“It’s okay,” I said, approaching them. “This is Asher, my boyfriend.” My lips curved, as I discreetly watched Hugo. He peered up at Asher and then my fiancé did the most incredible thing. He crouched low and held up a fist.
“Hey, you must be Hugo. Mya has told me all about you. She said you want to be just like Fletcher Cox when you’re older?”
Jay and Mario could barely contain their excitement, but not Hugo. He simply stared up at Asher, his eyes wide and lips parted.
“Is that Swoop?” Asher asked, completely unfazed at Hugo’s lack of reply. “Can I see him?” He slowly extended his hand but didn’t get too close.
“Asher,” I whispered, not wanting him to scare Hugo. But then slowly, Hugo pushed Swoop forward and placed him in Asher’s open palm.
“He looks like he could do with a bath.”
Hugo smiled. It was only small, full of trepidation and uncertainty.
But it was a smile.
I looked up at Sally and I knew the emotion in her eyes mirrored the emotion in mine.
“Did Mya tell you it’s our first game of the season tomorrow?”
Hugo nodded.
This was freaking huge. I’d spent weeks trying to get the little boy with pain in his eyes to engage with me, and Asher had managed to do it in under a minute.
“I’m going to ask our running back to score a touchdown just for you.” Asher handed Swoop back and held up his fist again. “What do you say?”
Hugo made a small fist and bumped it to Asher’s. “Awesome. Mya can let you know next time how we got on, okay?” He stood up. “What about you two, you like football?”
Jay pulled up to his full height and puffed out his chest. “Hell yeah.” Sally cleared her throat and he murmured, “I mean, sure do.”
“What’s your name, kid?”
“Jay, and this is my brother Mario.”
“Well, it was nice to meet you all. Perhaps I can drop by with a few guys from the team one day and we can hang out?” I nudged him, and he added, “If Sally says it’s okay.” He shot my mentor a blinding smile.
“I’m sure we can figure something out,” she said returning it with her own.
“You three be good, okay? And I’ll see you soon.” Asher took my hand and guided me away, the sounds of Jay and Mario’s excited chatter following us.
“I can’t believe you just did that. You were so good with him.”
“Nah.” Asher gave me a coy look. “I didn’t do anything, not really.”
“You did. Hugo hasn’t responded to anyone at the center like that, or his foster parents. It was... wow.”
I couldn’t even be envious that Asher had made the breakthrough with Hugo I so desperately wanted, because seeing the guy I loved interact so easily with the lost little boy had been nothing short of heart melting.
“I think I just fell in love with you all over again.”
We reached Asher’s Jeep and he pulled me into his arms. “He’s a cute kid. I can see why he’s got you all tied up in knots.”
“I just want to reach him, ya know?”
“I know.” He leaned in, kissing me softly. “I meant what I said. Me and the guys will drop by one session and play some ball with them. I don’t know why we’ve never thought of it before. Maybe we could get a regular thing going. Coach would love that, having the team giving back to the community.”
“That would be... the kids would love that.” The other volunteers too no doubt. “You’re really okay with this, aren’t you?”
“With what?” His brows bunched together.