She looked out the window to see Ali pushing Sam around the yard in the little red car his father had bought him for his first birthday. Tears stung her throat. What would his parents think of how he was turning out?
The moment had drawn her in and she never even heard Christian walk into the kitchen. She didn’t even know he was there until he walked up behind her and slid his arms around her.
She jumped, but he didn’t let go. He kept his arms around her, as if it was the natural thing to do between them—and once it had been.
She knew it was much too early to feel the baby move, but she swore that the energy that resonated between Chris and her stomach was a connection. It was magic.
He rested his chin on her shoulder. “They are happy, good kids.”
“They are.”
“You’re doing a great job.”
“I’ll never replace them though—their parents.”
“No but we can keep their spirit alive. We both loved them and we can make sure those kids know who they were and how much they loved them.”
She turned around in his arms and his hands rested on her waist. It was too intimate to put her arms around his neck, so she held on to the counter. “I don’t want to do this without you anymore.”
“You don’t have to.”
“Are you scared?”
“More than you can imagine.” He raised his hand and tucked her hair behind her ear. “But that’s what it’s all about, right? Each day is an adventure and you never know what will happen.”
“I can’t let you stay around them if at some point you find that it’s too much and you want to leave.”
He shook his head and his hand rested on her cheek. “Never again. I’ll never let you down again.” He moved in closer until their bodies were pressed together.
His eyes had gone darker, just like the night she’d stayed with him in the hotel. The fire which ignited under his touch burned through her. Should she tell him about the baby now? Would he accept her silence about it and understand why she waited?
He didn’t move in any closer or try to kiss her, but she thought that the look in his eyes said he’d want to.
But then the back door opened and the quick steps of little feet and hard breath had him stepping away.
“Auntie, come see! Come see!”
Both kids hurried to her and took a hand leading her to the back yard.
Out on the back patio was a new planter full of flowers. Every color and kind was represented. “We planted these for you.”
“For me?”
“Yes. Me and Sam picked them all out. All but this one.” She pointed to a grouping of pink daisies. “Chris picked those out for you.”
Victoria swallowed back the tears that stung in her throat. Damn, why did everything make her want to cry lately?
“You did this for me?”
“The kids did.” He winked. “We wanted to do something special for you.”
“Ya!” Sam added. “You special.”
The tears didn’t hold back now. She scooped up Sam and held him tightly as Ali hugged her legs. This was her family and that included Christian.
Sam lifted his head from her shoulder and held out his arms. “Cwis! Hug!”
She watched his eyes grow moist too as he moved in to hug their little family. Yes, she knew it was theirs.
Not only had they planted her flowers, but the kids had also helped Christian with dinner. Ali had been in charge of stirring the pudding and Sam had been in charge of sprinkles. He wasn’t sure if there was a limit on too many sprinkles, but Tori didn’t seem to mind.
“I just set your laundry on your bed,” he said. “I didn’t want to go through your drawers.”
She looked at him with a sweet smile on her lips. “You did my laundry?”
“Yep,” he said as he poured more milk into the special cup Sam drank from that didn’t spill. “I vacuumed the van too when I got gas. I’ll take it to work with me next week and get the oil changed if that’s okay with you.”
“Sure,” she choked out.
He gave her a wink. He could see she was a bit overwhelmed, but he wanted her to know he’d handled it. The kids had been picked up, the van had been gassed and vacuumed, dinner made, laundry done, and even flowers planted. The kids were healthy and happy and he’d done it with a smile on his face. They could do this—if she could just forget about how stupid he’d been.
They had a routine. After dinner they always took a walk. He’d walk next to Tori, but he’d never taken her hand. Until tonight, he’d made sure to stay physically away from her. He didn’t want her to think that only the physical was driving him as it had the night of his brother’s wedding.
But tonight he had a change in mind. “Let’s take a drive.”
“A drive? Where?”
“I have something I want to show you guys.”
They agreed and as a family they piled into the van. He started the van and they drove. No one questioned where they were going. The air wasn’t thick enough that they had to have the air on, so they rolled down the windows and took in the early evening sounds. Twenty minutes later Christian pulled up to the fenced off lot.
“What is this?”
“My office.”
Tori narrowed her eyes. “Your office?”
He smiled. “This is the project I’m in charge of. It’s a baseball stadium.”
“It’s dirt!” Sam shouted from the back trying to see, but restrained in his seat.
Christian turned and smiled at him. “It’s going to be a baseball stadium. Do you want to go see?”
Sam nodded his head and that was a good enough answer.
They walked around the orange fencing at the mound of dirt. He was sure that was all Tori could see and he had to admit to himself a few months ago that was all he could see too. But now, standing in front of it, he could imagine the parking lot, the stands, the scoreboard, the concessions. There wasn’t anything he couldn’t already see. He assumed this was how his brother and uncle saw the world—full of possibilities yet to be built.
