Jake’s eyes darkened, even as his expression remained unreadable. Damn! The woman I haven’t been able to get out of my head for over a week is Justin’s mother? Jake was at once upset and elated. He thought he’d never see her again and thought that for the best. The night of the benefit he’d mentally revisited Shawn’s dating suggestion several times and finally decided that he didn’t have the time or inclination for anything serious. The way his heart vibrated at the sight of this woman made having a fling out of the question. What is it about her anyway? She wasn’t even his type and she certainly looked nothing like the wife he’d lost five years ago. Jake preferred model-thin, soft-spoken women who wouldn’t question his lead. This woman walked liked a person with authority, someone used to being large and in charge. Just like him.

“Did you see it?” Justin enthusiastically asked.

“You were great, baby!” was Dominique’s vague response. Between the phone calls, text messages, and staring at the coach’s massive physique, she hadn’t seen whatever her son was talking about, or much of the game, period. She turned with hand outstretched. “I’m Justin’s mom, Dominique Clark.”

“Jake McDonald.” He enveloped her large hand in his even larger one, one set of chocolate orbs boring into the other. Sparks flew. Heat spread. Dominique quickly released his hand.

“But did you see me?” Justin again inquired, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

Dominique glanced at Jake, who saw the subdued look of panic in her eyes. “Everyone in the stands saw your touchdown, Justin,” he smartly replied. “Both of them,” he added, his eyes fixed on the mom who’d obviously missed her son’s heroic feats.

Dominique’s gratitude at Jake’s save of face quickly turned to chagrin. If she didn’t know better she’d think she was being judged. So she didn’t see Justin being chased down the field trying to beat a group of boys across a line of chalk. So what? Who does this man think he is? All of what she did—the long hours, stress-filled days, and lonely nights—was done so that her son could have a comfortable life and an assured future. Nobody was going to make her feel guilty about that, no matter how fine that “nobody” was.

She pointedly gave Jake her back as she turned to speak to Justin. “How about we celebrate with a thick gooey pepperoni pizza before I go to work?”

Justin looked over at Jake. “Um, I can’t eat that kind of pizza.”

“Why not?” Dominique frowned, as she looked from Justin to Jake and back again.

“Coach says it’s not healthy.”

Dominique cocked her head at Jake. “Oh, does he now? And does Coach also offer to feed you what he believes you should eat?”