All I want to do in that moment is jump across the table and kiss her. But I don’t want to scare her away, so I don’t. Instead, I poke around her Facebook page. “Who is this guy in your profile picture?”
“Oh.” She hides her face. “I don’t get on here often and I always forget that’s there.”
“Old fling?” I tease, even though my heart drops and I want to punch this guy in the face, despite never knowing him.
“Well, yeah.” She chews on her lower lip again. “I was actually in a pretty serious relationship when Cora was a baby, for about two years. I thought we were going to get married and be a family.”
My family. This man was going to have my family. “I’m sorry it didn’t work out.”
Megan shrugs, looking like it doesn’t bother her at all. It’s a good sign. “He was a cheating asshole. But after him, I haven’t dated much. I didn’t want different men in and out of Cora’s life. She was so little when he left, but she knew he was gone and it sucked, a lot, to watch her look for him. After that, I decided never again.”
“Never?” Never is hard to work with. Will I get special credit because Cora is mine?
She shrugs. “I’m honestly not looking for a serious relationship right now, anyway. I’m almost done with my real estate license and we’re all saving up to move to a bigger, better place. I’m proud of the life I’ve built. I don’t need a savior.” She looks pointedly at me.
“Lucky for you, I look terrible in capes.” I smile broadly, and she sort of returns it. “I don’t want you to think I’m coming in here to steam roll over your life, Megan. I just… I just want to spend time with you.”
“Cora misses having a guy around.” Megan spins her wine glass slowly, watching the liquid churn. “My brother is like her number one, you know? The best guy in her life. But he’s been in Afghanistan for the last year, and she really misses him. It’s hard sometimes, not being able to provide that balance, but after Eddie, it’s not something I was ever going to risk again. I think it’s really great, Jamie, that you want to get to know her after meeting her. It’s great that you don’t want to run away or bury us under the table. But, we aren’t toys. Cora isn’t the newest thing to get excited with and then throw under the couch. Kids are forever.”
“All I’ve ever wanted is a family.”
“We aren’t your Shake and Bake family.” [FUN NOTE, KAYTI. MY BROTHER-IN-LAW, THE DICKFACE, LITERALLY REFERRED TO ME & CAIRO AS ADAM’S “SHAKE AND BAKE” FAMILY. BECAUSE HE’S ALWAYS BEEN A PIECE OF SHIT. ANYWAY.]
Her eyes narrow and I feel my chances slipping away. “That’s not what I want to be.”
“What do you want?”
It’s my turn to pause. How do I tell her, without freaking her out, that she is the one I want? That I do want her and Cora, forever, without her thinking I’m just going to leave her? “I want a chance to give Cora what she deserves. I don’t know if Kate told you, but she spent almost the entire bus ride in my lap. I’m going to sound like either a lying asshole or a little crybaby, but just holding her made me want to cry. It reminded me of home, it reminded me of the life I always wanted. No, I don’t want to just step in and be an instant family. I want to earn your time, earn your trust. I want to be there the way I should have been from the beginning, if you’ll let me.”
“You barely know us,” she whispers.
“No.” I shake my head. “I don’t know what anyone else has tried to tell you, but I know your worth. And Cora’s. And I’m going to show it to you.”
It’s like something lit inside Megan, or unlocked. After that, we laugh through the rest of dinner. We eat an entire pizza of bacon and ham (okay, it’s like 75% me, but I have muscles to feed) and drink a whole bottle of wine. Her foot rests against my leg and we play footsies the entire time, like school kids.
I pretend my dick isn’t rock hard every time she touches me, even though it is.
I pay for dinner while she’s in the restroom, so she doesn’t have a chance to sneak a look at the check, and try to find a way to leave a stack of cash at her house for her to use for Cora without rejecting me. Maybe I need to enlist Kate, the best friend, to help.
“I hope I can borrow you for a little while longer.” We hold hands on the way out to the truck, and, simple as it is, it is one of the most romantic things I’ve done in a long, long time. “And, if I remember correctly, ice cream is one of your top five food groups.”
She stares at me, smiling, in amazement. “How do you remember these things?”
I wink at her. “Read it on Facebook.”
She laughs, I laugh, and we walk down the block to the ice cream parlor like we’ve done this our whole lives. I order a vanilla soft-serve cone and we share it on our way to the park around the corner.
Her brother is in the military. Her favorite ice cream flavor is vanilla. She drives a Jeep and wears cowboy boots. When I first moved here, I was on a quest to have the perfect American life… and I’ve found it in Megan. I just have to keep it.
We settle on a bench under a cove of trees and share the ice cream cone, passing it back and forth. She presses her body next to me as she sits, and my free hand instantly curls around her, remembering the feel of her body from our first night together.
What we talk about, I don’t remember. It’s small talk, things of no consequence, because all I can see are her lips, and the heavy-lidded way she looks at me when she licks the cone. She leans in for another lick of ice cream, so I lean in at the same time. Our tongues graze one another, and it’s magic.
