“Mom,” he said softly, sitting up. “Are you and Mark gonna get married?”

  She laughed, though the innocent question made her chest tight. “We’re just watching the movie with you, honey.”

  Angus narrowed his eyes but reluctantly returned to watching the movie. She looked up at Mark, who had a warm smile waiting for her.

  But she swore she caught something more dancing in his gaze, her own insecurities reflecting back at her. Angus getting close to Mark was one thing, but what about when Angus got attached to the idea of her and Mark together forever?

  She’d only been thinking about not wanting to interfere in Mark’s process of getting to know his son. She never realized that their closeness might ignite Angus’s hope for a permanent family of three.

  And what happened if they got together and it didn’t lead to marriage? What then? Would Angus’s heart break?

  The questions swarmed her, making her tired after the long day of doubts and humiliation. Instead of trying to find a solution, she rested her head against Mark’s shoulder and drifted off to sleep.

  She’d figure things out a different day.

  10

  A week later, Mark was in the final stretch of his workday—offensive meetings—and trying his damnedest to stop watching the clock. Every inch of him vibrated with desire to get the hell out of there. Not because he couldn’t stand it. But because his family had gotten to his place that afternoon for an extended stay in which they would finally meet Angus.

  He’d been looking forward to this since he and Tessa had started planning the get-together. She wanted to be there too—after all, Mark’s family was practically her family too, and this marked year six that she hadn’t seen any of them.

  By the time the meetings ended and the team was heading to the locker rooms to grab their things, Mark was at the head of the crowd. He made quick work of packing his bags, and when he shut his locker, Pete was on the bench, touching his right shoulder again.

  Mark paused, reminding himself not to go there with Pete again. They’d played just fine since that awkward exchange a couple weeks back, but Mark didn’t want to rock the boat further.

  Pete must have caught him staring because he said, “Something you’d like to say, Coleridge? Maybe got some more advice for me?”

  Instead of letting the comment weigh him down, Mark thought back to what Tessa had told him. “Actually, I was wondering if you could let me know what you ended up doing for that shoulder. I’ve been going really hard, and I might be overdoing it. Plus, I think I plateaued.”

  Pete looked suspicious for a moment, but finally nodded. “Yeah, well, what my trainer told me has been helping. I can show you when we’re on weights next. I’ll spot you.”

  Relief spread through him as he nodded. Maxwell joined them a moment later.

  “Hey, you two going out to Ernie’s after this?” Ernie’s was a mainstay restaurant for the Sharks, but Mark had only gone with the team one time so far, at the start of the preseason.

  “Yeah, I’ll be there.” Pete jerked his chin toward Mark. “What about you, Coleridge? You should come.”

  “Aw, man, I’d love to, but my family just got into town.” He hated to turn down an offer for a casual evening with the team, especially since they didn’t have them all the time. “My girl is coming over later with our son, and he’ll be meeting Grandma and Grandad Coleridge for the first time.”

  “Damn. That’s pretty big.” Maxwell squeezed his shoulder. “Have fun with that. Family comes first, man. I get it.”

  “You’ll catch the next one,” Pete offered.

  Mark slung his bag over his shoulder and bumped fists with both of his teammates before he left the locker room. The evening was humid and golden as he headed for his car in the crowded parking lot. He still felt like he was on Coach’s shit list, but right now, it didn’t matter. Because he was about to have his family at his place for a full week, and his parents, grandad, and sister were going to meet Angus.

  As far as he was concerned, life was perfect. With a chance of getting even better, now that he and Tessa were on the mend.

  He blasted rock music as he drove with the windows down through Savannah. This was the first time his whole family would be staying with him at the same time, and he was glad he’d rented a bigger house than he initially thought he’d need. He still fought off the echoes of his deprived childhood. The push to stay small, make do and penny pinch. But everything was different now. There would never not be enough space for all of them. Except now that Angus was in the picture, he was thinking he should have gotten a five-bedroom.

  His goal was to keep his family comfortable. Which meant the football checks needed to keep coming. He needed to keep proving himself as the rookie.

