.” I debate whether to say the next part, but figure, screw it. “And of course, when Richard texted and called, I was too busy in bed with my blind date to check my phone and they showed up while we were… eating breakfast.”

  “No way!” Bridget exclaims. “Oh my God!” She bounces up and down in her seat in excitement. “I knew it!”

  “So, does that mean your date went well?” Simon asks with a knowing smirk.

  “Very well,” I admit.

  Simon grins. “Which means I win.”

  Bridget gasps. “That doesn’t count! They were together before.”

  “How did you know?” I ask.

  “Your story… duh.” She rolls her eyes playfully. “I put two and two together. But when I approached him about going on a blind date with you, he said he wasn’t interested.”

  “Oh my God!” I look between the two of them. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I wasn’t sure if it went against the rules.” Simon laughs. “And I really, really wanted to win.” He waggles his brows up and down.

  “He was supposed to be mine,” Bridget argues. “I knew when they reconnected they would hit it off.”

  “Doesn’t matter.” Simon smirks cockily. “It was my setting them up that got them back together. It’s not my fault you couldn’t close the deal. Hell, I should get double the prize for accomplishing what you couldn’t.”

  “And that’s my cue to go… anywhere but here.” I get up and leave Simon cracking up laughing while Bridget insists he didn’t win.

  As I’m walking over to the pool to dip my feet in the water, a text pings on my phone.

  Landon: Your text shows as read, which means you’re ignoring me. Don’t make me sneak back in through your window…

  Oh shit! I didn’t even think about that. Great. Now I have to respond, especially since he knows I just read this one.

  Me: I really enjoyed last night, but I feel it’s best if we just leave it at that… One amazing night.

  I don’t even read over the text before I send it. It’s for the best. I’ve already broken Landon’s and my heart once. I’m not about to do it again. Without waiting to see if he read it, I turn off my phone, throw it onto the lounger, and then join the kids in the pool.

  I’m lying in bed, staring at my phone. The moment I turn it back on, it immediately chirps several times with new texts. I shouldn’t read them. I should delete them and move forward. But my curiosity gets the best of me, and before I can stop myself, I’m clicking on the thread to read the messages.

  Landon: Yes, it was an amazing night… and morning. And it will be happening again. Soon.

  Landon: I’m not going to let you push me away.

  Landon: Either you’ve turned your reads off or you’re ignoring me.

  Landon: I’m giving you until tonight at 10:00 to respond and then I’m taking matters into my own hands.

  Landon: T- two hours

  Landon: T- one hour

  Landon: T- thirty minutes

  Landon: OMW!

  Holy shit! I glance at the clock on my phone. It’s three minutes till ten o’clock. There’s no way he’s going to show up here, right? He’s just messing with me. As my fingers fly across the keyboard on my phone, there’s a tapping sound on my window.

  I drop my phone onto the bed and then run over to the window, where I find Landon grinning cockily at me.

  “What the hell are you doing here?” I whisper-shout once I lift t
he window up.

  “I warned you.” He shrugs nonchalantly.

  “You can’t just show up here. What if my kids were in my room?”

  “Your blinds are open and I saw you in there alone before I made my presence known. I warned you I wasn’t going to let this go.”

  “There’s nothing to let go,” I argue. “We had a great night—”

  “And morning.”

  “And morning… before my ex-husband showed up with my kids and we almost got caught.”

  “So, we’ll be more careful,” Landon says.

  “It’s not about that.” I release a harsh breath and sit on my reading bench. “Our lives are just so different. I’m a divorced, single mom and you have the entire world at your fingertips. You don’t need to be weighed down by my baggage. You date models and fly on jets to award shows. You were the freaking MVP and named the Most Eligible Bachelor for like four years in a row. I was awarded PTA mom of the month. I bake cookies for fundraisers and stay up late sewing costumes for shows. And let’s not even get into the fact my ex-husband is a selfish asshole who will probably make our lives a living hell once he finds out about us.” I take in a deep breath before I pass out and Landon chuckles.

