35. Chapter Thirty-Five

Chapter Thirty-Five

MIA

I t's the next weekend and we're in New Jersey for the next game happening tomorrow. I'm sitting across from Amanda, who is looking at me with wide eyes and an expectant expression on her face.

"So…" Amanda perks up in her chair. "What do you think of him?"

James has just gone to the bathroom, leaving Amanda, Senna, and me at the table. He won't be gone long, but it's just enough time for the questions to snowball.

"I think he's a gentleman!" I set down my root beer float and slap the table. "What do you think of James, Senna?"

Senna is busy with his handheld device and pays little to no attention to the table. However, when asked about James, he perks up as well, but doesn't stop playing "He bought me the latest racing game!"

"Well, that's all the praise I need to hear from a six-year-old!" I say, ruffling the kid's hair, who goes unmoved from the game.

"They've been getting along," Amanda says, sipping a mojito so fragrant the mint burns my eyes. "I have invited Ethan to meet him."

"I know Ethan's coming after practice," I say, curious about his reaction. He's been pretty tight-lipped about it, but I know he is concerned and wants to make sure James is a good guy for Amanda and for his son to be around.

Amanda nods, a giddy smile on her face. "Senna already mentioned to Ethan that I have a friend , and so it's about time they meet. Ethan must still be shocked," she says with a nervous laugh.

James returns to the table, all cheers and smiles, especially toward Senna. And all I can think about is Ethan, and what his reaction will be to it all.

I hope he'll like James. He seems like a genuine and nice guy.

"Mia?" James' gentle voice asks, snapping me out of my daydreaming. "Do you need anything else? Some more water?"

"Oh…" I look over my shoulder, and surprisingly enough, find Ethan coming through the doors of the restaurants at that very moment. He's wearing casual athletic clothes, his hair still wet from his after-practice shower, clearly not caring much about appearances today.

"Senna!" he's the first one Ethan greets at the table. When Ethan kisses his cheek, Senna promptly wipes it away.

"Dad!" he complains. "I'm busy!"

"So, things are going to be like that from now on, huh?" Ethan says, indignant, both hands on his hips. Then, he turns to James, offering his hand in greeting. "Hi. Ethan Matthews."

"James Finnigan," James says.

Things become territorial quite quickly. Ethan seems polite enough, but there's a guardedness in his eyes that I can't miss.

Ethan silently faces off against James and comes out on top. James humbly takes back his seat, while Ethan stands for a second too long, gloating at his win. He then kisses me and takes a seat as well, tucking me right by his side, under his protective arm.

"So, what are you doing in New Jersey, James?" Ethan asks, his gaze sweeping over the table. "Are you a fan?"

"A little," James says. "I'm actually part of the firm that handles public relations for your brother's investment company."

Ethan laughs. "Ryan hasn't been doing a lot lately, huh?"

"From what I hear, you two have been giving him a run for his money," James says, and I bristle.

"Wait, what did you tell him?" I turn to Amanda.

"Nothing that isn't already common knowledge," Amanda shrugs, leaving me to shake my head in desperation.

Ethan and James hit it off over cars, and Amanda and I sip on ice cream floats as they get to know each other.

James and Amanda leave first, taking Senna with them. We bid them our goodbyes, and Ethan buries his face in a big spoon of Rocky Road ice cream, emerging only to mutter, "I don't like him."

"What?" I feel amused. "You seemed to be getting along okay."

"Oh, no!" Ethan shakes his head with vigor, "I don't trust him. But I have Senna as my spy. He will tell me everything."

"Oh, I'm sure he's not that bad…" I rub his arm to help calm him down. "He is great at keeping Senna occupied."

"Until Senna gets bored of the newest game." Ethan eats the rest of his ice cream. "Then he'll want to do something else. And heaven help you then."

"Well, you should know your child better than anyone…" I let him be and go to finish my own forgotten float. "And Amanda likes him, okay? She's an adult and knows what she's doing."

Ethan tenses up his shoulders and lets out a deep sigh, resigning himself to put his trust in his ex-wife.

"Eh, I guess you're right," he says, "Of course, in my eyes, every man around her will be seen as a predator forever. Is this what it is like to have a daughter?"

"I hope we have a girl!" I say, hands on my tummy.

"You're playing the game!" he points at me, then pulls me close to kiss me.

"Um, what game?" I pull back, genuinely confused.

"The gender and name game!" his eyes are full of wonder. "Next we'll be deciding on the names for the little girl!"

"Whoa!" I pull back completely. "That's too much, mister."

Ethan visibly wilts but still manages to hold onto the hint of a smile. He continues, "So what was it, just now? An impulse?"

"Umm…" I hide a small smile of my own behind a spoonful of ice cream. "Probably."

"Aha!" He waits for me to put the ice cream in my mouth, only to have a taste of it from me as he leans in for a kiss. "You want a little girl, and you are going to admit it, missy!"

"Alright, alright!" Ethan gets me giggling. He always makes me laugh so effortlessly. "Girls seem easier, okay? I mean, it will be easier to have the tough conversations her when the time for it comes around."

"Hmm, yeah…" he places a hand on his chin. "This is why parenting should always be a team effort. I can't imagine having to explain about periods…"

"Ha!" I tilt my head back, pointing a finger at him. "And what do you know about periods, mister?"

Ethan's face contorts into the funniest expressions as he struggles to come up with an answer. Eventually, he gives up with a defeated look on his face, and I burst into laughter.

"You got me, I know nothing," he says with a nonchalant wave. "After all, I grew up in a mostly male household, and mom was very discreet with her… business."

I keep on giggling, but when he goes to take a bite from my dwindling ice cream float, I quickly swipe his hand away and tell him to order one of his own.

He does and once he's eating his, I ask, "How's the prep for the big game?"

"Eh, it's not the big game yet," Ethan shrugs, trying to blow away the fact that he is terrified. "But it's just two games until we know who's in the final."

"Shouldn't you be with the team right now?" I ask, gently soothing his fidgeting fingers as they play with his hair. "I mean, the game is tomorrow."

"The coach decided to give us some family time before the game. We've been practicing every day when we aren't having game days, and our practice earlier today went well. We deserve this for our good run so far," he says, now cracking his knuckles.

"I'm surprised all the guys aren't riding around like wild horsemen," I say with a laugh.

He relaxes for a moment, but then cracks his neck in two very quick and sudden moves.

"Believe it or not, everybody wants their family right now," Ethan says, smiling. "Even Ruslav brought his mother into town."

"That's cute," I say, holding Ethan's hands against my stomach. "And you, what do you want to do today?"

"Hmm," he caresses my tummy with all the care in the world. "All I want is to have an ice cream float, and then discuss baby girl names with my beautiful girlfriend. The rest, we'll see."

He kisses me tenderly. I take is as a sweet promise of things to come, not only for the night, but for our future as well.