  This was his only shot at living the life of his dreams.

  Mark parked inside the parking garage and hurried in. He was barely in the front door when he caught the telltale smells of his mama’s cooking seeping out into the hallway. With a big grin, he turned the corner to the kitchen and found his entire family smiling back at him.

  “Welcome home, honey!” His mama tossed the dish towel she’d been using over her shoulder and swept toward him for a big hug. He was barely two steps inside the door when a hug line formed: first his mama, then dad, grandad, and finally his younger sister Anita.

  “There’s my football star,” his grandad said, clapping him on the back as he finally set his things down and came into the living room.

  “Now where’s that grandbaby of mine?” his mama asked, cocking a hip.

  Mark checked his phone. He and Tessa had been sending check-in texts all day, like most days, and everything was on schedule. “Be here in about a half hour. And you guys gotta go easy on the big guy, okay? He’s gonna get overwhelmed if you make a huge fuss.”

  “How could we not make a fuss?” his mama demanded. “He’s our only grandbaby!”

  “For now,” his dad added, sending a meaningful look toward Anita.

  Anita rolled her eyes. “Daddy. Stop. I told you, I’m not interested in anything men have to offer.”

  Mark chuckled. His baby sister was fresh out of college—they’d graduated in the same year, despite being two years apart—and fresh out of her three-year college relationship. “Give it time.”

  “Oh, sure, you become a dad and get on their side,” Anita chided playfully, swatting his shoulder. “I can’t wait to meet my nephew, though. Maybe he’ll change my mind.”

  “See?” His mama clapped her hands together. “That’s the type of positivity I like to hear!”

  Mark laughed, settling into the couch as his family continued bantering and joking around. They’d already hashed out the topic of why Tessa chose to not tell him, and though they’d been upset at first, they’d come to understand Mark’s position on it. Now, everyone was simply excited to move forward.

  He loved being around them, and everything felt lighter now that he’d been able to start injecting some of his earnings into their lives. He’d upgraded Mama and Dad’s car, Grandad’s car, and helped put a down payment on a home Anita purchased after graduation. This was what he’d dreamt of. And that was on less than half a year’s paychecks.

  When the soft knock sounded against his front door, his mama gasped. “Is that them?”

  Mark couldn’t fight his grin. He pulled open the door, finding Tessa and Angus smiling up at him.

  “Daddy!” Angus said, launching into Mark’s arms. He laughed, lifting him easily, while the whole family crowded around.

  From there, it was a flurry of introductions and greetings. His family darted between hugging Tessa and making lengthy introductions to Angus, who perched happily in Mark’s arms. Both of them were wide-eyed and loving it, Mark could tell—Angus, thrilled to be meeting a second grandpa and his first grandma; and Tessa, to be reuniting with some of the oldest almost-family members of her life.

  “Let’s get set up for dinner!” his mama suddenly exclaimed. “These shrimp and grits won’t eat themselves.”

  “Oooooh, I can’t believe you made shrimp and grits,” Tessa said, pressing her hand to her forehead. “I’ve dreamt about your recipe for the past five years.”

  “Well, honey, today is your lucky day!” His mama got busy in the kitchen, and Mark gently set Angus down.

  “Go help your grandmama and granddaddy get ready for dinner,” he whispered to Angus, who nodded and skipped away. Turning to Tessa, he nudged her hip. Even though she had an “everything is perfectly fine” smile on her face, he could tell something was gnawing at her. “Everything good?”

  She opened her mouth to respond but faltered. Hesitation lingered in her gaze. “Yeah. I don’t really wanna get into it right now. I want to have a good dinner.”

  He lowered his head, pinning her with a look. “Are you okay?”

  She nodded. “I am. I swear. I’ll fill you in later.”

  Mark gave her hip a gentle squeeze, and they both rejoined the fray. Soon, dinner was served and everyone had their heads bowed in prayer. And then they were digging into Mama’s shrimp and grits and his granddad’s homemade cornbread. Appreciative groans filled Mark’s brightly lit dining room, and even Angus seemed to be impressed.

