Strike Out

by Cheryl Douglas

  “Well, I gave him my number,” she said, licking her porcelain teeth to remove the shiny residue her lipstick left behind.

  “Is that so?” Rennie curled her hand around the steering wheel. She had no right to be so furious. Surely Zach wasn’t stupid enough to date the mother of one of his son’s classmates. He may be new to the whole parenting thing, but didn’t he know that was an unwritten rule?

  “Yeah.” She giggled like a school girl. “You think he’ll call?”

  Over my dead body, Rennie thought. “I don’t know. Maybe.” She breathed a sigh of relief when Tyler ran out of the main doors with Josh by his side. “It was nice talking to you, Lily, but we gotta go. We have baseball practice soon.”

  “No problem.” She wiggled her acrylic fingernails. “I’ll let you know if he calls.”

  “Don’t hold your breath,” Rennie muttered. She plastered on a smile when Tyler hopped in the backseat after tossing his backpack in the trunk.

  “We don’t have to bring Casey home today,” Tyler said, putting on his seatbelt. “His mom picked him up early ‘cause he had to go for allergy testing or something.”

  “I know, Karina told me.” Rennie watched him in her rearview mirror. It struck her that he really was growing up. She didn’t have to remind him anymore to do little things like put his seatbelt on or pick up his dirty clothes or brush his teeth before bed. Maybe she wasn’t doing such a bad job parenting after all. Their frequent, and often heated, arguments made Rennie question herself on a daily basis. One thing was certain: she wouldn’t trade her life with Tyler for any other.

  “I’m so excited about the sleepover tomorrow night,” he said, grinning.

  He had a couple of missing teeth and another loose one on its way out. The apple he usually had as a bedtime snack should do the trick, Rennie thought. She didn’t want Karina to have to worry about him losing the tooth at her place. Rennie suspected her son questioned the Santa and tooth fairy thing, but as long as he got cool stuff, he was smart enough to keep his mouth shut and be grateful.

  “I bet Casey’s excited too, huh?” Rennie checked her mirrors as she backed out of her parking spot.

  “He sure is. We’re gonna go through his tackle box. How come I can’t go fishing, Mom?”

  Rennie knew Casey’s granddad took him to the lake almost every weekend, and Tyler was dying to try his hand at something new. Nathan had always talked about taking him, but with Tyler’s commitment to baseball and Nathan’s work, they never found the time. “I don’t know, honey. I guess because we don’t know anyone who enjoys fishing.” That wasn’t entirely true. Zach was an avid fisherman when baseball wasn’t monopolizing his time… or at least he had been. Rennie had to remind herself that she couldn’t assume he was the same person he’d been when they were together. She’d changed; she had to believe he had too.

  “Is it true Zach likes to fish?” Tyler asked, meeting her eyes in the rearview mirror.

  “Where’d you hear that?” Rennie asked.

  “I was watching some YouTube videos with him last night. One of the interviewers asked him about his hobbies. He said he liked to fish.” Tyler quickly directed his attention out the window when his mother narrowed her eyes at him.

  “You were watching videos instead of doing your homework?” Rennie felt a twinge of guilt. She should have been looking over his shoulder. Instead, she’d been finalizing the details for the fundraiser tomorrow night. That was just one of the many times she missed having a partner.

  “Just for a little while.” He sighed. “My science project is gonna be lame anyhow. I hate science.”

  Rennie took a deep breath as she stopped at a traffic light. Their house was only a few blocks from the school, but she had to stop at the grocery store. She tried to do that before she picked up Tyler. He liked to wander down the candy aisle even though he knew his diabetes prevented him from indulging in sugary treats. “Why do you think that?” Rennie turned into the grocery store parking lot. She eyed the little café on the corner, wondering if she had time for a quick pick-me-up.

  “I don’t know anything about the rainforest. They expect us to do a dio… diar…” He scrunched up his nose. “I don’t know what it’s called.”

  Rennie slid her tongue into her cheek. “Diorama?”

  “Yeah, that’s it,” he said, snapping his fingers. “They expect me to put all this junk in a shoe box and paste pictures inside.”

