Out of My League: Complete Box Set

by Sharon Cummin

  “What are you doing here?” I whispered.

  “You wouldn't answer me,” he said, as he looked up at me with a stern look and worry in his tone. “What the fuck was I supposed to do?”

  “What?” I asked, feeling confused.

  “I sent you two messages this morning,” he said, his voice filling with irritation. “You can't say shit like the shit storm has blown in and then drop it like that. Your family is in Michigan. That only leaves Jeff. Did he come here? Did that fucker do something? I know it was him. He was the reason you flinched.”

  “Quiet,” I said, as my insides totally freaked out, partly because he was standing there, but also over what he'd just said.

  “No,” he snapped, as a look of anger covered his face. “Why? Is someone here? Is it him? Did you let him in? Are you with him?”

  “Cassie,” my grandma yelled out from the other room, and Parker's eyes widened.

  “The shit storm,” I said, as I motioned behind me, “was my parents and grandma showing up yesterday. Sammie set me up.”

  “Shit!” he hissed. “How did it go?”

  “For meeting a grandson they didn't even know they had, I'd say not bad,” I answered.

  “Cassie,” he said, in a scolding tone.

  “Who's here?” my grandma asked, as she walked into the living room.

  She would be at the door any second, so I had to do something.

  “A friend of James,” I said.

  Guilt instantly filled me when the look on Parker's face changed to one I could have sworn was hurt, but I knew better, that wasn't it. I shook my head and laughed.

  “Knock it off,” I said. “You've already added me to your number.”

  “What?” he asked.

  “James isn't here,” she said, as she came into view, and a huge smile appeared on her face. “I can't believe my eyes. How have you been, Pete? I saw that shit about them possibly trading you. Tell me it isn't true. I haven't seen you in so long, not since they auctioned you off. I should have been on that date.”

  She reached out, grabbed his arm, and walked toward the living room. I tried to come up with a way to stop her, but I wasn't fast enough.

  “You can wait for James in here,” she said. “They shouldn't be too long. He's over at Lance and Lauren's house with the rest of the guys. I'm making lunch, so they'll be here. Those men won't miss food. You should stay. How are you feeling about your situation?”

  “Trying not to think about it,” he answered, but I didn't miss the worried look on his face.

  “You don't want to go, do you?” she asked.

  “Not at all,” he answered, “but you know how it is. You've been around the game long enough.”

  “My poor boy,” she said. “It would be a huge step for your career.”

  “It would be,” he said, “but that's not everything.”

  I couldn't believe my ears. What did he mean it's not everything? He was a professional ballplayer. How could that not be his everything.

  “How are the twins?” she asked.

  “Twins,” I blurted out without thinking.

  He looked at me for a moment before turning his attention back to my grandma.

  “Okay,” he answered her.

  “That getting any better?” she asked.

  “Not really,” he answered.

  I couldn't help but wonder exactly what they meant and how my grandma knew so much about him.

  “That sucks,” she said. “I don't get it. You deserve better.”

  “Neither do I,” he said, as he looked over at me quickly before looking back at her again. “Not everyone feels the same way you do.”

  “I'm going to head back to the kitchen,” she said, as she patted his arm. “You stay here and wait for James. He won't be much longer. I'm so glad you stopped by. You're my favorite Pirate.”

  “I bet you say that to all the guys,” Parker said, with a laugh.

  “Never,” she said. “The way you helped Sammie when she was starting her place and the things you've done since just proves how great you are. You're one of the good ones.”

  “I'm going to head out,” he said. “I can't even remember what I wanted to talk to him about.”

  “Nonsense,” she said. “When you and James played together, you were close. Now you're closer to Sammie than you are him. I'm sure they'd both like it if you stayed for lunch.”

  Grandma turned and began walking toward the kitchen.

  “Shit!” I snapped. “You played with James.”

  “Sure did, princess,” he said, in a cocky tone.

  Grandma let out a laugh, as she walked into the kitchen and out of earshot.

  “I can't believe you're here,” I snapped.

  “I thought they were in Michigan,” he snapped back. “I thought that asshole ex of yours showed up.”

  “Sammie had them come here instead,” I said.

  “They didn't know you had a baby?” he asked, and I shook my head. “They're good people, Cassie.”

  “You don't think I know that,” I said, with a bit of growl. “They're my family.”

  He shook his head and rolled his eyes.

  “You need to go,” I said sternly.

  “We're going to talk,” he said, just as sternly.

  “There's nothing to talk about,” I said.

  “Then why the fuck did you text me?” he snapped out.

  “To say Merry Christmas,” I snapped, as I took a step closer to him.

  “That's it?” he asked.

  “Yes,” I answered. “I didn't know if you'd gone to see your parents, if you were with yours kids, or if you were alone, and I felt bad.”

  “You felt bad?” he asked, as he laughed.

  “Yes,” I answered, defensively. “And honestly, I wanted to tell someone about my parents.”

  “But you didn't,” he said.

  “No, I didn't,” I said.

  “Why not?” he asked.

  “Because, before long, you'll be out on the road doing whatever with whoever, so I changed my mind.”

