Chris stared flatly at me. “You didn’t hesitate to give your opinion on my last relationship.”
“No, I relayed your son’s intense dislike of your girlfriend. Something, I might add, you never bothered to listen to.”
He paused for a moment. “Who are you going out with?”
I gave him another side-eye. Seriously, my eyes were going to get stuck in this position if it carried on. “Does it matter?”
“If Leo is okay with it, he must know him well, otherwise you wouldn’t have asked him.”
“You only want to know so you can interrogate Leo tonight.”
“I want to know because I have a right to know who’s in my son’s life.”
“Then live closer,” I snapped, my patience finally running out. “I’m going out with Oliver. Are you happy now?”
Christopher frowned. “Oliver? His soccer coach Oliver?”
“Yes. Are you happy now?”
“Not really, but he’s obviously a good person.”
Unlike some people.
Really, it was a miracle we ever thought we could make a marriage work. That was what happened when you were young and dumb.
I couldn’t believe the way he was acting. Our son was playing soccer right now in his second game after winning the first and all he cared about was interrogating me.
Yes, he absolutely had a right to meet and get to know anyone I was going to be in a serious relationship with… if I was in a serious relationship. I wasn’t. It was one date, and I still had my apprehensions about even that.
Although I was aware that today played a big part in whether or not Ollie would stay. He himself was on the fence as Sebastian had reminded me, and if the team did well today, he had more of an incentive to stay and run the teams.
But, right now as it stood, Christopher had no right to poke his nose into my business.
He lost that chance when he poked himself into another woman.
“How’s he doing?” Sebastian sat next to me and leaned forward. “How did the first game go?”
“Hey!” I smiled at him and thanked God for the distraction. “They won, two-nil. Did you just get here?”
“Yeah, damn insurance company kept me on hold for two hours this morning. I called as soon as the lines opened, and Holley wonders why I hate talking on the phone.” He rolled his eyes, then turned to Christopher. “We haven’t met. You’re Leo’s dad, right? Sebastian Stone. I own the sports center.”
Christopher shook his hand. “Familiar with you,” he said with a slight smile. “Christopher. Good to meet you.”
“Yeah, and you. He’s playing—”
Leo saved a goal that looked like it was going in, and we all jumped out of our seats. My heart swelled when he looked over at me with a beaming grin on his face like he knew it was a good save.
It was.
It was a damn good one.
Ollie was on the other side of the soccer pitch and going as crazy as we were, and I had to fight back a smile at the sight of him.
He really did care about Leo.
“That was a bloody good save!”
I turned to see Dylan and Saylor, followed by everyone else, including Ivy and Kai. “Oh, my God. What are you doing here?”
“Obviously here to support our new favorite goalkeeper,” Kai said, holding his hands out to the side. “Also, Tony offered to babysit, and I didn’t have a choice.”
I cupped my hands over my face, laughing, and hugged everyone one by one. “I can’t believe you’re all here. He’s going to die when he realizes.”
Tori snorted. “Not before the tournament is done, I hope.”
“And I’m just here because I was told there would be food,” Josh offered, squeezing Kinsley’s shoulders. “Is there food?”
“There’s a barbeque for lunch,” Holley answered. “But you have to pay.”
“Aw, man.”
Kinsley laughed and walked over to me, leaning forward. “How’s he doing?”
“Just saved one hell of a damn goal,” Sebastian replied.
“That’s true.” Chris nodded.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Holley, Ivy, you already know Chris.” I motioned to him, and my cousins both greeted him half-heartedly.
Who could blame them? They were the ones who picked up the pieces of me.
“This is Chris, Leo’s dad.” I went through and introduced everyone one-by-one.
“So are we betting or what?” Colton asked, cracking his knuckles. “Clean sheet and a tournament win is my guess.”
Ivy frowned. “Way to pile the pressure on the kids.”
Seb pinched the bridge of his nose.
“Hey.” Colt held his hands up. “I have faith in them.”
“You only know one of them,” Tori said, jabbing him with her elbow.
“And?”
“They’ll get four clean sheets,” Holley interjected, winking at me.
I guessed the team and the sponsorship were still largely secret, even among our group.
I held my hands up. “I can’t bet with my son. You guys go ahead. But whoever wins has to give me ten percent since I’m the only one with a kid helping you win.”