Christian took his phone out of his pocket. “Here this is what it will look like.” He’d knelt down next to Ali and Sam and pulled up a picture of the drawing. They both looked at it and then out over the dirt.
“I wanna play,” Sam looked him directly in the eye.
“You want to play ball.”
“On a team. Like daddy.”
He saw Tori turn away—obviously to collect herself. Christian cleared his throat. “Well, at your age you start with T-ball. Does that sound good?”
He nodded with excitement. “You be my coach.”
Now he was going to have to compose himself. Tori had turned around as if she needed to see his reaction. He noticed her hand had rested on her stomach and that made his head spin.
It was here. It was now. This whole world was spinning around him and he wanted to scoop it all up and keep it just like this.
“You want me to be your coach?”
Sam nodded.
“Okay, then. I’ll be your coach. That means I have to keep hanging around, is that okay?”
“Where else would you go?” Ali asked.
That was the final moment he knew he couldn’t live his life without them. “Ali, if you’ll have me, I’ll never go anywhere else again.”
“We like having you around and so does Auntie.”
Christian shifted his eyes toward Tori who was wiping tears away. “You like having me around?”
“It wasn’t my plan to not have you hanging around.”
Chris stood and moved toward her. He rested his hands on her hips. “Can you forgive me? I didn’t know this was exactly what I wanted.”
“Are you sure this is what you want? You can’t play ball again, Chris. You won’t be in the majors. I have them and I can’t take off on a moment’s notice and be anywhere you want to be.”
“You are where I want to be.”
“Is it enough?”
/> “It always was, I just lost sight of that.”
She rested her head on his shoulder and he pulled her in close.
“Chris, I’ve never stopped loving you,” she whispered in his ear and that was when the first tear broke free and ran down his cheek.
He pulled back so that their foreheads touched. “I’ve been thinking about the plans we had once. You were supposed to have my name by now.”
She tucked in her lips and held back her sob. “I know.”
“Maybe we could consider making those plans again.”
She rested her hand on his cheek and then looked at the children who were collecting rocks from the mud. “I’d like that, but…”
He didn’t like that. He didn’t want a but.
“Let’s talk about this next week. I’m very overwhelmed right now and I’m even a little light headed.”
“You’re still not feeling well?” He wished she would tell him about the baby. It would all be easier if she could just tell him that she was carrying Scott’s baby, but if that was the case, she’d probably want to see what Scott’s plans were before she included Christian in on it. That was how she worked. He understood that, but it wasn’t making things any easier.
“I’m okay.”
He was going to seal this. He was going to make sure she knew how he felt.
Christian leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. At first her lips were tight, but as his hands slid around her back they became more pliant. The kiss could have gone on all night, but when he heard Ali’s, “Ewwww,” he knew it was time to drive back home.
After all, he had a lot of planning to do. He was asked to wait a week before they talked about making plans. That gave him a week to find a new ring—a bigger better ring. He should think about selling—or renting—his house. She’d want to stay in Ashley and David’s house for the kids and he would agree with that. And, he let out a long breath, he needed to look into T-Ball leagues. It looked like he was going to coach after all. The majors couldn’t hold a candle to the home run he’d just hit.
Chapter Nineteen
The drive home that night had grown quiet. The only noise was Sam babbling about baseball.
Christian’s head was a million miles away. There were a lot of plans to make in a week.
They all left their shoes on the front porch and walked into the house—as a family.
“Time for baths,” Tori announced and two grumbling kids threw themselves on the couch. “C’mon. We had fun now we have to get our baths.”
“Do we have to go to school tomorrow and day care?” Ali was taking each step sluggishly.
“School is fun.”
“Nu-uh. Peyton says that I’m dumb since I have Poppy.”
Tori shook her head. “I’m sure Peyton has something just a special to her as Poppy is to you. She must really be having a bad day if she makes fun of you. Try to understand, ask her if she’s okay. Then if she’s still mean you can tell your teacher too.”
That seemed to suffice for Ali.
Christian walked behind her up the stairs. “You think that’ll work?”
Tori turned and her eyes were angry. “Would you rather me tell her to punch the girl in the nose?”
“No.”
“Why do you think kids are mean?” She’d stopped walking and stood a step higher than he was, looking down at him. “It usually starts at home. Peyton might be having issues with her mom. Her dad moved out last year. And if I remember right,” she stopped and looked for Ali who had gone into her room, “he left to be with his girlfriend.”
Christian nodded. He remembered when his dad left; he too had gotten into some trouble. And a few months later when his mom remarried his dad’s best friend, it had gotten worse.
“Imagine what she’s going through. She doesn’t even know how to talk to anyone. So what does she do? She takes it out on the little girl who doesn’t even have a mommy and daddy anymore. This is how they think, Chris. You have to teach them to be the bigger person. Find out what is bothering her and maybe you’ll be the friend she needed.”
He’d been that kid, that was for sure. It was a teammate who, after punching Christian in the nose for being so mean, asked what was wrong and they had become friends.