  “Cassie,” he said, as he took a step closer and reached toward me.

  “No,” I snapped, as I quickly stepped back and then whispered. “I'm not stupid, Parker. I know how women are with the players. I was around that shit. You could be with anyone. What was I to you, some kind of joke? I can't believe I let you see me naked. I've been through enough, and so have my kids. For some crazy reason, they like you. I can't do this with you.”

  “Listen,” he snapped.

  His hand came up, but I didn't see it coming. I pulled back fast, and the look on his face turned instantly from one of aggravation to anger.

  “What the fuck?” he hissed from between his teeth.

  “You need to go, Parker. Please, just go,” I begged.

  Grandma walked into the room at the same time I heard the front door open. Shit, I thought. Could the day get any worse?

  Chapter 6

  Parker

  I was so damn pissed. What the fuck kind of guy did she think I was? Sure, I'd been with women on the road, but one thing I was not was a cheater. I would never be with someone else if I was in a committed relationship, not before or after the shit I'd been through myself.

  When she flinched again, I was not about to let it go. Someone had put their hands on her, and I was going to get to the bottom of it. I would never raise my hand to a woman, and she needed to realize that. The shit needed to stop, because every time she flinched, I felt like my head was going to explode.

  It was taking all I had not to lose my shit when her grandma came back into the room with a smile on her face. Then the front door opened, and I knew I was fucked. It was being put off again. How many times was she going to be able to get out of the damn conversation? I was tired of it.

  I turned to see James, Scott, and both Lance's walking through the door.

  “Parker,” James said, in a confused tone. “What are you doing here?”

  “He cam
e to see you,” grandma said.

  “Me,” he said, with humor in his tone. “Why would you be here to see me? Sammie is the one that's always on your ass for one thing or another.”

  I should have laughed at his words, but I didn't. Instead, I looked over to see their grandma smiling at Cassie, who had a worried look on her face. Then I turned back to James.

  “You okay?” James asked.

  When I looked back at Cassie again, her eyes were pleading with me. I just wasn't sure exactly why. She wanted me to leave. Was she worried I'd say something? If so, about what? She'd already told them everything I knew about Jeff and the divorce. That was what I'd promised not to tell any of them. Did she think I'd tell him that we'd had sex? That shit would never happen. The four men that meant the most to her were right there, and I didn't have a death wish. There was one thing I hadn't promised not to mention, and just thinking about it had my blood boiling. I couldn't take it one more second. I needed answers, and James was just the guy I needed to ask. If he didn't have them, I knew he'd want them too.

  “Actually, James, can we talk a minute,” I said. “I didn't come here to see you, but I do have something I'd like to talk to you about.”

  “About what?” Cassie barked out nervously, before moving quickly to cover her mouth.

  I narrowed my eyes at her with a look that let her know I was not to be fucked with, and she froze.

  “Lunch is ready,” she said, in a much softer tone, with worry in her eyes. “He's been working and needs to eat.”

  “What I have to say won't take long,” I replied, with challenge in my tone and my eyes still on her.

  “Come on,” James said, as he gave Cassie a weird look. “I can wait to eat.”

  I followed him down the hall and into a room that looked to be used as an office. When I shut the door behind me, he gave me a serious look.

  “You okay?” he asked.

  “I need to talk to you about Cassie,” I said, and his serious look moved up a few notches.

  “You can't mess with her, man,” he said roughly. “That's my sister. She's a mess, but I love her.”

  “I'm not,” I said, as I held my hands up to let him know the conversation wasn't going in that direction. “I wanted to know if you've noticed anything off about her?”

  “Like what?” he asked. “I hadn't seen her for a long time before she came here.”

  “Do you think Jeff hit her?” I asked, getting right to it.

  “What?” he asked. “No, why?”

  “You know I always run my fingers through my hair,” I said.

  “When you're nervous,” he said. “What does that have to do with Cassie and Jeff?”

  “There have been three instances, since she got here, where she's flinched when I've lifted my hand to my hair,” I answered honestly, knowing I was opening up a whole new can of worms with my words.

  “Three times,” he snapped. “What the fuck!”

  “James,” I said, in almost a pleading tone.

  “That conversation is not over,” he said, with warning in his tone. “Jeff is a total asshole, but I don't think he'd ever do anything to hurt her. They've been together for years, and I've never seen her flinch. Wait!”

  “What?” I asked.

  “When she first got here, she had a mark on her arm,” he said, and then stopped, as if he was thinking it through. “Shit!”

  “What?” I asked.

  “Hold on,” he growled out.

  He walked by me, opened the door, and left the room. I wasn't sure what to do, so I stayed there, thinking about what I'd just done to myself.

  James walked back into the room with Scott and both Lances on his heels.

  “What's going on?” Lance Jr. asked.

  “I think Jeff hit her,” James said, as he looked over at me.

  “What?” Scott yelled.

  “I'll fucking kill him,” Lance snapped.

  “Calm down a minute,” James said.

  “What makes you think that?” Scott asked.

  “Parker said she flinched three times at him,” James said.

  “And how the fuck did that happen?” Lance barked out, as he turned to me.

