Chapter 8

Eight

C hance texted Tori the last few days. He hadn’t seen her, but they’d talked and he found himself looking forward to each text she sent.

Tonight he was supposed to come over for dinner but he was on his way over there early. He knew she was working from home today so he was going to surprise her and Emmett and get some practice in with him.

He was excited about it. The thought of playing with Emmett was not something he thought he’d look forward to but it was refreshing to see the kids play Saturday and the love they had for the game. So many people at his level were more jaded and the game had lost its fun.

As he pulled up, he grinned, seeing Emmett run over to his car. “Hey, bud,” Chance greeted him as he climbed out.

“You’re early. Mom said you’d be here for dinner,” Emmett told him.

“I thought I’d come and pass the ball with you before dinner. What do you think?”

“Yes!” He jumped. “I have my ball over there.”

“Slow down,” Chance laughed. “Let me go make sure with your mom first.”

“Okay.” Emmett returned to his side and grabbed his hand, pulling him in the house. “Mom!” he shouted.

“What is it?” she called from another room.

“Chance is here,” he yelled back, pulling Chance through the house.

“What?” she squeaked.

Chance caught her as she walked out of the kitchen and ran into him. “Hey,” he said.

“Hey,” she breathed.

“I thought I’d come to keep an eye on this guy and get some practice in before dinner. If that’s okay?” Suddenly he was nervous about not checking first.

“Oh, umm, sure,” she answered.

“I should have asked.” He’d screwed up, misunderstood.

“No,” she rushed out as she stepped back. “I was just surprised. It’s fine, really.”

He studied her, trying to decide if she meant it or not. She smiled back at him, blushing lightly under his gaze. “I’ll ask next time,” he assured her.

“Mom said it was okay,” Emmett said impatiently.

“I really was just surprised,” she told him. “A good surprise.”

“Emmett, go get that ball. I’ll be right out,” Chance told him.

He waited until he heard the front door slam, knowing that it would as he went through it, before pulling Tori back to him. She went up on her tiptoes, pressing a kiss to his lips.

Chance returned the kiss, deepening it slightly before breaking it off. “I can’t go out there and play with him if we keep this up.” He stroked her cheek, not wanting to walk away.

“Go,” she told him. “I’ve got dinner to prepare.

He didn’t miss the small wobble she did as Chance backed away. He was thrilled to know that she was as affected as he was by a small kiss.

The next hour was spent running different drills with Emmett in the yard. He had good ball control for being so young. Chance was impressed. They practiced passes and stealing the ball from each other.

“This is so fun,” Emmett said for the hundredth time.

“I’m having a good time too, bud.” Chance ruffled his hair again.

“You keep messing my hair up,” Emmett immediately ran his hands over it trying to fix it.

“My bad,” Chance bit back his laugh.

“Dinner, guys. Come clean up,” Tori called from the porch.

“You have to wash your hands, or mom gets really mad,” Emmett whispered.

Chance chuckled. “Washing your hands before you eat is important. I do it without my mom reminding me.” Chance winked at him.

“Ugh.” Emmett was clearly not impressed with the adult-like response to his information.

He followed Chance inside and to the sink, where they both washed their hands. Then to the table where a big meal was spread out for them.

“Emmett, I made your plate already.” Tori pointed at a seat that was already ready to go.

“You made a lot of food,” Emmett pointed out.

Tori ducked her head, probably regretting the fact that Chance had heard it.

“It all looks really good,” he told her as he picked up one of the empty plates and began to pile his plate high.

He wasn’t exaggerating. She had roasted a chicken, made mashed potatoes, rolls, and what looked like homemade macaroni and cheese next to some green beans. He took some of each and dug in as soon as he sat.

Tori made her own plate and took the seat across from him, with Emmett at the end of the table. It was a small four seat table and he found this family meal to be more intimate than their date Saturday night.

Emmett rambled between bites about his day at school and his next game. Tori added clarifications where she could and fussed at him not to talk with his mouth full. Chance didn’t add much to the conversation.

He watched them both, taking it all in. It was shocking to realize that he really could see himself doing this every day. To come home to these two after practice would give him something to look forward to, and he wanted this.

Chance smiled to himself. It was too soon to tell her, but he was happy here. He had news for her after Emmett was settled, too. It had been hard to hold it in, but he hoped she was happy about it.

“Can I be done?” Emmett asked.

“Clean up your plate and go shower.” Tori nodded to him.

“I’ll help you clean up,” Chance rose, following Emmett with his own empty plate.

“You’re the guest, you don’t need to help,” Tori followed them.

He shook his head. “No way. I’m helping.”

“It’s not a big deal. I don’t want to keep you too long. I’m sure you have things to do,” Tori continued.

Was she trying to get rid of him? He shook his head at that thought, trying to push it away. She couldn’t be.

“I don’t have anywhere else I’d rather be,” Chance told her.

She didn’t say it, but her mouth formed an O. He smiled, happy she wasn’t trying to push him away.

He helped her put dinner away and load the dishwasher. She tried to stop him, but he scrubbed out the roasting pan and put it away.

Tori watched him more than she helped and he didn’t mind. She seemed caught off guard more by his help than him showing up early and playing with Emmett.

Isaac was an ass. He already knew it, but clearly no one in her life had set expectations that men actually helped their partners. Little things like helping with the dishes didn’t deserve the millions of thanks that she’d given him.

“Thank you again,” Tori told him as they left the kitchen.

He stopped and turned to her. “You don’t have to thank me. I ate, cleaning is the least I could do. My mother would kill me if I didn’t.”

“She raised you right,” Tori said.

“Mom,” Emmett called.

They jumped apart even though they hadn’t been touching.

“What?” Tori called, her eyes staying on Chance.

“Can I play video games?” Emmett asked.

Tori sighed and looked at her watch. “He’s got an hour before bedtime,” she told Chance.

“Let’s play, then.” Chance headed for the living room.

The next hour was extended by another half an hour as he and Emmett battled it out in a video game. They went back and forth and joked and teased each other.

Tori reclined on the sofa beside him, their thighs touching as Emmett went from the sofa to the recliner to the floor. The kid was a bundle of energy.

She sent him off to bed and followed him up to get him settled. Chance cleared away the video game and the controllers, putting them back in their spots he’d seen Emmett take them from and turned on a TV show while he waited.

“He will be talking about running drills with you for the rest of his life,” Tori told him when she returned. “Thank you for doing that with him.”

“I didn’t do it to get thanks from you. I had a good time with him.” Chance took her hand and pulled her onto the sofa next to him. “I won’t stay too long, but I wanted to spend some time with you before I left.”

“I don’t know what to do with you,” she confessed to him.

“You don’t have to do anything. Just be you and I’ll be me,” he told her. “I wanted to tell you something,” Chance told her. “I made an appointment to talk to a therapist today about working through my frustrations on the field.”

“That’s great,” she smiled.

He needed her to know that he was working on being a good example for Emmett. He really wanted this to work.

“Can I kiss you?” he whispered, mindful of the child upstairs.

“Please,” she breathed out.

“Thank God,” he said as he closed the short distance between them.