The QB Bad Boy: Playing for Keeps

(2) "Oh thanks."

S P E N C E R

6 months later. Summer.

"Mommy, when am I going to daddies?" Lydia tugs the bottom of my shirt while I distractedly read the labels on the multivitamins. When I finally pick some that appear to have the potential to give me some oomph, I pop them in the basket and notice four bags of candy that I know I definitely didn't put in there.

"Lydia, put those back." I huff and start scanning the shelves for the candy section, which doesn't appear to be on this aisle. When did she put them there?!

"But I want the sour babies!" She pouts, folding her light bronze arms across the pink unicorn shirt that she's wearing.

"Lydia, you have to ask nicely." I crouch down to her level and push back the brown curls that are in desperate need of a trim. I just can't bring myself to cut her hair though. "You say please. You don't just put them in the basket and hope that I don't notice."

"Well, Mommy." Her eyes widen and I can see that she's about to delve into a tale that she wants me to take very seriously. "When - when daddy takes me to the shop, I put candies in his basket and - and he gets to the lady at the front and just buys them anyway."

"I'm not Daddy," I state with a flat tone.

Co-parenting is nearing the hardest thing that I've ever done. I can't tell Grayson how to parent, just as he can't tell me how to parent. But he has some bad habits and I find myself being compared to him by my gorgeous wee four-year-old, a lot!

"How about if you ask nicely you can have one of these candy bags."

"Can I please have one." She smiles like a little angel. I have to admit, kids are deceitful things. One minute she's pushing me to the edge of losing all sanity and the next I'm melting at the sight of her cute little dimples.

I allow her the one bag of candy and check over the small shopping list to be sure that I've got everything before we head to the checkout. On the way out, I glance at the advertisement board beside the exit sliding doors. I've been meaning to go in decent search of a new house and there are often 'roommate wanted' slips hanging amongst the 'cats for sale' and 'babysitting wanted' ads.

"Go play with the gum ball machine for a sec honey," I tell Lydia, handing her a couple of coins before she skips over to the vintage machine.

There's a lot here but that's hardly surprising. It's over halfway through the summer break so people are getting their houses sorted out before school and college start. What's more surprising is how many people I've come to know in this town and how many of them I wouldn't live with. Ever.

"Spencer?"

I turn around to the deep voice that I know so well and meet Nathan's charming smile. A box of beer hangs from one hand and I admire how fit he's become over the summer. He's always been fit but I know that he's been working hard for his new job. He's the new coach for the Archwood football team. I think it suits him.

His black t-shirt sleeves which are stretching at the seams around his biceps are a dead give away to the hours he's been putting in at the gym.

"Hey Nathan." I smile kindly at my best friend's brother. "How are you? You're looking tan."

"Oh thanks." He chuckles and glances down at his arms. "I just got back from LA."

"Oh right, yeah, Dallas said you were visiting. How was it?"

"So good." He beams with an elated expression. "Have you seen their new place yet? Damn. I kinda wanna move in with them."

"Ugh, I haven't yet! I'm actually heading over in a couple of days for the last two weeks of summer! Lydia will be at her Dad's. I'm so excited."