  “You all done now?” he asks with a smirk. “Get it out of your system?”

  “Umm…” I’m not sure what to say to that.

  “Are you done?” he repeats.

  “Umm… I guess,” I say, confused.

  “Good. Now it’s my turn.” He steps closer to the window that’s separating us. “Everything you’ve read about me online isn’t all that I am. It’s who I let the media see. My life is filled with layers, and for years, I only allowed everyone to see what’s on the top layer. But you…” He locks his eyes with mine. “You see what’s underneath. Just like there’s more to you than being a mom and an ex-wife. You’re a sexy as fuck woman. You’re an artist. Once upon a time you were my best fucking friend. And I’ve missed the hell out of you.”

  He runs the backs of his knuckles along my cheek. “Let Richie try to make our life hell. He can only fuck with us if we let him.”

  He takes a deep breath and runs his thumb across my bottom lip. “We’ve only spent a handful of hours together, but I already know how much you love your children. They’re not baggage. They’re a part of what makes you, you. I’ve met your son. Spent the last couple weeks playing ball with him, and he might be a part of Richie, but that fucking kid is all you, Harp. I know they’re a package deal, and I’m more than okay with that.”

  He cups my face in his hands. “I’ll take you however I can get you. Don’t push me away because you think you know who I am based on what you’ve read. Get to know me again and let me show you what I want. Okay?”

  I nod in agreement and Landon grins.

  “Gotta hear the words, baby.”

  “Okay,” I breathe.

  “Good.” He steps back. “Get some sleep. We’ll talk soon.”

  Wait! He’s leaving? “You don’t want to come in?”

  “Of course I do. But your kids are home and if I come inside, things will happen…” He smirks. “And we both know you can’t be quiet.”

  A bubble of laughter escapes my lips.

  “Next time I text you, respond.” Landon kisses me one last time and then walks away.

  Nineteen

  Harper

  “Good afternoon, Ms. Peters, this is Dan Clarke.”

  I take a deep, nervous breath. My interview for the art teacher position at the kids’ school was a few days ago and I was told I would hear back this week if I got the position. “Hello, Mr. Clarke, how are you?”

  “I’m good. After meeting with all the applicants, I felt you were the best fit, and I would like to offer you the position.”

  Trying to remain professional, I swallow down my excitement and say, “Thank you so much. I would love to accept.”

  “Perfect. I’ll have my secretary get in touch with you later this week so you can come in and fill out the paperwork.”

  “Thank you. I look forward to working at your school.”

  I hang up the phone, shocked and relieved and so freaking excited that I find myself screeching at the top of my lungs. I did it! I graduated and got a job. And not just any job, but a job doing what I love.

  “What has you so excited?” a masculine voice says. I spin around and find Richard standing in my foyer.

  “Did you just come in without knocking?” I accuse, my mood instantly plummeting.

  “I was about to knock and heard you yell. I thought maybe something was wrong.”

  “Nothing is wrong. I got a job.” I glance at the time. “I need to go get the kids from camp. What are you doing here?”

  “You said we needed to talk, and I need to talk to you about something as well.”

  I texted him that Saturday morning. It’s now Monday and instead of texting or calling back, he shows up unannounced. Typical Richard.

  “Okay, well, it’ll have to be after I get the kids.” I grab my purse and keys and walk out the door, locking it behind us. “Someone was supposed to help me pick them up but never did.” I shoot him a glare over my shoulder.

  “I’ll go with you,” he says, stepping around to the passenger side of my SUV.

  “Fine.”

  Once we’re both in and I’m backing out, Richard says, “I was offered a job in Hartford.”

  “I heard…” When his brows furrow in confusion, I explain. “Hunter overheard you telling Samantha. It’s why he was mad at you. He’s afraid you’re going to move and never see him or Ella again.”