  “What kind of junk?” Rennie asked, pulling into a parking spot.

  “I don’t know. Kiki already has hers done. She brought it in. She put rocks and little plastic animals and fake grass and stuff like that in there.”

  “Hmmm, we should be able to get that at the craft supply store,” Rennie said, cutting the engine. “When is the project due?”

  “Monday.”

  “Of course it is,” she mumbled, reaching for the door handle. As if she didn’t have enough to worry about.

  “Can we get pizza for dinner?” Tyler asked, jumping out of the car.

  “No.” Rennie met him around the front of the car. Looking for traffic, she stepped forward. He wouldn’t be caught dead holding her hand in public anymore.

  “Why not?” he asked, flipping his sandy-blond hair out of his eyes. She’d wanted to take him to the salon last week, but he wanted to wait. Apparently longer bangs were “in.” She was more concerned about him being able to see than making a fashion statement, but Rennie was smart enough to pick her battles.

  “Because you’ll probably have pizza tomorrow night at Casey’s house.” Overindulging in take-out food could impact his blood sugar levels. The diabetic specialist they saw four times a year had found the right dosage of insulin to control his condition, but they had to do their part by monitoring his diet carefully. “Besides, I’m making grilled chicken with spinach and mixed berry salad. You liked that, right?” She experimented with a lot of healthy recipes because she’d find half a dozen her son could live with, and before long, he’d tire of them and complain because he couldn’t eat “junk food” like his friends.

  “It was okay, I guess,” he said, shrugging.

  “You know, if you want to be an athlete, you have to eat healthy. Just ask Zach. I bet he eats plenty of fruits and veggies, lean protein, nuts, seeds,” she listed the items she tried to ensure were staples in Tyler’s diet. Zach had always preached the merits of eating clean. Except for an occasional beer at a party, he rarely consumed anything that wasn’t good for him. He claimed it made him feel sluggish and hurt his performance in the gym and on the mound.

  “You really think so?” Tyler asked, giving her a sidelong glance as he held the door open for her.

  “I sure do.” Rennie knew it wouldn’t be long before Tyler could actually ask Zach. If Zach made good on his threat, it wouldn’t be long before he demanded face time with his son.

  Chapter Nine

  Kevin rolled his eyes as he opened the door for his brother. “Man, I can’t believe it. A torn rotator cuff. How long are you gonna be out?”

  “I don’t know. We’ll see what the doctors say when the tests come back, and then there’s physical therapy. You know the drill.”

  Zach had sustained his injury during last night’s game. In the bottom of the eighth inning, they were up by three runs. The last thing he’d wanted was to leave the game, but the coach insisted. Of course, he was right to demand it, since Zach was in excruciating pain, but Zach was an athlete. He wanted to win as a team or lose as a team, and seeing the relief pitcher jogging up to take his place was never a good thing, no matter the reason.

  “It sucks to ride the bench now though,” Kevin said, leading Zach into his family room. “You guys are finally having a decent season.”

  Zach knew he should be upset about it too, but he kept thinking about getting more time to get to know his son. Instead of traveling with the team, he would only be obligated to attend home games. He couldn’t practice, so he would have more free time than he knew what to d
o with… except he knew exactly what he wanted to do. Summer vacation was right around the corner, and Tyler’s mom worked full time.

  “Yeah, but what are you gonna do, right?” Zach sank into the plush sectional and put his feet up on the upholstered ottoman. He’d come to his brother’s for one reason, and it wasn’t baseball. He needed advice from his brother, the lawyer.

  “You looking at surgery?”

  “They’re trying to avoid it. The recovery time will be even longer if I have to go under the knife. It’s only a partial tear, so I should be back in eight weeks or less if their treatment plan works.”

  “That’s good.”

  “Yeah. Where’s Trena and the kid?” he asked, referring to his nephew and sister-in-law.

  “They went to the grocery store and to run a few other errands.” He checked his watch and grinned. “That means I should have the house to myself for a whole hour. You wanna a beer?”

  “No, I’m good, thanks.” Zach was certain his parents hadn’t shared his news with Kevin. He wanted to do the honors. “Have you heard that Rennie’s back in town?”

