Team Mom: A Sweet Contemporary Romance (Finding Love Book 1)

by Delaney Cameron

  She must have dozed off because the next thing she was aware of was the clomp-clomp of rubber boots on the planked boardwalk.

  “Aunt Julie! I caught a bluegill.”

  Julie blinked the sleep from her eyes. “Did you really? Let me see.”

  Jordan held out the familiar metal bucket. “He’s pretty big, isn’t he?”

  She peered into the water. “Yes, he is. Are we releasing him, too?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  She looked at Eric. “Didn’t you catch anything?”

  He grinned wickedly. “No, but there’s still time.”

  Julie caught the inflection in his voice. “You sound very sure of success.”

  “I finally figured out the right bait to use.”

  “Really? I heard that some fish are very unpredictable. What works one time doesn’t necessarily work the next time.”

  He laughed. “It’s all good. I like a challenge.” Eric turned to Jordan. “Let’s return our little friend to his home. I’ve got some steaks to grill.”

  As they walked back to the house, Eric clasped Julie’s hand and swung it gently back and forth. “You looked very peaceful sitting in the gazebo. What were you thinking about?”

  “Nothing specific. It was nice to sit and listen to nature. I don’t get to do that very often.”

  “I thought you might be thinking about me. I was sending thoughts about you over the water. Didn’t you get them?”

  “I fell asleep. Could you tell them to me now?”

  “I was thinking about that adorable picture of you at your apartment. The one where you’re holding a plate of Christmas cookies. I took a picture of it with my phone so I can look at it anytime I want to. I probably should have asked you first. Do you mind?”

  She laughed. “I don’t mind. My grandmother made that apron for me. A few days before Christmas every year, I would go to her house, and we would bake. First, we’d roll out the sugar cookies, then the snickerdoodles and the peanut butter blossoms. The last thing we made was fudge. We would eat it warm off the spoon and take turns scraping what was left on the sides and bottom of the heavy pot we cooked it in.”

  “I never realized making fudge could be so much fun. Could we make it together some time?”

  “I can’t tell whether you’re joking or serious.”

  “I’m perfectly serious. We’d have to have Jordan there, of course, as a chaperone.”

  Julie stopped walking and turned to look at him. “Why would we need a chaperone to make fudge?”

  Eric tugged on one of her loose curls. “Think about it: you and me in a kitchen with warm fudge that will eventually find its way to our fingers and lips. That’s a recipe for a chaperone.”

  “You’ve put a new spin on candy-making.”

  He drew her close. “Anything can be made enjoyable when you’re doing it with someone you like.”

  ******

  Eric pushed the button on the dishwasher and pretended to mop his brow. “I’m plumb worn out from all this cooking and cleaning.”

  Julie laughed at his exaggerated southern accent. “You’ve had a busy day. It’s time to relax, and I know just the place to do it.”

  He clutched at his chest. “Be still my heart! Are you actually going to sit in the swing with me?”

  “Stop being so dramatic.” Taking his hand, she pulled him toward the door. “Light on or off?” she asked with a teasing smile.

  “Whatever you feel comfortable with. It won’t affect the outcome.”

  “Off then. It won’t attract so many bugs.”

  He opened the door. “After you.”

  Once they were outside, she waved a hand in the air. “No lightning bugs tonight.”

  “Bummer. We’ll have to settle for stars. It won’t be quite the same.”

  As they got closer to the swing, he slowed down.

  “What are you doing?” she asked.

  “Waiting for the inevitable interruption. What’s it going to be tonight?”

  “Well, it can’t be Matt and Jordan. They went to a movie. It could be your father. When will he and Brianna be back?”

  “I have no idea. They were driving to Savannah.”

  Julie sat down and patted the spot next to her. “Come on. You’re almost there.”

  He laughed as he joined her. “Made it. Finally.”

  Her glance lifted to the sky. “There’s a sliver of moon, but not many stars.”

