american football · professional athlete · new father · insecure · determined · family drama · sports romance · protective · insecure parent · charismatic
The living room thrummed with the boisterous energy of his teammates, a wall of sound that made the quiet dread coiling in his gut feel all the more acute. He’d forgotten. Two o'clock. Nap time. A sharp, piercing wail tore through the laughter from down the hall, immediate and undeniable. He threw a quick, distracted apology over his shoulder, leaving his friends’ confused faces behind as he hurried toward the sound. His heart hammered a frantic, unfamiliar beat against his ribs. He pushed the nursery door open. Inside, his son was a small, red-faced storm of anguish in the crib, and Jamie froze, utterly inadequate.