  “That’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about. I’ve tried to go over it a dozen times, but unless you can drive them there and back, I’m going to have to cut back our weekday visits and only take them every other weekend. There’s no way I’ll be able to leave work and drive ninety minutes each way to pick them up and drop them off.”

  I snort out a humorless laugh. “And you expect me to just drop everything and do that?”

  “You have plenty of time,” he argues.

  My gaze swings over to him for a brief second before I have to look back at the road. “Did you not hear me? I accepted a teaching position at the kids’ school.”

  “That’s great,” he says. “You’ll get off work at three with them and by the time you arrive in Hartford, I’ll be close to getting off.”

  “You’re crazy,” I argue. “That’s not happening, and you’re ridiculous to even ask that of me.”

  “It’s my job that allows you to live comfortably while you pursue your hobbies,” he volleys, and if I weren’t driving, I would seriously consider punching him in the arm.

  “It’s not a hobby. It’s a career, and since it’s my first year, I imagine I’ll have to spend time after school creating lessons and such.”

  Richard scoffs. “You’re going to be showing kids how to paint and make clay animals. It’s a hobby. How much time do you need to type that up?”

  I take in a deep breath, so I don’t murder the father of my children, and then I say, “I’m not driving them there and back. Get off work and come pick them up. That’s what we agreed on. You’re choosing to move.”

  “I’ll raise your child support,” he offers. “How much is that school paying you? Thirty thousand? I’ll pay you that to stay home. You can paint in your studio all day.”

  Jesus, he has no clue. I consider what I can say to make him understand that my teaching isn’t about the money. It’s about my passion for children and art. I’ve always wanted to show others how magical and fun creating art can be. But he’s not going to get it. He never has.

  “The answer is no.”

  We pull up to Ella’s gymnastics and I park then jump out to grab her. She’s talking my ear off the entire way back to the vehicle, and when she sees her dad is here as well, she squeals in excitement.

  The drive to get Hunter is filled with Ella and Richard talking about her day, while I curse him to he
ll and back because I know as soon as Hunter gets in the car, Richard is going to hit them with this moving shit. And I’ll be the one left to pick up the pieces while he does whatever the hell he wants like always.

  With my mind all over the place, I completely forget where I am. So when I pull up in the car line and Landon steps up to my window, I shriek in shock.

  “Is that Landon?” Richard asks from next to me. Oh, boy… shit is about to get awkward. I hit the button to put down my window and Landon steps closer.

  “Hey,” Landon says with a sweet smile. “I was wondering…” he begins. But when he glances into the car and sees Richard sitting next to me, he stops and addresses Richard. “Hey, Richie. Haven’t seen you in a while. How’s it going?” He reaches into the vehicle and shakes Richard’s hand while I bite hard on my bottom lip to stifle my laugh.

  “It’s Richard now.” Richard looks from me to Landon. “You two talk?” he asks, not even bothering with fake pleasantries. He’s always been jealous of Landon, and even though I never once reached out to Landon over the years, he still had plenty to say about us.

  “Hey, Mom!” Hunter yells, running over to the vehicle. “Bye, Coach Landon!” He gives Landon a fist bump.

  “Don’t forget to practice your batting,” Landon says. “Work on what we talked about.”

  “I will.” Hunter jumps into the vehicle, and the minute he sees his dad, like all little kids who forgive easily, he forgets he’s mad at him and says, “Hey, Dad… Umm… Coach Landon wants everyone to work on their batting. So, I was… umm… I was wondering if we can go to the batting cages?”

  I hate how hard it is for Hunter to ask his dad anything. From years of being let down, he fears it happening every time, and sadly, he’s almost always let down. If only Richard would catch on and realize how badly he’s hurting his son…

  “We’ll see,” Richard says. “Your mom and I need to talk to you.” I glance back in the rearview mirror and see the disappointment in Hunter’s features. Damn it, why couldn’t I be better at sports? Ella is so easy to relate to. All it takes is some makeup and a couple dolls and I can bond with her all day. But Hunter is obsessed with baseball, which is something I know nothing about.