  “You like your grandmama’s cooking?” Mark asked, nudging Angus with his elbow.

  “This is the best food I’ve ever had,” he gushed.

  “Get used to it, my little buddy,” Mark’s mama promised. “Grandmama’s gonna feed you like this all the time.”

  Tessa laughed, nodding at Angus. “It’s true. She did the same to me and your daddy and your aunt Anita while we were growing up.”

  “Had to keep these growing kids fed,” she proclaimed.

  “The best meals I’ve ever had were all at your house,” Tessa said, smiling sweetly over at Mark’s mama. His chest tightened when he caught his mama wink her way. The thought of a warm, happy future for him, his family, and Tessa was more than he could have imagined. But having her and Angus here now, it was clear to him that he wanted her at his side. Not just as Angus’s mom, but as his girlfriend. And the fuzziness of where things sat for them right now only made him more anxious to get to that happy place in the future.

  They all chatted easily throughout dinner, switching between more recent news on individual fronts and classic stories that delighted and amused Angus. By the time they had finished eating, Tessa offered to clean up.

  “No, sweetie, that’s not necessary,” Mark’s mama said.

  “I insist,” Tessa said. “You came all this way, made this amazing dinner. Now you ought to relax.”

  “Besides,” Mark said, pushing his chair out, “y’all need to keep filling in Angus on some of these family stories.”

  Mark’s family herded Angus into the living room while Mark and Tessa worked to clear the table. She had a lazy grin on her face.

  “I’m so full, and so happy,” she said once they made it into the kitchen. She blinked slowly as Mark pulled her into his arms, unable to stop himself.

  “Well, that sounds good to me.”

  “It is.” She rested her chin on his chest. “I’m so happy we could do this.”

  “Me too.” He swiped his thumb along her hairline, wanting to dip down for a kiss—and a lot more—but deciding against it while the family was in the other room. They fell into an easy rhythm of loading the dishwasher and organizing the kitchen, but after a while, Mark noticed her smile had drooped.

  “Now will you fill me in on what’s happening?” he asked.

  She sighed. “It’s work.”

  “Not good, I take it.”

  “Well, we’ve sorta been…a hot topic among the staff.” She nibbled on her upper lip as she dropped a handful of forks into the dishwasher. “And today, the head of school called me in to lecture me on my priorities.”

  He stilled, swinging to look at her. “What did you say?”

  “He thinks I’m not focusing on the job as much as I should be,” she said in a low voice.

  “Are you kidding me? I’ve never met anyone more dedicated than you.”

  She deflated slightly, reaching for a dish towel. “It’s complicated. There’s been a lot of gossip, and—”

  “What gossip?”

  She squeezed her eyes shut. “It’s just stupid stuff.”

  “About what?”

  “Nothing.” She started wiping the counter down, but Mark could tell there was way more to the story.

  “Doesn’t seem like nothing,” he commented, reaching for the dishwashing soap. “Why don’t you tell me the truth? What are they gossiping about?”

  She sighed again. “They’re gossiping about me. About us.” When Mark’s eyes felt like they were about to pop out of his head, she added, “Some of the other teachers dislike the fact that we’re linked, I guess. I’m getting the sense that they think it’s just a gold-digger scenario. Like I’m using Angus as a way to get money from you. They think it’s going to upset Pastor Mitchell, who’s the head of the Board of Trustees, and all the religious parents.”

  “That is goddamn ridiculous,” he spat.

  “I know,” she said, slowly wiping down the countertops, as though each swipe of the towel used all her energy. “The head of school is blaming this on me. He thinks I’m being disruptive by bringing in a football star for ‘show-and-tell’—his words, not mine.”

  Mark’s blood started pumping harder, and the back of his neck went hot. “I’m his father. How exactly am I supposed to come visit him without showing up?”

  “I believe it’s fine for you to be there for Angus,” she said, but the defeat was evident in her voice. “They just have a problem with how I’m handling things, I guess.”

