Gibson couldn’t help but smile. Half the time he didn’t know what planet his little girl was from, but he loved her so much it physically hurt him that he couldn’t put her to bed every night. Reading bedtime stories over a computer wasn’t any way to be a father.

Ellie clambered happily to her feet and took off running across the field—a constant reminder of how much joy could be wrung out of life. Should he be embarrassed to admit his role model was his six-year-old daughter?

Out on the field, the ball bounced to Ellie, who took a mighty kick at it. It sliced hard to the right and spun fifteen yards out of bounds. Gibson took a step toward the pitch and clapped like Ellie had just won the World Cup. She stopped in her tracks to wave at her daddy while the other players thundered past her after the ball.

Up the sideline, his wife glanced over at him. Ex-wife, he reminded himself. Nicole was sitting with the main clump of “home” parents, who had set up a little oasis of folding chairs and coolers. Gibson made a habit of standing apart from them. Far enough away that he wouldn’t crowd Nicole, but not far enough away that it looked like he was making a big deal of it. She’d made friends with several of the parents, and he was glad to cede her that territory. She nodded at him, and he returned it. She turned back to the game and didn’t look his way again.

At halftime, the players gathered at opposite goals and sucked on orange slices while the coaches discussed strategies the young girls had no prayer of executing. The parents chatted among themselves or went in search of a porta-john. Nicole walked down the sideline to him. She was wearing one of the loose, flowing sundresses that she’d favored since high school. She looked gorgeous silhouetted against the sun.

“Hi,” she said.

“Hi.”

That much pleasantness exhausted the both of them, and they took a second to regroup. Talking to Nicole was always safer when they stuck to Ellie as a topic. A lot of bad things had transpired between them, but when it came to Ellie, they were absolutely on the same page.

“Looks like El has the MVP all sewn up this season,” he said.

“I’ve been fielding calls from the Brazilians all game.”

“Hold out for the big bucks.”

“Agent to the stars.”

“Did you get the money?”

“I did. Thank you. Why are you getting paid in cash, Gib?”

“It was a signing bonus.”

“In cash.” She was squinting at him. “Is it safe to deposit?”

“Of course it is.” He felt his temper spike, but Nicole had a point. Who got paid in cash?

“What’s going on?”

“Nothing. It’s fine.”

“It’s fine? You’re really going to the well with that.”