Family. That is what surrounds me now. Sitting to my left is Katelyn. On my right is Josie. Nestled in my arms is Elle, who just fell and hit her head on the bleachers. Quinn stands next to Liam and Peyton while they stand along the fence cheering for Noah. I’m not a football fan, never have been. Honestly, if I had known Liam in school, I wouldn’t be his friend, but here I sit, watching a game I don’t understand and yelling as loudly as the next person because that is what family does.
It’s been just over a month since I asked Katelyn and the girls to dinner and almost every night since, we’ve eaten as a family. She’s yet to spend the night again, but we’ve found plenty of time to be a couple. At least that’s what I’m calling us. The kids haven’t said anything, even though I have a feeling Quinn knows. He’s started coming home with Peyton and Elle after school and that all but forces me to pick him up at Katelyn’s.
I’ve been told not to knock and to enter through the side door. Each time I’m greeted with a hug from Elle, half a smile from Peyton, a nod from my son and from Katelyn, I get the look that tells me she wants to rush up and kiss the shit out of me if the kids were in another room.
Every day I learn something new, and with each revelation I fear that I may be falling in love with her. It’s definitely a feeling like no other that I’ve experienced, and I’m not exactly sure how to handle it, except continue to do what I’m doing and let her lead our relationship. If that means I’m going to freeze my ass off on Saturday mornings so we can watch Noah play football, then so be it.
“Hey baby,” Katelyn says beside me. Oh how I wish she was talking to me, but since I’m holding half of her precious cargo in my arms, I know otherwise. Elle rubs her face along my sweatshirt. Her fingers are digging into the back of my neck. She fell pretty hard and even though my heart hurt for her, it soared when she opted for me instead of Katelyn to hold her. I shouldn’t gloat, but every man needs a little beauty in his life, and Elle is my princess.
“How does she look?” I ask over the top of her head. Katelyn looks worried and that concerns me. I haven’t had to deal with Quinn being hurt before, as he’s had a pretty sheltered life. Homeschooling and hanging out with my mom don’t exactly offer an abundance of mishaps. I know they went to the park often, but aside from a skinned knee, nothing too bad.
“It’s a goose-egg and black and blue. She needs ice.”
“I’ll go get some,” I offer. I put my hands on Elle’s side only for her to moan and cling onto me even tighter. “Elle, sweetie, I’m going to get you some ice for your bump.”
She shakes her head. “Mommy go.”
“Don’t you want mommy to hold you?” I ask, hoping to change the sad look on Katelyn’s face. It’s one that I don’t think even my kissing can change. Elle pulls herself tighter against my chest.
“I’ll go,” Katelyn says softly. She rubs her hand down Elle’s back before she gets up and steps down the bleachers with ease. I follow her as she walks over to Noah’s bench and asks for a bag of ice. I suppose if you’re going to have an accident like this, this is the place to do it.
“How are things going?” Josie asks as soon as Katelyn’s out of earshot.
“Things are good.”
“I heard you’ve been having dinner together.”
I laugh. “It’s just dinner. Quinn and the girls get along well and Katelyn is good company.” I don’t need Josie to be let in on what’s really going on. I know Katelyn has been talking to her, but we’ve been keeping things from the kids for a reason. It’s been at my encouragement that we ease the girls into what’s going on. I don’t want them to think I’m trying to replace their dad, because I’m not. I want to be someone that they can count on and be there for them when they need me. Quinn – I know how he feels – it’s just a matter of time before I tell him everything.
“I like Quinn,” Elle adds for good measure.
I smile down at her and return to watching Katelyn. She’s talking to Noah’s coach.
“Shouldn’t he be coaching?” I ask just as Liam yells from his spot by the fence. The coach looks at Liam and yells something out to the players.
“Noah doesn’t like the coach.”
“I don’t think I do either.” Josie laughs. I look at Liam, who’s having an animated conversation with Peyton. She’s holding her football under her arm and waving her other one dramatically in the air.
“You’re really good with the girls, Harrison. Katelyn sees that.”
“Peyton…” I look down at Elle and shut my mouth. The last thing I want to do is talk about her sister in a way that she could take as demeaning. I want Peyton to like me, not because of her mother, but because I think she’s an amazing little girl and want to get to know her. If she’s anything like her sister, even though they’re opposites, she’s going to steal my heart too. I just have to find a way to get past the wall she’s put up.
“She’ll come around. She was so close to Mason. Everywhere he went, she was with him and for her to wake-up and have her daddy gone… she doesn’t know how to cope. Katelyn says things are getting better with Dr. Brooks.”
“Someday,” I say confidently.
Katelyn returns with the bag of ice. It took that coach long enough to give it her and I’m about to say something completely stupid, until she smiles at me as she walks up the bleachers, making me forget whatever it was. I take the bag from her as she sits down. She slips her hand up under my sweatshirt. My body stiffens as I yell out.
“Sorry,” she whispers in my ear, placing a kiss there. “My hand was cold.” My tongue is tied, so I nod and wink at her. I’ll make her pay for it when we’re in Los Angeles.
“It’s cold,” Elle says turning away from me. I have to pull her away from my body against my will, but we need to put ice on her head to keep the swelling down.