  “You can kill him later,” James said.

  “I came to you, didn't I?” I asked James.

  “You did,” he said.

  “I've done nothing wrong,” I said, as I turned toward Lance. “You're not coming anywhere near my nose.”

  James let out a laugh. Then we both looked up at Lance, who was not smiling at all.

  “I think he's right,” James said. “When she got here, she had a mark on her arm. She said it was nothing, and I believed her. We've never had a reason to think any differently. She did flinch once when I reached to grab for her arm too, but I blew it off as her being upset. Shit!”

  “What?” Scott asked.

  “After Thanksgiving, she had another mark on her arm. It looked like a hand print. She said she'd hit it. At the time, I hadn't thought anything of it. We'd been gone, gotten home, and been with her since. Jeff was here. She told us last night. She'd met up with him at a hotel.”

  “He gave her a choice,” I said.

  “Are you fucking kidding me?” Lance hissed through clenched teeth.

  “Yes,” James said. “I had no idea she'd seen him. So, when I saw the mark and she said that she'd hit it, I believed her. Fuck! Did he put his hands on her when she went to see him?”

  “Someone put their hands on her, I have no doubt about that,” I snapped out. “I know it couldn't have been any of you.”

  “Fuck no,” they all said in unison.

  “It sure as fuck wasn't me,” I said. “That only leaves one other person.”

  “She had a mark when she got here,” James said, with hurt in his tone, almost as if he should have known. “Do you think he's been doing it the whole time?”

  “Don't fucking care,” Lance snapped.

  “Once is more than enough for me,” Lance Jr. snapped.

  “I'm going to Michigan,” Scott growled out.

  “Then we all are,” Lance said.

  “Including me,” I added.

  James looked at me like he was staring into my soul. I'd been worried about Lance finding out I'd been with Cassie, but I was starting to think that I'd been worrying about the wrong guy.

  “You don't put your hands on a woman,” I said sternly. “I'll be right there with you. That's not up for debate.”

  Chapter 7

  Cassie

  James and Parker disappeared in James' office. My dad and both Lances were talking to grandma about the house and how much they had gotten done. I was standing there, on pins and needles, waiting for James and Parker to come back, trying to figure out what Parker was saying to him. Was it about me, or was he just playing a game with me? Parker could have pulled him in there to tell him something simple, letting me stand there, thinking it was something awful. Shit! Was he telling him that we had sex? No way! He wouldn't do that. He promised. What else could it be? He was just fucking with me. I was sure of it.

  Just as I began to feel my shoulders relax a bit, I heard the office door slam off of the wall behind it. Then I saw James. The look on his face scared the shit out of me. What the fuck was going on, I wondered? What could Parker have said that had James looking so angry? He motioned for my dad and the other two guys to go with him, so they all walked down the hall and into the office. The second I heard the door close, I looked over at my grandma.

  “Let's go sit down,” she said, as she grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the couch.

  It seemed like we were only sitting there for a minute or two when the office door opened again. All five guys walked through the living room to the front door. Then they left. James stopped and yelled back over his shoulder.

  “We'll be back later. Don't hold dinner for us.”

  Then the door closed, and they were gone, including Parker.

  “They didn't even eat lunch,” I said, as
I turned to my grandma.

  “You know how it goes,” she said, as she shrugged. “It's probably just guy stuff. Maybe they got some bright idea on something they want to do at the house and couldn't wait.”

  She pat my leg with her hand. Then she stood up.

  “I wouldn't worry about it, princess,” she said, with a smile covering her face.

  She turned and walked toward the kitchen. That was when it hit me. She called me princess. She'd laughed earlier when Parker had said it too. Shit! She read the text the night before. The one that said goodnight, princess.

  “Grandma,” I said, as I stood to follow her.

  She stopped just before she walked through the kitchen door.

  “That man is no wannabe,” she said.

  “Grandma,” I snapped. “It's not like that.”

  The kitchen door closed behind her, but I didn't miss her loud laugh.

  James Jr. cried out before I could go after her. I hadn't even picked him up yet when Jake let out a cry of his own. By the time I'd gotten them both changed and situated, the front door opened, and the four kids ran by me and up the stairs. Sammie, Lauren, Lucy, and my mom were all talking as they walked in after the kids.

  “Where are the guys?” my mom asked.

  “At the house,” I said, as grandma walked back into the room.

  “No they aren't,” Lauren said. “We just went by there.”

  “They said they'd be back later,” grandma said. “James said not to wait dinner. They probably went out for some guy time. They haven't seen each other in a while, and they've all been working so hard. They deserve a moment to themselves. Leave them alone. Come on, I made lunch.”

  They all walked toward the kitchen talking happily. I followed behind them not feeling nearly as happy as they were. All I could think about was the guys. Where could they be, and why had Parker gone with them?

  Chapter 8

  Parker

  We were heading down the road, and everyone was quiet, had been for hours. I'd just closed my eyes, hoping to get at least an hour of sleep before we got to the fucker.

  “You know what I want to know?” James barked out of nowhere.

  I didn't answer.

  “What?” Scott asked.