“None of the other guys complain. I’ll let you know,” he said, then the last bit of our clothes came off as he tasted me everywhere and sent me straight into a heavenly orbit where all that mattered was more of this. Us together, forever.
This was ideal. I'd never wanted love and, in time, I’d figure out how to be calm near him. Then, we’d be perfect. For now, I had this, with Michael.
Chapter 10
Michael
The game went fast and then it was time to head home, to the wife I'd had to leave in our bed.
Granted, I'd seen her with my parents and son in the stands, but I’d had no chance to see them.
Georgie’s body still rocked my body like gravity meeting a meteor. She burned through me, but I needed every part of her for more.
I’d probably never be satisfied, and I didn’t care. She was my wife now.
We’d won, and I raced out the second I could.
The moon was high in the sky when I drove into my house and joined Georgie in bed.
I dozed the second I curled beside Georgie and she smelled sweeter than roses to me.
I woke up alone. I cleaned up and walked down the stairs fast, to see my family. Jeremy was sitting on the couch. My father came out of the kitchen and said, “Georgie said it was okay if I took Jeremy to go get a hot chocolate in town.”
“Yeah?”
“Your mother and I will be gone an hour, if it’s all right with you.”
“Georgie said it was fine, so have fun.”
Jeremy hopped out of his seat and followed my dad to the door. Clearly, my father was doing his charming old man bit.
He did that well at first, though no one but me ever knew how driven he actually was.
I embodied his dreams, but I waved them hello and kept my mouth shut. I needed to see my wife, but my mom was near the coffee that smelled earthy and perfect. She said, “We’ll be back soon.”
“I’m looking forward to seeing more of you.” Georgie came out of the bathroom and her lips curled higher the second she noticed me.
My mother hugged me and Georgie, then went out to join my dad and Jeremy.
I didn’t blink. Georgie made the room shine, but she headed toward the counter and my mom, still wearing pink pajama bottoms and a Sooners t-shirt that went off her shoulder.
My stomach churned. I was hungry right now…I followed her to the kitchen to the smell of coffee. I made glasses and she finished making toast, and I asked once the machine was heating up the milk, “You’re okay if I ask them to stay the full weekend?”
She nodded and took out a mango, cutting it as she said, “It’s good. They were fun last night at the game. Your father talked about your childhood and how he really worked with you to get your stats up and Jeremy is enjoying spending time with them more than I’d ever imagined.”
She'd gotten the highlights of my childhood then, though she'd missed out on how not even rainstorms had stopped our nightly training for me to have what my father hadn’t. I was sure Dad made it all sound fun, but I grabbed some brie cheese from the fridge and a mix of almonds and walnuts as I said, “He pushed me to the pros.”
“I could tell from his intensity and excitement for you.”
Maybe he’d explain how his dad had kept him well past nightfall in practice when most kids went home and did their homework. I handed her a bowl for her mangoes and took our offerings to the table. “He made it to the farm for a few years but never moved up to the minors or pros.”
The toast popped and she took it out, joining me as she placed it all in the middle of the table. “He told me and he swore you’d have that opportunity that he wasted.”
Now, that sounded like his promise or threat if I whined about practice. However, when I gave up for a few weeks in high school, I’d realized I wanted baseball as my career.
I took a piece of toast and said, “I’m good at the game I love. Jeremy can choose my sport, another one, or a future doing whatever he wants.”
We both added brie to our toast as she said, “Glad to hear…” The ring in the air caught her off guard and she jumped up and found where we had charged our phones last night. She took hers and said, “My sisters are calling. Phone conference time.”
“Get it,” I said, as last night she’d intended to call them today, so I gave her a thumbs-up.
Maybe after she talked to them and we ate, we’d have time for another round before Jeremy and my parents returned. They’d been good to give us some time alone, and I’d wait. Georgie’d be happier after talking to her family.
She choked down her bread fast and said, “Thanks.”
A moment later, she answered, but put her call on speaker, as her sister said, “So you’re married?”
She added some walnuts and almonds on her cheese and said, “Olivia, Michael and I both want the best for Jeremy.”
“You and Stephanie were both so adamant about never marrying. Now she’s engaged and you’re married. Aren’t you afraid?”
Georgie put her food down and met my gaze. Her brown eyes had some deep emotion in them I didn’t quite understand. “No. I’m never going to give up on life if something happens to Michael. We talked about it.”
Interesting. I had no siblings and had zero idea how women talked to each other. My friends and I would be swearing and avoiding the direct topic to a common dominator or just telling directly "not your business". Her sister then said, “Well that’s good, as long as you’re happy.”
“I am.”
Good. I bit another bite of my toast and then her sister asked her, “How do you know you won’t turn into Mom?”
My heart slowed as my ears listened closer. Georgie had mentioned her mother and how she had wanted to die. How deep was that fear? It related to how long it might take for me to tell her I loved her? This wasn’t just sex for me. My stomach twisted at the idea she married me only for money when I was falling hard for her and probably had years ago.
Georgie tugged her ear and met my gaze as she asked, “Why are you asking?”