  “That’s okay. I don’t need any light to know how beautiful you are.” He put his arm along the back of the swing and teased the curls that had escaped her ponytail.

  “Mmm,” she murmured. “That feels nice.”

  “My mother used to put me to sleep this way.”

  “That may happen now if you keep this up.”

  He laughed. “I think I can manage to keep you awake.” His fingers slid lazily along her neck to her ear. His touch was light, almost featherlike; both soothing and strangely exciting.

  He was right; she didn’t want to go to sleep. She turned her head to look at him. He evidently wasn’t expecting that. His fingers stilled and the only sound was their breathing. She heard his indrawn breath just before he moved toward her, his lips going where his fingers had been. First to her hair, then to her ear, down to the hollow in her neck, and with agonizing slowness, to her mouth. A quiver sliced through him when her arms slid around his neck. The pressure on her mouth increased as he moved closer and deepened the kiss. Julie was floating in a dizzying sweetness that completely shut out everything else.

  ******

  Eric drew away from her, ignoring the clamoring of his senses. He knew they were approaching a precipice over which he couldn’t afford to go. “That was…I don’t even know how to describe it,” he said hoarsely. “Those were the most thrilling few minutes I’ve ever experienced.”

  A shy smile touched her mouth. “Me, too,” she admitted in a husky whisper.

  He pulled her back to lean against his chest and wrapped his arms around her waist. “I think we should break the swing in slowly, don’t you? After all, it’s so new to being used for romantic purposes.”

  “More like breaking me in slowly. I’m not used to being kissed like that.”

  “That makes two of us. I guess now would be a good time to tell you that I’m kind of old-fashioned. I believe physical intimacy is more than sharing one’s body with someone; it’s a connection with another person’s heart and soul. When the two people involved love each other to the exclusion of everyone else, the experience can be unique, unlike anything else. It can transcend the visceral and create a bond that nothing on earth can break. To me, it’s something worth waiting for.”

  “I’ve never heard it explained more beautifully or eloquently.”

  “That’s nice, but how do you feel about it? Will those limitations bother you? Do you think they’re unnecessary? Do you wish I hadn’t said anything?”

  “Which one of those do you want me to answer first?”

  His arms tightened around her. “Are you making fun of me?”

  She tilted her head sideways so she could look at him. “Not now I’m not. I’m starting to realize how deep and complex you really are.”

  “You’re also going to realize that my patience isn’t unending. Please answer at least one of those questions.”

  “Okay. Your limitations don’t bother me. I don’t believe them to be unnecessary, and I’m glad you said something. Did I cover everything?”

  “Yes, you did. Now I can kiss you again.” He lifted her chin and took her lips once more.

  ******

  Julie wasn’t able to see Eric for several days. He and Matt received word that they’d won the bid for an extensive landscaping project with the city of St Marys. Between meeting with their new client and taking care of their regular customers, Eric didn’t have any free time. Julie might have felt the loss of his company more except Jordan had a science project to complete. She found it strange that the time apart did m
ore to cement her feelings for him than all the hours they’d spent together.

  It was hard to fathom that she’d only known him two months. How had he become so vital that he never completely left her thoughts? Everywhere she went, everything she did, he was part of it. This compulsion to be with him, the overriding conviction that her happiness was becoming tied to him was a little frightening. Love wasn’t anything like she imagined in her girlish daydreams. It was vast, intricate and complicated, not easily understood or controlled. It was a force that ignored common sense. Love operated outside the lines and defied convention.

  Her sudden need to know more about Eric led her to the internet. She spent several hours watching a younger, but equally mesmerizing man intimidate batters and wow the crowd. The only hindrance to her enjoyment was the constant references made by the announcers to his recent marriage.

  Several times the camera panned to a beautiful blonde sitting in the stands. Julie had purposely avoided finding out what Sydney Gibson looked like. That wasn’t possible now. The woman’s image was implanted on her brain – never to be forgotten. A jolt of jealously shot through her. She didn’t want to think about Eric living with this lovely woman. It wouldn’t have been a hardship to be married to her.