  Kevin glanced at the large screen TV in the corner. The volume was turned down, but sports scores ran across the bottom of the screen. “Uh, yeah, I think Mom or Dad may have mentioned it.”

  His brother was being evasive, which meant he felt guilty. “Why didn’t you tell me?” Zach asked, eyeing him as he feigned interest in the sports highlights.

  “I don’t know.” He reached for his beer bottle on the end table. “I heard she’d…”

  “Married. Yeah, I know. But you must have also heard her husband died.”

  Kevin sighed as he faced his brother. “Man, I knew it would be a touchy subject. We all knew you’d never really gotten over Rennie. I thought you might go off the deep end when you heard she married someone else.”

  “Thanks for the vote of confidence.” Unfortunately, his brother’s fears were well-founded. He hadn’t felt very stable when he spotted Rennie’s wedding photo and the image of a son he’d believed she’d conceived with another man. “Did you know she had a kid?”

  Kevin muttered a curse as he swiped a hand down his face. “No, I hadn’t heard that. I’m sorry, Zach.”

  “Don’t be sorry. The kid’s mine.”

  Kevin’s mouth fell open, and his beer bottle tipped. He caught it just before it spilled on the expensive taupe fabric. “What the hell are you talking about?” He set the bottle on the end table and leaned forward. “You can’t be serious!”

  “I’m dead serious.” Zach gave his brother a moment to process the news. “He just turned ten. His name’s Tyler.”

  “I don’t believe this.” Kevin bounded out of his seat. He paced, a tactic he often used when he was working through a difficult challenge. He claimed it helped him to think more clearly. “Are you sure the kid is yours? I mean, maybe that’s why Rennie left, because she didn’t know how to tell you that—” He stopped talking when he spotted his brother’s warning scowl.

  “This is Rennie we’re talking about. She never would’ve cheated on me.”

  “Yeah, but who would’ve thought Ren had it in her to keep your kid from you? Man, that’s just messed up. What the hell was she thinking?”

  “She heard what I said to you at the club that night.” Zach waited for his brother to run through the conversation in his mind. “I pocket dialed her. She heard the whole thing.”

  “Shit,” Kevin said, grimacing. “No wonder she took off.”

  “Yeah, I guess she didn’t feel she had a choice. She didn’t want to saddle me with a kid I didn’t want.”

  “I know what you said that night”—Kevin braced his hands on his hips as he faced his younger brother—“but is that really how you would’ve felt if you found out the woman you loved was gonna have your baby?”

  Zach glanced at the family photos lining Kevin’s mantle and cringed when he thought about all of the moments he’d missed out on with his own son. “I don’t know how I would have reacted. I would’ve been shocked, that’s for sure. Like I told you, we always used protection.”

  “Those things aren’t a sure thing, you know that.”

  “I sure do now.” Zach couldn’t feel an ounce of remorse that the condom had been faulty. Ever since he’d learned he was a father, the only thing he’d felt since the initial shock subsided was excitement about getting to know Tyler.

  “Rennie wasn’t taking the pill?”

  “Couldn’t.” They had assumed condoms would be enough, so they hadn’t worried about taking additional measures. Perhaps they were young and naïve, or just so in love they couldn’t keep their hands off each other long enough to consider the consequences of their actions. That hadn’t changed. He was still as attracted to Rennie as he’d ever been. She turned him on in a way no other woman ever had—and it seemed she could barely stand to be in the same room with him.

  “How’d you find out she had a kid… and that he’s yours? She told you?”

  Zach rolled his eyes. “Not exactly. Her son”—a smile spread across his face—“correction, our son, invited me to his tenth birthday party behind his mama’s back.”

  “No way.” Kevin grinned. “Rennie must have flipped out.”

  “Yeah, I don’t think she was too happy to see me. She knew she’d been busted. Mom and Dad were there too.”

  “Wait a minute,” Kevin said, raising his hand. “They knew and didn’t tell me?”

  “They just found out. I’m sure they figured I’d want to be the one to tell you.”