For a second, I didn’t move, like she’d read my mind, but Olivia asked her, “I want to know how I can ever trust myself like you and Stephanie clearly have.”
If Olivia was my sister, I’d tell her not to take what happens to others as something destined. What happened to our parents doesn’t have to be the truth for us. My parents were friends, but Georgie and I were more. She’d see that in time.
My fortune had come from hard work and laser focus on what I wanted.
However, Georgie lowered her lashes and her cheeks blushed as she said, “Well, Michael and I talked about it, and I hope whoever you might think about marrying supports you being independent.”
More than that. Georgie and I were good together because we weren’t sacrificing who we were or what we wanted. She wanted to be home and to take care of our son. I’d enhance that lifestyle. Life was good.
Olivia asked Georgie, “But how do I trust myself?”
She took my hand and her brown eyes were full of trust as she nodded at me and smiled, “To be honest, Jeremy is my reason I can take this chance. He deserves to have a good dad, like we had.”
I’d honor that. Our boy, not me, was a reason to pick up and take the best contract. Olivia said, “I don’t have a son that needs me.”
Now I understood her sister was clearly the needy type. Maybe that’s why she was a teacher, a job I could never do. “Olivia, it will be okay. When you meet the guy you trust, you’ll know.”
“I guess,” her sister mumbled.
Trust was a good start, but in time, I’d want more. Georgie let my hand go and fixed more cheese on her bread as she said, “Look, I have to go.”
The women said goodbye and I jumped up to get our coffees. “Your sister takes that pact seriously.”
She put her phone away as I slipped her a coffee.
“Her boyfriend broke up with her right before Dad died. She was devastated and never got over it. When we made our pact,
she’d thought that was why he’d left her or something like that.”
“That doesn’t’ make sense.”
“Love doesn’t make sense. I’m glad we married for more practical reasons.”
Right. She needed time. She took a sip and sighed a little contentment as I prompted so she’d tell me more. “You were talking about support and taking chances.”
She took the last long sip of her coffee, then said, “When my mother died, it was because she gave up on life after my father. She never made a choice and preferred to be in the shadow until the very end. We talked about how you don’t want my love like that.”
Interesting. I hadn’t expected the intensity of how the words of love poured out of me. “I’d want my mom to live if something happened to my dad.”
“Good.” She nodded and then ate her toast.
“And for you to tell me what you think.”
We both ate a few minutes. As we finished, I helped pick up the plates and said, “To be honest, my dad was intense.”
She helped me but then refilled our coffee cups and said, “My dad was the heart of the family. Losing him meant we lost who checked up on us, who took us to the doctor and came to school to get us.”
I washed the dishes. In my family, that was absolutely my mom. “Your mom didn’t even keep doctor appointments for you?”
She joined me to dry the dishes and said, “My mom was good but she…she survived tragedy in her younger years. Abuse, and sometimes she just ghosted on us when we had a crisis.”
“The exact opposite of my childhood. My mother was the one that kissed all my bruises and took me to school while Dad worked.” I couldn’t imagine life without her near her when I was young. I squeezed Georgie’s hand and said, “That’s hard.”
She shrugged. “In her way, she tried, but she honestly didn’t know how to live without my father.”
I pivoted closer to her. “You’ll never be like that.”
She sucked in her lower lip, as I'd noticed was her habit, then let it out as she asked, “How are you sure?”
“Because it’s not about loving someone.” I guided her toward the coffee she’d poured and took one as I said, “It’s about loving and trusting yourself, which you seem to do, Georgie.”
She held the cup closer to her face. “I tend to isolate myself, which is very much like my mother.”
That wasn’t quite true. Georgie took a moment to analyze, but I didn’t think she’d want to argue right now. I motioned toward our chairs to have our second cup as I said, “Not telling someone your business is not the same thing.”
“I hope you’re right.” She sipped when she sat.
She seemed quiet, but she just made me more sure that she was perfect for me. I winked and joked, “The marriage will work out better if you think I’m always right, Georgie.”
We both drank our coffees though she said, “Your house here in Tulsa is much bigger than my house.”
Good. The conversation was where I needed it. I put my cup down and laid my hands on the table as I said, “And the schools are excellent, if I stay with the Sooners.”
She sipped her coffee again and then once she finished said, “Having your address in chaos has to be hard.”
This conversation was important. I nodded. “Even if the Pirates come through on some amazing last-minute offer, I’d want to take Jeremy to whatever the best schools are and the nicest area to live.”
“I’m open to change.” She put her cup down. “I want what’s best for Jeremy.”
“That we’ll do.” I finished my own cup and then asked, “Even if we end up getting anything from Boston to LA or any city with a major league?”
She reached out and held my wrists as she said, “I said yes to our marriage, and if my sister Stephanie can pick up and live in London, I can be open as long as we keep Jeremy’s life and education stable.”
I stood and held out my hands for her as I said, “Good, now let’s celebrate naked before my parents get back with Jeremy.”
Her face grew warmer as she joined me, leaving our cups as they were. This time, I held her as we walked upstairs as I could pretend to be a gentleman with her. On the steps, she asked, “Michael?”
