The Coast is Clear (Breakaway Shores #1)

Zander

Epilogue

The sun broke through the clouds just in time for Christian’s game. He had been bouncing off the walls, ready for the first game of his second season of football. I’d spent all morning going over the plays for the team. Not that they really followed them.

Izzy reminded me again that it was just second-grade flag football, but I wanted them to do well. I wanted them to win.

Coaching Christian’s team had become so fun, arguably just as much fun as playing football myself. The boys were so excited, and the one girl on their team was a killer runner. We were going to have a fun season.

Izzy waved at me from the other side of the field. Kingston and she were sitting in matching camping chairs, her hand on her rounded belly. Kingston had his baseball cap pulled down low; he’d forgotten his sunglasses and not been happy when the sun made an appearance.

I set down my clipboard and called the team to a huddle. I knelt in the damp grass and looked in their serious faces. We’d used a little bit of face paint to mark their cheeks, and it just made it even more fun. “Okay, team. We’ve got this. We know our positions and our plays. But remember, what is the most important thing?”

“To have fun!” they all yelled in somewhat unison.

“Hands in,” I told them, placing my hand out in front.

Their tiny hands were stacked on top of each other, and I caught Christian’s eye. He smiled at me. “Let’s do this.”

“Okay, offense. Let’s get on the field.”

Christian stepped beside me, grabbing onto my hand. “Hey, Zand.”

“Yeah, buddy,” I stayed where I was.

He threw his arms around me and whispered in my ear, “Thanks for being the best coach and Dad.” My heart swelled, and the past year flew through my mind. We’d had our adjustment period to all living together, to the boys learning to respect my word like they did Izzy’s. But we’d made progress, and things had become really wonderful.

They were incredibly excited to have another baby brother, and Kingston never called me anything but Dad. I wasn’t taking the responsibility lightly, knowing that being there for them was the most important.

“I love you, Christian.” I pressed a kiss onto the top of his head. “Let’s go win this game.”

He smiled and turned, running out onto the field. My eyes landed on Izzy as I followed them out to where they were huddled. She blew me a kiss, and I tried to think back to the beginning of last summer. I was so ready to start over, to escape from this small town, and I’m so glad that I didn’t.