“Just for a little bit.” Katelyn sets it back down on her bump and holds it there. I want to put my hand on her thigh to let her know that I think she’s amazing and to not let Elle’s actions get to her. I can see it in her face, the way it falls each time Elle tells her no or moves away from her. She’s trying so hard with both girls. I know she’s just looking for a tiny bit of happiness where they’re concerned.
Elle snuggles into my chest with Katelyn holding the icepack against her forehead. Josie starts cheering, causing Elle to turn sharply and almost fall out of my arms. Her sudden movements also send the icepack flying into the man sitting in front of us. I stifle a laugh and scramble to pick it up without dropping Elle. I hand it back to Katelyn, who looks mortified.
“Sorry, sir, it slipped out of our hands,” I say, hoping he won’t freak out. I sometimes forget that the people of Beaumont aren’t like some of the people in L.A. At least here you’ll just get a glare.
“I think we should go,” she whispers into my ear. Chills spread across my body with all the innuendos that could mean. The simple statement of we should go is what’s really turning me on. Just to be with her and the kids as a family is all I need right now. Everything else with her is just gravy.
I nod, pick up Elle and wait for Katelyn to gather her purse.
“We’re going to take off,” she says to Josie, who is so enthralled in the game, she just nods. I jump off the side, holding Elle tightly in my arms, and turn to see Katelyn about to jump too. I reach for her and am rewarded with her hand slipping into mine, before she hops down. I don’t let go and neither does she. We walk hand-in-hand to Liam. His eyebrow rises when he sees us. I shake my head slightly. I don’t want a scene or any wise cracks coming from him.
“Peyton, we’re going to go.”
I see the anger in her eyes immediately. I’m prepared for the outburst. She bites her lower lip and clutches her football tighter.
“Peyton?” Katelyn says her name again.
Liam is watching all of this as it’s about to explode.
“Uncle Liam, can you give me a ride home after the game?”
Liam looks from Peyton to Katelyn, who nods quickly.
“As long as your mom doesn’t have a problem with it, but you’ll have to ask her.”
Peyton sighs and looks at her mom. “Mommy, can I stay with Uncle Liam?”
Katelyn covers her mouth and I’m oblivious to what just happened. “Yes, you can stay.” She steps forward and kisses Peyton on the forehead before turning and walking toward her car, leaving Elle and I standing there.
“What the…?”
Liam shrugs and goes back to yelling at Noah on the field. “Hey man, Quinn can stay too if he wants.”
“I want,” he says quickly.
“All right. I’ll come pick you up later.”
“Okay, dad. Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
I walk away, still confused about what just happened with Katelyn and Peyton. I was ready for the all out battle that was going to ensue, because we all know how Peyton feels about football, but that didn’t happen.
Katelyn is waiting by her car when I walk up with Elle. The back door is open, allowing me to set Elle in her booster. She starts strapping herself in as soon as I move away. Sure funny how she’s feeling better now that we aren’t at the football game. Katelyn shuts the door and leans against it. I want to pull her into my arms and taste her lips for hours.
“Do you want to come over?”
“Would you think of me as a desperate man if I said yes?”
“No, I’d think of you as a man who wants to spend time with me, and I’d think of me as a woman who wants to spend time with you.”
“You need to pack.”
Katelyn shrugs. “Maybe you can help while Elle is watching a movie.”
“Hmm, maybe.” I place my hand on the back of her neck and pull her forward. As much as I want to kiss her full on the lips, I kiss her forehead.
“I’ll follow you,” I say, not wanting to leave my car at the field.
“Kay,” she replies with a nod. I stand there like lovesick puppy while she gets in her car. I can’t see her when she gets to the driver’s side because she’s too short. I try not to laugh, but just thinking about spending the next hour or so with her makes me happy.
I look out just in time to see Quinn running toward me. He’s in a full sprint, yelling my name.
“What’s up, bud?” I catch him in my arms. He’s breathing hard.
“I forgot you’re leaving tonight.”
“Yeah?”
“I wanted to ask you something.”
I set him down on the ground and move his hair out of his eyes. He needs a haircut. Something I’ll have to get done when I get back.
“What do you want to know?”
“Do you love Katelyn?”
I bend down so that I’m just a bit shorter than him and set my hand on his shoulder. “I don’t know, maybe. I’m not sure what it means to be in love. I love you, I know that, but I think with Katelyn the love is different.”
“Do you love Elle and Peyton?”
“I do. Is that okay?”
“Yeah it is, and it’s okay for you to love Katelyn too. I won’t be mad.”
I kneel down on the cold, wet ground and pull my son into my arms. I’m not sure how I got so lucky, but I did and I’ll never take him for granted.
“I love you, Quinn. Do you want to come with me to Katelyn’s?”
He looks back at Liam and Peyton and nods. “Yeah, I do. I like it there.”
“Me too, bud,” I say as I stand and ruffle his hair.
This may not be what Katelyn expects when I pull in, but I know she won’t be mad. We’re a family of five and neither of us can be complete without our children. We’ll just have to spend a lot of time in my bedroom in Los Angeles. One I don’t plan to leave until I’m scheduled to be on the red carpet.