  “So, does the kid know you’re his father?”

  “No. Rennie said he’s been through a lot this year, with his stepfather dying and all. She wanted to make sure he could handle it before she broke the news to him.”

  “That makes sense,” Kevin said, nodding.

  “But I don’t wanna wait. I want him to know now.” Zach looked his brother in the eye. “Does that make me a selfish bastard or what? Aren’t parents supposed to put their kid’s feelings above their own?”

  Kevin smirked. “You’re new to this whole parenting thing. Give yourself a break.”

  “I’m serious, Kev.” Zach leaned forward. He rubbed his aching shoulder; he’d barely noticed the throbbing pain since he sat down. The only thing he could think about was his son. “Do you think I’m wrong to insist on telling him now? Should I let Ren take the lead and decide when he’s ready?”

  Kevin shrugged before shoving his hands into his pockets. “I think kids are a lot more resilient than we give them credit for. Tyler’s been through a lot, but finding out he has a father who’s ready and willing to step in and fill the void may be exactly what he needs.” Kevin frowned. “That is what you want, right? To be a part of his life?”

  “What the hell do you think?” Zach glared at him. “He’s my son. Of course I want to be a part of his life. I’ve already missed out on the first ten years of his life. I’d hate like hell to miss out on one more minute.”

  “Then you shouldn’t have to. Tell Rennie you want to tell him and the sooner, the better.”

  “Yeah, you’re right,” Zach said, running his damp palm over the knee of his worn designer jeans. Just thinking about how Rennie would react made him break out in a sweat, but she’d been calling the shots for too long. He needed to start making some of the decisions where their son was concerned. “I’m gonna talk to her tonight.”

  “Good.”

  “Listen, I want to believe Rennie and I can work out a custody arrangement without things getting nasty, but—”

  “I’ve got your back,” Kevin said before he could finish. “Whatever you need, I’m here for you.”

  “Thanks, man. I appreciate that.”

  ***

  Rennie walked into High Rollers that night trying to quash the pit of dread in her stomach. She should be looking forward to a successful fundraiser, not afraid of what might happen with Zach. He wasn’t a monster, and she knew he wasn’t vindictive. He wasn’t tr
ying to hurt her by insisting they tell Tyler the truth. He just wanted a relationship with their son. If she stood to lose her own relationship with him in the process, that wasn’t Zach’s fault, was it?

  “Hey, pretty lady,” Jaxon said, taking her hands as he leaned in to kiss her cheek. He really was gorgeous, especially decked out in well-cut black dress pants and a black button-down shirt. Rennie was so busy looking for Zach she barely noticed.

  “Hi, Jaxon. Thanks again for letting us host the event here. It was so generous of you.” Rennie looked around. Her crew had been in earlier to decorate and post signs. She had to admit, the upscale sports bar looked ready to host a party to end all parties.

  “My pleasure,” he said, looking around. “The boys all rallied to come up with the goods for this thing. With our connections with the pro athletes in town, you have some serious merchandise to auction off tonight.”

  Her eyes drifted to the silent auction area. Terri had showed her the list of donated items earlier that day, and Rennie had been stunned. She was sure they would raise enough to buy Sheldon the dog he so desperately needed, and enough that he would be able to work with his therapist at least three times a week instead of one or two for the foreseeable future. Rennie smiled when she looked at the small crowd in the auction area. “I can’t thank you guys enough. You have no idea how much this will mean to the Griffins. Speaking of Sheldon’s parents, are they here yet?”

  “No.” He glanced at the door and grinned when he spotted his partner. “Zach, my man.” He chuckled when Zach slapped him on the back with his good hand. “I’d shake your hand, but I’m afraid of hurting you.”

  “Shut up,” Zach said, his lips curling up. He avoided looking at Rennie as he surveyed the burgeoning crowd. “Looks like it’s gonna be a good night, huh?”

  Rennie’s unease morphed as she picked up on Zach’s tension. She couldn’t decide whether he was upset because of his injury or her presence, so she decided to ask. “How are you feeling?”

  “At the moment, doped up on pain meds,” he said, barely sparing her a glance.