  By the time she and Jordan were headed to the ballpark on Tuesday evening, Julie’s stomach was tied in knots of anticipation. She was still some distance away when she saw him. Her chest tightened and her heart thudded so furiously she felt almost lightheaded. If she didn’t calm down, she was going to make a fool of herself.

  Jordan ran over to where Eric stood just inside the fence. Eric said something to him and then glanced into the stands, obviously looking for Julie. When he saw her, he smiled and waved. It may have seemed trivial to a bystander, but it meant everything to her.

  Just before the game started, Matt showed up. He slid next to her and put his arm around her shoulders, grinning at her surprised expression.

  “Hello, beautiful.”

  “Hello, yourself. What are you up to? And where’s Sarah?”

  “Sarah is working, and I’m here to agitate Eric.”

  Julie laughed. “Why do you want to agitate him?”

  “Because that’s what brothers do. Look at him out there, acting as if he doesn’t have a care in the world. But I know better. He saw me arrive, and he knows where my arm is. It’s driving him crazy that he can’t get over here and do something about it.”

  “I don’t want to get him upset; it might distract him from the game.”

  “Nothing distracts Eric unless he allows it. He’ll simply file this away and kill me when he gets home.”

  “You look as if you can handle yourself.”

  “Before I lost my leg, we were about equal. Now, he’s got the advantage.”

  “You manage very well from what I’ve seen.”

  “Thanks. It took me about a year to get to this point.” Matt let his arm fall away. “I think I’ve tortured Eric long enough. A muscle is starting to twitch in his cheek.”

  “I don’t see anything.”

  “It’s very slight, but it means he’s about to explode.”

  “I hope he doesn’t think I encouraged you. I don’t want him mad at me.”

  “I’m just the opposite. An angry Eric is something to behold. He doesn’t yell. His voice gets low and quiet. And then he goes silent and says nothing. It drives my dad crazy because that’s how my mother was. Eric may look like my dad, but he takes after my mother in every other way.”

  “What about you?”

  Matt shrugged. “I’m not like either one of my parents or Eric.”

  “My brother and I aren’t anything alike, either.”

  “Eric told me he’s in Iraq. He’s a Ranger, right?”

  She nodded. “They’re on some kind of highly sensitive mission right now. I almost wish he hadn’t told me because all I’ve done is worry. Jordan has already lost his mother; I can’t imagine what it would do to him to lose his father, too.”

  Matt clasped her hand. “It’s hard; I know. When I lost my leg, I also lost one of my best friends. My advice is: don’t make it worse by anticipating trouble. Just enjoy each day and try to make it the best you can.”

  Julie looked down at their joined hands. “Eric is going to kill us both.”

  “No, just me. He knows I acted alone. I didn’t get any dinner. I think I’ll go see what the concession stand has to offer. Can I get you anything?”

  “I’d love some popcorn. Let me find some change.”

  “Don’t worry about it. Messing with Eric is worth a lot more than the price of a bag of popcorn.”

  ******

  The ending of the game wasn’t nearly as dramatic as the previous one, but Jordan’s team did manage to win. Matt had joked about not sticking around to face Eric, but he was standing by Julie when his brother and Jordan emerged from the dugout.

  “Aunt Julie, Coach Gibson and I decided we’d like to go back to Dom’s.”

  “If it’s okay with you, of course,” added Eric.

  “I think that’s a great idea,” Julie said. “I like Dom’s pizza.”

  “I like Dom’s pizza, too,” put in Matt.

  Eric glanced at his brother. “Do you like having the use of your arms?”

  Matt grinned widely. “Can I come or not? Sarah doesn’t get off until midnight. You wouldn’t want me to be alone all evening, would you?”

  “You won’t be alone. Dad and Brianna were at home when I left.”

  “They decided to take another drive up the coast.”