“Yeah?” I asked and hoped she didn’t change anything now.
She bumped into me and said, “I’m happy with you.”
Life was exactly right, then. We made it to the top step and I said, “Good because I’m happy I get to have you, forever, now.”
As we neared the bedroom door, I kissed her. I didn’t want this to ever end. Georgie here gave me everything I'd ever wanted in life.
Chapter 11
Georgie
Michael and I had a perfect plan. If we stayed as we were and never fell in love, then I wasn’t in danger. I’d figure out how to bring peace back in my life. We worked as a team, where we talked about our wants and desires and figured out how to support each other.
This was for the best.
I cleaned myself up and flounced down the stairs when I heard the doorbell.
Jeremy was probably back now, but as I neared the door in my jeans and red t-shirt, I saw Michael open the door to a slicked back, grey-haired man. Michael shook his hand and said, “Phil.”
I walked over, happy I knew it was his agent, and nothing was changing as Phil said, “Michael, I hope it’s okay I came over?”
“Come in,” he said but then the garage door opened, and Jeremy was in the backseat of the rented minivan. We walked inside and Michael told them as they joined us, “Mom, Dad, Jeremy, Georgie this is my agent, Phil. We’re gonna talk about my offers.”
His mother headed into the kitchen immediately. Did I go with her? I stilled as his father asked, “Do you want us to go somewhere?”
Michael shook his head and said, “No. Dad you got me my shot. Georgie and Jeremy have a stake in the future too. I’d like for us to all talk about this.”
His mother popped her head in from the kitchen and said, “I’ll change our tickets to later in the day if you want our opinion.”
Seriously? She didn’t want to be part of the conversation over her son’s future? My pulse raced as that was often what my own mother did as Michael asked me, “Would that be okay, Georgie?”
Sarah stared at me. My skin had pins and needles. This was exactly how my family had worked, where my mom just left the important discussions, but I smiled at her and said, “I’d love for you to stay. We’ve not had enough time to talk.”
Sarah tapped the wall and headed out of the room. “I’ll change them then.”
Her leaving the room was exactly what my mom would have done.
My spine tingled. She had tickets to change so I wasn’t being rational. Michael led the rest of us to his formal dining room. The room had a table for twelve and the oak was polished and the white cushioned seats were spotless.
Did he use this room often? My skin had cold spikes over it. It’s not like I'd known Michael for long. We all took seats and Phil took out papers from his briefcase as Michael asked, “So Phil, what are the options?”
He took out the first file and handed it over. “The Sooners upped their offer after your recent performances and the playoff potential.”
Seven years at twenty-five million. The number was close to what Michael wanted, and I glanced around the huge estate. This could be transformed to be more kid friendly and elegant. His house felt barely lived in. “Your house here is nice.”
“What else?” Michael pushed it toward his father and signaled for another paper.
Phil handed another folder over and said, “Boston has a strong offer and the benefits are good.”
Twenty-three million for eight years. Massachusetts didn’t seem that different than Pittsburgh, but Michael wrote on the side "high taxes". I read it and so did his agent as he said, “This sounds right. What else?”
Smart. Take-home pay mattered, and Phil said, “New York has the highest offer but after taxes it’s almost equal to the Soo
ners.”
New York’s offer was twenty-nine a year for eight years.
My stomach tightened as I’d been physically sick the only time I’d been in Manhattan. My son needed security and I trembled under the table. Sarah returned with glasses of water on a tray and started serving everyone. I asked, “What about Pittsburgh?”
Did Michael expect me to serve like this? Quietly not having an opinion but there to kiss Jeremy’s bruises?
Phil said to Jeremy, “Their offer wasn’t serious before. I sent the personalized request but so far, no answer.”
My son’s face fell to his chin and he swung his legs. I asked, “Jeremy, what are your thoughts?”
Jeremy met my gaze and didn’t’ blink at all when he said, “I just hate leaving my friends.”
At six, he probably was but, in time, he’d make new friends. “We have to go back and visit all the time. All your aunts are there.”
His father then asked, “Anything from Texas?”
Wait. Texas? My mind was spinning. Sarah now brought in a small tray of crackers and cheese for the table as Phil said, “The Rangers have a decent starting point. I could continue negotiations if I can say you’re serious.”
Twenty-two million for eight years. Michael asked, “Why, Dad?”
He nodded and said, “I always liked the Rangers organization and Texas.”
Something unsaid was happening between the men, but he showed me the paper and wrote low taxes as he said, “Georgie, what do you think?”
Well low taxes meant more take-home pay and more available for savings. And the Sooners might be what he wanted, and this house was nice. I nodded, but honestly, my thoughts rushed and I wasn’t sure. I was open to both places. Honestly, I’d never been to Texas but the houses there on TV always seemed big, so I said, “I think…loyalty is a good thing. I’d say the Sooners should be number one. I think Texas is better than New York for us if I’m being honest.”
His gaze narrowed and my heart raced like I’d said the wrong thing when he asked, “Why?”
Rocking Player: Single Mom Second Chance Romance (Steel Series Book 2) Page 9
