My friends are my family. One I’m building on my own. I still hold out a small hope that the ache I feel in my chest when I see a family together will fade away as I find my own. Or maybe there is more to that ache than I know.
2
Theodore
I should have seen this coming.
My mom can be crafty when she wants her way. I’ve been back home for two months, and she is all over me about a nice girl she wants to set me up with.
I love my mom more than anything. She truly has a golden heart and always wants to see the best in people. Thank God she has Dad to protect her from people who want to take advantage of her.
“I was so stunned when your mother told me you were her son.” Tiffany smiles over at me, blinking quickly. I wonder if she blinks so much because of those fake eyelashes she has on her eyes. They look like they have some weight to them. They look extremely uncomfortable and make me want to rub my own eyes.
Why would anyone put those things on their face? She leans over toward me, and I jerk my head down to look at my drink. Hell, I bet she thinks I was gazing into her eyes.
“My mom what?” I ask, realizing I haven’t been listening to her. My mom raised me to be a gentleman, but I can’t help but be disinterested in this entire conversation. My mind keeps drifting to the game tape I watched today. That’s where all my focus has been since I got the coaching job here. I’m the youngest college head coach ever hired. I have something to prove.
“Is she here?” I look around for my mother. She was supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago, but she is nowhere to be found. Mom is never late, so that means she never planned to come to this dinner. She set me up.
I’d finally broken down and told her I would meet the girl. I made it clear that I didn’t want to go on a date. That’s when my mom came up with the brilliant idea of us all going to dinner. It can be hard to tell her no. The woman would chop off her arm for you if she thought you needed it.
“That you are her son. I had no idea.” I see her hand out of the corner of my eye start to come down onto my forearm. I snag my drink, taking a sip so I can dodge her touch.
I don’t want her to get the wrong idea. I find her words hard to believe if she lives here in Kingston. Football is life here. We're big but also have a small-town feel. Anyone that was raised here would agree with me on that. I suppose she might not have linked my parents and me together. I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt.
I might just be jaded. I know what the girls were like when we’d be on the road for a game when I played professionally. They try hard to sink their claws into you. At least the ones who would circle the bar of the hotel we’d be staying in.
The college kids make up a greater part of the population in the city, but they come and go. The locals are always the same. I played not only high school football here, I went to the university too. That was many years ago, though. Since then I retired from the NFL and moved back here to coach at my alma mater.
I was born and raised here. So if you’ve lived here for any stretch of time you’d know who my parents are. It’s how small towns work for the most part. I decide to go ahead with the meal, not wanting to be an ass to someone my mom talks to.
“I’ve been gone awhile.” Which is true. I got drafted all the way across the country. It feels good to be back home. I didn't know how much I missed it until I came back. I feel more settled than I ever have in my life. That might be because I got the job I’ve always wanted.
“Are we ready to order?” the server asks, coming back to the table. I’m stuck.
“I’m starving.” Tiffany reopens the menu. There is no way I’m getting out of this without being rude. “You order, I’m still trying to decide.”
“I’ll take the biggest ribeye cooked medium rare.” I hand him the menu I never opened. “Load up on the potatoes.” He nods, punching my order into the tablet in his hand. Tiffany starts asking him a million questions. My eyes flick across the restaurant to the front, seeing someone enter.
I spot Reid first. He’s hard to miss at his height. He holds the door open for his girlfriend Zoey. She was the only reason I’d gotten him to come here in the first place. I’m not sure if their relationship is going to be a problem or not when it comes to him keeping his head in the game. I guess time will tell. So far all has been good. He seems to have a good head on his shoulders.
I lift my hand and motion him over. Zoey gives me a small wave like she always does when she sees me. I smile and nod at her. Then my eyes land on the girl next to her. All I can see is a wave of long blond hair and a petite curvy body that has me sitting up straighter, willing her to look my way. My cock stirs for the first time in a long time as I take her in.
Finally she turns her head to see who Zoey is waving to, giving me what I want. Bright green eyes meet mine as a smile forms on her plump lips. Everything inside of me freezes.
“Wasn’t he in the paper?” the woman across the table asks. I’ve suddenly forgotten her name. I’m sure Reid was in the paper when Kingston got him to commit to coming here.
“Coach!” Reid says as he makes his way over to me. I stand and give him a clap on the back.
“Join us.” I drop my eyes back to the blonde who is standing behind Reid with Zoey. I think this is the girl he told me Zoey was moving in with. Fuck me. That means she’s a student and way too young for me. She’s fresh out of fucking high school.
Reid gives me a curious look. His eyes keep bouncing between the woman and me.
“You’re not on a—"
“The ribeye is great here.” I cut him off, not wanting the breathtaking blonde that’s with them to think I’m on a date. It shouldn’t matter to me because it’s not like I can touch her. Or have her. Or wrap that blond hair of hers around my fist while I drive into her over and over again. She is beyond off-limits. I need to stop thinking about how those emerald eyes would look staring up at me as she took me deep into her throat.
“Want me to add this table?” the server asks, pointing to the one next to ours.
“Tiffany?” the beautiful blonde asks.
“Willow, right?” She pushes back from her chair to stand. “How is your mom?”
“She’s good.” They kiss each other on each cheek. Tiffany pauses and whispers something in her ear. Willow’s eyes glance at me but pull away quickly.
“Am I moving the table?” the server asks again.
“No.” Willow answers him before anyone else can. “We just came to check out the menu for dinner in the future. We have reservations next door.” She pauses on a few of her words, and I know she’s lying. Reid shrugs. What the hell had Tiffany whispered in her ear?
“Yeah. Italian.” Zoey jumps in, trying to make her friend’s lie more believable. Both of the girls are terrible liars. I find it oddly endearing. I’m even finding things about her attractive that shouldn’t be. What the hell is wrong with me? I don’t even know this girl and she has me thinking all of these crazy thoughts. I can’t think straight, something I’m not used to.
“There’s only a Chinese place next door,” I point out. Both of their faces flush, and Reid gives me a hard look. “See you at practice,” I say, releasing him.