  “Tessa, this doesn’t make any sense.”

  She stopped wiping down the countertops and pressed two fingers to her temple. “Believe me. I know. I’m working it out, though.”

  “There is no fucking reason—” He paused when he realized he was practically shouting. He took a second to calm down before continuing. “There is no fucking reason that you can’t live the life you have. What does it matter if I’m in the NFL? They—”

  “Mark.” Tessa’s hand on his forearm reminded him he was shouting again. He jerked his hand through his hair and leaned against the counter.

  “What do they want from us?” he asked, but as soon as the question left his lips, his mind started turning.

  “I don’t know,” she admitted glumly. “It’s a religious—snobby religious—school. Maybe it’s because we’re not a traditional family.”

  He crossed his arms, his mind going back to an upcoming event on the Sharks’ social calendar. A preseason charity gala that he admittedly hadn’t paid much attention to, simply because he hadn’t been able to wrap his head around planning for something like that at the NFL level. But now, it was clear. He’d be going. And he’d be bringing Tessa.

  “I know,” he said suddenly. “There’s a gala in two weeks to benefit the local children’s hospital. It’s one of the Sharks’ preseason social events. There are others during the regular season, but this is the first one. Let’s go together. That way, we can show the world and your gossipy coworkers what’s really going on.”

  She lifted a brow. “Actually, I’d like to know what’s really going on.”

  He expelled a breath, closing the distance between them in one step. “You tell me, babe. You’re the one who wants to take it slow. But I’m ready to show the world that we’re together. We might not be the most traditional family, but we’re a damn family.”

  She smiled up at him, warmth radiating from her gaze. “I think I like that idea.”

  “I’ll make sure the newspapers splash the headlines, too. ‘Local Elementary Teacher and NFL Rookie Are Definitely Dating and She’s Not a Gold Digger, Thanks.’ Sound good?”

  She collapsed against his chest in a fit of giggles, and he squeezed his arms around her. This time, when she looked up at him, he didn’t even care that his parents were in the other room. He dipped down and took that slow, thorough kiss he’d been dreaming of since the last one.

  11

  Two days later, Tessa felt like she was about to have a meltdown in the upscale boutique.

  These price tags were heinous, but her shopping partner Anita was completely unfazed. Besides, they had flutes of white wine that Anita insisted would help their decision-making process.

  “Ooooh, let’s try this one on too,” Anita murmured, taking a sparkly red dress off the rack and tossing it over her arm. This trip to the boutique had been Mark’s idea, which Anita eagerly latched onto. Tessa seemed to be the only one who was at all hesitant about the idea of spending so much money on a dress that would be worn only once.

  “Nita,” Tessa began, eyeing the worrying pile of dresses accumulating in her old friend’s arms, “I think we have enough options by now. I’ll go try on.”

  “We have to find the dress,” Anita insisted, not taking her eyes off the next rack of dresses. A sales clerk lingered nearby and had already offered an opinion a handful of times as Anita asked questions about Tessa’s complexion and fabric combinations.

  “It’s not like I’m getting married or anything,” Tessa said.

  Anita cast her a wry grin over her shoulder. “You’re right. But that dress hunt will take even longer, I can promise you.”

  Tessa couldn’t help but laugh. Truthfully, it wasn’t the getting dolled up part that bothered her. It was strictly the price tag. She knew that Mark made good money—as in a lot of money—but that didn’t mean he needed to be frivolous. He’d already purchased three new cars, moved into a pricey house with an Olympic-sized pool, and helped Anita finance a house. She couldn’t help but worry about his future and his finances. Sure, the sudden money influx was great. But how long would it last? And what would he do when the big bucks dried up?

  “Okay. We have enough. Time to show them off.” Anita sent her a devilish grin, and the two made their way to the sales clerk, who led them into a lushly carpeted dressing area. The clerk helped hang the dresses across three hooks, and then excused herself, leaving Tessa inside the curtained partition while Anita lounged in an overstuffed chair just outside.