  Eric sighed. “I guess that means we’re stuck with you.”

  Matt turned to Jordan. “Want to ride with me? I’ve got the Corvette.”

  As she watched Jordan and Matt walk away, Julie looked at Eric. “He’s got a Corvette? How did I miss that?”

  Eric grabbed the equipment bag and waited for her to get her purse. “It stays parked in the garage most of the time. It’s an old one that Matt rebuilt. Let me follow you home, and we’ll ride together to Dom’s.”

  Once they got to her apartment, Eric led her to the door. “What are we doing?” she asked.

  He took the key from her and ushered her inside. “This won’t take long. Don’t you remember that I like dessert first?”

  Those were the last words exchanged between them for several minutes. When Eric finally released her, Julie was delightfully flushed, and her purse was lying at her feet. He touched her heated cheeks.

  “I think you missed me a little.”

  “It would be pointless to deny it.” She bent down to retrieve her purse.

  Eric laughed as he opened the door and escorted her to the truck. “I’ve got to go to Atlanta tomorrow. I told you that I sponsor a tournament every summer. Basically, I get some retired players and kids from the community to play a few baseball games for charity. This is a preliminary planning meeting with the attorneys and the marketing firm that handles all the publicity.”

  “What is the money you raise used for?”

  “There are so many kids who want to play baseball or softball, but they can’t afford to buy the uniforms, bats, gloves, and cleats. This charity provides funding to youth organizations who help supply that equipment.”

  “It’s very generous of you to let them use your name and your property.”

  “Like I told you, baseball has been good to me. It’s my way of giving back.”

  “I didn’t have a very high opinion of sports figures until I met you.”

  “I know. I remember the look on your face when you found out who I was. We were at Dom’s. It’s fitting that we should be going back there.”

  “You’re making that up,” she insisted. “I didn’t look at you in any particular way.”

  He sent her an amused glance. “Are we about to have our first argument? They say making up can be awesome. I wouldn’t mind finding out.”

  “Who are ‘they’?”

  “You know, the guys. Now back to the l
ook. You smiled so nicely at Jordan. I wanted you to smile that way at me, but no such luck. I got this cold stare as if I was some kind of nasty lab specimen.”

  “You did not!” Julie punched him in the arm. It was like hitting a wall. “I think that hurt me more than it hurt you.”

  “Probably so. You did it wrong. Remind me to show you how to punch someone correctly.” He pulled into Dom’s parking lot. “Will Jordan be able to practice Thursday?”

  “I think so. I have to figure out how to get him there. I have a baby shower to go to.”

  “What’s to figure out? I’ll pick him up and bring him home.”

  She reached across the seat and took his hand. “I didn’t want to ask you to do that. You’re already done so much.”

  Eric turned his hand and linked his fingers through hers. “I’m not keeping track and neither should you. Can you and Jordan come to the house on Friday?”

  “The night before a game? Wouldn’t that be too much of a distraction?”

  He came around and opened her door. “It will be more of a distraction if I don’t see you.”

  Chapter Ten

  Eric tapped his fingers impatiently on the steering wheel. He hated sitting in traffic. Thank goodness he only had to come to Atlanta a few times a year. How had he thought he could live here all the time? The fact that he was head over heels in love with Sydney had made such inconveniences seem minor. Once their marriage fell apart, he ‘rediscovered’ his dislike of life in a big city.

  His meeting with the charity’s attorneys and the public relations firm had gone well. The tournament would be held the second weekend of July. He hoped to double the proceeds from last year. Fortunately, his name was still worth something in spite of his efforts to ruin it.

  He hadn’t told Julie the other place he was going. Not because he wanted to hide it from her, but because he disliked even mentioning Sydney. That was a part of his life he wished he could blot out completely. It was almost as if he was afraid that talking about Sydney might mess things up with Julie. It was an irrational thought because the two women were in no way connected. They were polar opposites. Julie was everything Sydney pretended to be, but wasn’t.