“And if she’s just a mean girl?”
“Then I guess you punch her. But there is a time frame.”
She turned back around and headed up the stairs. Christian followed behind shaking his head—and admiring the view in front of him.
Baths were drawn in separate bathrooms. Ali enjoyed her privacy and Sam still liked to play in the bubble with all of the tub toys he could find.
When Ali was finished Tori came back to help with Sam just as Sam took a bucket of water and dumped it on Chris.
He could see Tori trying not to laugh as she scolded Sam.
“I guess this would be a good reason for me to bring over some clothes,” he said and her eyes widened.
“I’ll get you a shirt.”
She walked out of the bathroom and Christian finished rinsing off Sam and wrapping him in a towel. When she came back she had the old T-shirt she’d been in the day after Ed’s wedding. The day after he’d made love to her all night.
Christian ran his hand over the stubble on his chin. “Are you sure you want to part with that?”
The air was thick in the room and Sam must have felt it too. He wiggled out of the towel and ran down the hall, naked to his room.
Christian stood up and looked her in the eyes.
She licked her lips. “How about I lend it to you.”
“You’re going to lend me my own shirt?”
She nodded slowly. “And maybe you could bring it back with a few other things.”
Christian took another step toward her. “That just said a lot.”
She lifted a shaky hand and rested it on his chest. “I missed you.” Her eyes scanned him and then met his. The blue staring back at him had grown darker. “I don’t just mean missed having you around.”
To steady himself, he placed his hands on her hips. “Are you sure you know what you’re saying? The last time we got into this situation it didn’t end so well.”
“I didn’t think you’d show back up the next day.”
He took another step closer, wrapping his arms around her waist. Tori lifted her arms and draped them around his neck.
She wiggled slightly when the wet T-shirt pressed against her. “Maybe you should change now.”
“I wouldn’t want to get you all hot and bothered when I take off my shirt.”
“Chris, when I said wait till next week, it meant a lot of things. I have some things I need to take care of. But, after that,” she brushed her forehead against his lips. “Will you move in with us?”
It certainly wasn’t what he thought she’d ask, but he couldn’t have been happier that she did. If he was in the house and they were a family, there was no way she’d turn down his proposal.
“I would love to do that. Are you sure?”
She pressed her head to his chest. “I’m very sure.”
Christian stood there holding her pressed to him. One week. He could live for one week knowing that after that, he’d have unlimited time for hugs, kisses, and love making.
But there was one more thing. Only one thing he needed from her and that part was killing him. He needed to know if John was right about the baby.
He kissed the top of her head. “Tori, is there anything else you want to tell me? Anything you’ve been keeping from me?”
She didn’t look up at him and she was silent for what seemed to him a very long time.
“Just that I love you. I have always loved you.”
He rested his cheek on the top of her head. That would have to do, he thought.
~*~
Christian had watched his brother’s courting of Darcy from day one. He’d paid attention and he knew that when you wanted to wow a woman you took Aunt Simone, Aunt Regan and your mother to the jewelry store
to pick out a ring. Not to leave anyone out, he also invited his sister and his Aunt Arianna, though he was nervous about seeing her. She was the only one who assumed she knew what was going on with Tori.
Perhaps he’d invite her to meet him first. That might make a difference.
The jewelry store was just off Hillsboro Pike. There was a pizzeria around the corner. He’d just see if she wanted to catch a bite and maybe a beer, or two, before they went shopping.
“This isn’t a very big table. You can’t tell me I’m the only one here to help you pick out a ring, because honey, we’re in trouble.” She made her accent thick when she spoke.
“No,” he laughed and ordered a beer when the waitress came for their order. Arianna followed suite. “Listen, remember what you came to my office to tell me?”
“About Tori?”
“Yeah. She hasn’t said anything to me yet.”
“That was weeks ago. She hasn’t said a word?”
“No.” He let out a breath. “I don’t know if Uncle John just misread it or…”
“He said it was one of those tests that spelled it out. I don’t think he misread it.”
“I just can’t figure out why she won’t tell me, unless she thinks Scott should know first. She asked me to wait till next week, to discuss any future plans. Do you think that if she is pregnant that’s what she’s doing?”
His aunt bit down on her lip. “Who ever thought someone like Tori would be caught up in something like this?”
“Caught up in what?”
“She moved on from you, got into a relationship, had one night with you, then went back to him, and now she’s pregnant.”
“It doesn’t paint a pretty picture. That’s not how she does things.”
“I know.” She rested her hand on his. “I didn’t mean it like that. There has to be a reason, right?”
“Yes. She knows I’m going to ask her to marry me. And if she doesn’t, she’s really clocked out,” he laughed. “Why do I have to wait till next week? None of this makes sense.”
“So why do you really have me here early?”
“You can’t say anything. You can’t even hint at it. I want them to respect Tori.”
Home Run Page 12
