She’s right, but Rylan is a ball hog and dodges right and left toward the net.
“That’s your grandson?” a woman asks, and I turn to see someone I don’t know sitting with Ethel.
“Yep. And see that girl in the braids? He likes her.”
“Mom,” Hank says.
“What? We all know it. He’s twelve, dear. When you were twelve, you were taking long showers.”
“Can we please not do this here?” Cade asks. “We embarrass the kid enough.”
“Isn’t that the truth. A twelve-year-old’s alone time isn’t something to joke about.” Jed laughs.
Molly says, “I think a thirty-two-year-old’s alone time isn’t something to joke about.” Her gaze flies to Jed and his face turns beet red.
“Is there something we need to know?” Adam asks, patting Jed on the back.
“Rylan’s about to score.” Jed points at the field.
“He’s a good player,” the woman says to Ethel.
I look back at her now that they’ve scored. She has the same crystal-blue eyes as Logan. If his mom is here, that means he must be as well. But where?
“Excuse me,” I say to the woman.
She looks at me, blinks, and shakes her head. “Nikki!” she shouts so loudly, I think everyone in the arena heard her. “I didn’t see you sneak in.” She comes down the bleachers and slides between Molly and me.
“Let me get out of your way,” Molly says, standing and heading toward the other side of the bleachers.
I have no time to process where Molly’s going because Logan’s mom’s arms are around me, swaying us back and forth.
“It’s so great to meet you. Gosh, you’re beautiful, no wonder my son is so smitten.” She draws back, leaving her hands on my upper arms, her gaze skating up and down my body. “You’re stunning.”
I feel my cheeks heat. “Thank you. He has your eyes.”
She nods. “Yeah, they’re a curse and a blessing. People love them, but they reveal everything you’re thinking.”
She’s right, because right now all I see is happiness beaming from hers.
“Where is he?” I ask.
I don’t want to admit I thought he was running late and probably not coming at all. I mean, he doesn’t have to. Rylan might be his brother-in-law right now, but he won’t be in three months. Logan needs to concentrate on his fighting more than winning over my family. If they like him, it’ll only make our breakup that much worse.
She points across the way and I watch Calista roll her eyes at Rylan while he gets high fives from their teammates. Behind them, on the team bench, is Logan.
“Why is he over there?” I ask.
“Rylan wanted him there,” his mom says. “I’m Pauline, by the way.”
“It’s great to meet you.”
She swings her arm around my shoulders. “You’re just so cute, and your family is wonderful. Your grandma is a hoot,” she whispers.
“Yeah. She’s something.”
I love Ethel like my own grandmas. One lives in Arizona and we barely speak. My mom’s mom lives in Sunrise Bay, but she and my grandpa go on a lot of vacations since they’ve retired.
“I give her credit, she just got Logan to agree to do a self-defense class at the retirement center.” Pauline smiles as if that’s the best news.
Cade and Adam laugh.
“Good luck to the poor bastard,” Cade says to Adam.
“Hey now. Those are my peeps you’re talking about.” Ethel smacks Cade on the back of the head.
“I’m way too old for you to be doing that,” he says.
“As long as I have two feet above the ground, you’re not too old for me to take you over my knee.”
Apparently concerned, Cade quiets down.
For the rest of the game, my gaze strays to Logan on the bench. I’m not even sure if he’s a soccer fan or not, but he’s right there, cheering for the team.
Finally, during the last play, Rylan kicks the ball to Calista. She gets past a defender and kicks it back to Rylan, then somehow the ball ends up back with Calista and she shoots and scores. Her arms raise and she runs toward their coach. He picks her up and swings her around, then the team all give her high fives. Well, everyone but Rylan. Sometimes he’s such a sourpuss.
“Well, he’s not going to get her with that attitude. Someone give that boy some honey,” Pauline says.
Mom stands. “I’d like to take him over my knee.”
Mom walks over to the Bailey bleachers and talks to Calista’s parents. Her dad owns Terra and Mare, the most expensive restaurant in the area.
“She just doesn’t understand twelve-year-old boys.” Hank shakes his head and follows Mom over there.
“Give the kid a break. He passed her the ball. That’s progress.” Jed stomps down the bleachers. “I gotta get back to the brewery.”
“Oh, can I catch a ride?” Molly asks, already heading down the bleachers.
My eyebrows scrunch. She said nothing about having to work. Jed looks at Cade and for a moment I think he’s going to say no, but he nods.
“I’ll catch you later, Nik.” Molly pats me on the knee and follows my older brother out the door.
“Are those two a couple?” Pauline asks.
“No,” I say.
Cade groans behind me. He better not know something I don’t. Molly and Jed are great on their own, but I can’t imagine if they got together. What if something happened? Molly comes to all our family events, and if Jed broke her heart, it would put a big strain on that. And right now, I have enough problems.
Logan comes over and sits down on the bleacher next to me. “So you met my mom.”
“I did.” I smile at Pauline. “I thought maybe you forgot to come.”
His smile dims, but he recovers immediately, putting his hand on my knee. God, I love the feeling of the warmth from his palm that seeps through my jeans. “I said I’d come.”
I nod. He hasn’t disappointed me—yet.
We stand, and Pauline is already talking with my sister Mandi while everyone else disperses.
“Mom, you ready?” Logan asks.
“Actually, Mandi here has graciously given me a room that just opened up at her inn. She said it’s closer to town.”
“Yeah, but you can stay with us.” Logan puts his arm around my waist.
In truth, if his mom stays with us, I might have to stop hiding out in my room at night. I only do it because I’m afraid I’m going to sleep with the man. Every night he asks me if I want to work out with him or watch television and I always say no. The man is temptation incarnate and I only have so much willpower.
“Nonsense, you guys are newlyweds. You need your privacy.” She looks at Mandi. “I’ll just get my bag and head over there with you?”
“Are you sure?” Logan asks.
“Definitely. We’ll have plenty of time to catch up.”
“Okay.” Logan lets it go.
I should be relieved that she’s not staying with us, especially if she believes, like my parents, that this is a real marriage. So why do I feel a little disappointed?
Later that night, I can’t sleep, so I walk downstairs to the kitchen. I find Logan, setting out the sugar and spoon next to my empty coffee mug. I figured it was Iris, his chef, who was doing that.