He steepled his fingers together. “Please.”
“I think you’ve realized by now that I’m a doer.” When he arched a brow at her, she forged on. “I’m also a fixer. And I like to help people. It’s one of the reasons I became an instructor. When I see someone I can help, or where I can step in in some way, I go for it. I don’t like to sit back and not do something.”
Brandon nodded. “That’s admirable.”
She beamed a smile at him that punched him in the gut. “Thank you.”
“But my son isn’t a charity case.”
Stella rolled her eyes at him. “I didn’t say that, Brandon.”
“And he’s not someone you need to fix.”
“I didn’t say that either.”
“So where do we go from here?” he pressed.
“You let me help,” she answered with a shrug, as though it were that simple.
As much as he wanted to, Brandon couldn’t bring himself to disappoint her. “I’m not sure yet.”
Her mouth slowly curled into a grin, as she knew she had him. “Doesn’t sound like a no to me.”
He stood and tossed some bills on the table for a tip. “No promises.”
Two
Brandon spent the entire drive to the high school kicking himself for allowing Stella to get under his skin. Again. He’d made a rule to keep his distance from her since their one date a year and a half ago. She thought it was because she’d thrown up on him. If he were smart, he’d let her keep thinking that. No, the problem was he’d liked her too much. It hadn’t taken him long to realize he could fall too easily for her. He couldn’t afford to jump into anything with Stella, then be left high and dry when she decided to leave. Because people always left. He’d learned that the hard way with his ex, Trisha. And the Blanco Valley rumor mill was in full swing with whispers of Stella going back to Chicago to choreograph for her former company.
Brandon pulled into the high school parking lot and exited his truck. Practice had long since ended, but the head coach was on the field with Matt, giving him extra attention and instruction.
With Blake Carpenter in control of the team, everyone was pretty confident the Bobcats could have a repeat of last year’s winning season. Matt desperately wanted more playtime, and Blake wanted to give it to him. Brandon’s cousin was a fair coach who loved his players, but he was also practical.
Brandon couldn’t think of a better man to coach the kids. Not only was Blake one of the best people Brandon knew, but he’d also been a legendary quarterback who’d dominated the game for almost fifteen years before he’d retired a few years ago.
Brandon spotted the assistant coach, his friend Cameron, on the sidelines.
“How’s it going?” Brandon asked him.
Cameron had removed his baseball cap, revealing matted, shaggy dark hair. “It’s going,” he answered. “He did good at practice. He just needs to work on his coordination.”
Stella’s face instantly flashed across his mind. Hadn’t she said something about coordination? Damn, he didn’t want her to be right.
But Matt’s the one who wants the lessons.
And it still rankled that his own son felt like he couldn’t come to him about that. Was Brandon that much of an ogre? Maybe he needed to work on being more approachable.
On the field, Blake demonstrated a blocking move, which Matt attempted to replicate. Blake did his demonstration again, then gave the ball to Matt.
The scene reminded Brandon of his own football-playing days. When he’d been young and optimistic and the only thing he’d cared about, besides Trisha, had been the glare of those stadium lights. The sounds of the band. The crowd. Hearing his name through the speakers as he’d thrown himself across the end zone to score those precious points. That had all been during a time when he’d thought he was set. He’d go off to college with Blake, play some ball, and hopefully get drafted.
Every guy’s dream, right?
Well, he’d been no different. Only, God had had other plans for him in the form of a seven-pound screaming infant and—poof—he’d gone from being a football god to an eighteen-year-old construction worker trying to make ends meet for his new wife and son.
“I noticed the recruiters on the sidelines,” Brandon commented. “Isn’t it a little early for that?”
Cameron lifted one shoulder. “Not necessarily. Some of them like to get an early start. See which kids show the most promise.”
Brandon knew Matt wanted to play ball in college. The only thing the two disagreed on was where the kid should go. Brandon wanted him to go to University of Colorado Boulder because it was in state, thus cheaper, and they had an excellent business program. But Matt wanted to attend the University of Texas…aka the Longhorns…aka football central…aka way beyond Brandon’s financial capabilities. He certainly didn’t want to burden his kid with financial issues. However, he wasn’t sure how he could keep Matt from applying to UT without cluing him in.
“But, Dad, that’s where Adrienne’s going,” Matt would say, referring to his girlfriend of five months.
That was all fine and good. Adrienne’s parents could afford to send their only daughter to any school she wanted. It just so happened to have an incredible football team, which was just about all Matt cared about, and it was double the cost.
It was one of those subjects he kept putting off. But it was only a matter of time before the two went head-to-head about it.
“Did you notice the recruiter for CU?” Cameron asked.
“Yeah.” Brandon kept his gaze on the action on the field. “I also noticed the guy with the Longhorns shirt.”
Cameron waved a hand in the air. “I told you not to worry about that. Do you know how many times I changed my mind about college?”
“Yeah, but you didn’t have a girl tugging you around by the pecker,” Brandon reminded his friend.
Cameron dipped his head. “You have a point. But the school year just started. Anything could happen. Do you know how many high school relationships come and go?”
Yeah, Brandon knew that. His own relationship with Trisha was excellent proof.
Cameron held up a hand, because he knew full well the relationship Brandon had had with Trisha. “Hey, I didn’t mean anything by that.”
Brandon shook his head and waved his friend’s concerns away. “Don’t worry about it. I was young and stupid.”
“Weren’t we all?” Cameron countered with a tilt of his mouth.
“I wanted to get your opinion on Boulder,” Brandon told him. “What do you think about their football team?”
Cameron puffed out a breath and watched Matt. “They’re not bad. I mean, I wouldn’t call them a powerhouse, certainly not compared to the Longhorns.” He stared back at Brandon. “But Boulder isn’t where Matt wants to go.”
Brandon lifted his eyes to the darkening sky. “Don’t remind me. I can’t even say the word college without him getting all pissy.”
“What’s wrong with UT?” Cam asked.
“Nothing, except I can’t afford it. Not to mention I don’t want him following a girl he thinks he loves only to have the relationship end.”