Megan stares at me for a long time, and I worry I’ve done something wrong. I bring the cone over to my mouth to take another bite, but she stops me and tilts her head slightly, leans in for another bite. Slowly, I mimic her, and this time, our tongues don’t just pass each other like foul balls. My tongue runs the length of hers, tasting her and the ice cream together. Her hand cups my face and kisses me over the ice cream cone again, this time closing the gap with her lips. I toss the ice cream over my shoulder, she giggles, and I pull her in as tight to me as I can get her.
Kissing her feels like the first time I hit my first major league home run. I thought no feeling would ever top that… until this kiss. I tie her hair in my hands and hold her close so she won’t slip like sand through my fingers, and her fists ball up my shirt so I can’t do the same.
Seconds and minutes disappear like they don’t even exist. Nothing else on this planet matters besides Megan. All of my hopes and dreams are confirmed in this kiss. She’s the woman for me. She’s the next Bonilla abuelita. We will tell our kids about our first dates and embarrass them by kissing all the time, because there is nothing more I want more in this world than to kiss Megan Holt for the rest of my life.
“Wow,” she whispers against my lips.
“Wow,” I repeat, because I don’t know what else to say. I know what I want. I want to take her back to my place and kiss and lick every inch of her body until my tongue and lips go numb. I want to relish the feel of against my mouth. I want her mouth on my cock. I want to disappear with her for days, with nothing but pizza and wine and ice cream as sustenance while I devour her body.
Instead, I take her home, our fingers entwined. She tells me about her work, about her classes, and I tell her about some of the guys from the team. We laugh, we steal kisses at stoplights, and I can’t get the vision of her naked out of my mind. I want to see her like that again, so badly. The first time, it was dark. This time, I want to savor it.
We pull into her driveway and sit, neither ready to end it.
“This was really nice.” Megan squeezes my hand. “I didn’t expect much, but it was really nice.”
“Thank you for giving the chance. I was hoping… can I tell Cora good night?”
Megan stiffens just a bit and starts to shake her head. “Jamie…”
“No, listen. I get it, this is new. I just, I really want to get to know her. When you’re ready. When you’re both ready.”
I take her face in my hands and kiss her goodnight, tenderly and full of intent. She seems reluctant to pull away and looks so sexy in the dim light. I want to take her in the truck. I want to take her inside and break her bed.
Instead, I say, “I’m glad to know I’ll finally be able to see you again.”
With a coy grin, Megan says, “I’ll have to think about it. Good night, Jamie.”
She shuts the door and disappears into her house with a little wave. For a few minutes, I just sit there, savoring in the feeling she left me with. Those are the last lips I will ever kiss, and that is a promise.
7
“Bonilla!” Coach Halstead barks from across the field. “What are you doing?”
I shove the phone back in my pants and give my bat another swing. “Sorry, Coach. My sister is having a hard time in school right now, and—”
“No phones at practice. You know the rules.” He points at the dugout scowling and goes back to lecturing George about who knows what. He’s been up his ass for weeks, and George actually looks grateful I took the heat off of him for a minute.
My phone vibrates as I trot off the field, a text from Kemp. He’s getting married soon and asked me to be a groomsman, which means he’s been up my ass about the bachelor party for a while now. I’m happy for him, truly, but I miss the hell out of him. The team isn’t the same without him.
And I can’t even have drinks with him, because he’s slummin’ it in Arizona.
That said, I haven’t told him about Megan or Cora. Everyone still thinks I’m going out with Shelbie. I haven’t talked to her since I met Megan at her house. I also haven’t formerly broken things off with her, and she’s still my standing date for the charity ball. I should probably talk to her about that, but my thoughts have been so consumed with Megan that I just forget. Until moments like now.
But hey, Coach said no phones.
I sneak another glance at my phone before throwing it in my helmet cubby. Megan hasn’t said anything about me on her Facebook page, but it doesn’t stop me from checking again. And again. And again. And again.
“Texting your girl?” George goads as I hit the dirt. I guess Coach finished with him.
“Texting yours?”
“I’m not the one with the phone on the field.” He points at me with his bat and then leans against it. “Octivio keeps bragging about talking to Shelbie. I thought you should know.”
I shrug and give the bat a firm swing, pretending I was hitting Octivio’s head across the field. Really, I should thank him, but he also knew we were a thing, however unofficial, and he swooped in. “We haven’t talked much.”
“Is there another girl on the horizon?” George talks out of the corner of his mouth. “Something that’s got you distracted?”
“Nah.”
“Mmhmm.”
“You got one?”
“You know I’m perpetually single.”
“Mmhmm.”
And that’s how the rest of practice goes. Octivio won’t look at me during batting practice, but that’s for the best. I don’t think I actually care. These last few weeks with Megan and Cora have been the best of my life. Never before have I been so certain of what I want in life, but it’s clearly them. I think about them constantly, dream about them every night, and text Megan all day when I can.
Everything feels perfect.
It’s just shitty Octivio is running his mouth. I thought we were all bros. Some lines, bros aren’t supposed to cross. Then again, he got her off my back? Maybe instead of being angry, I should send him a thank you card.
Things with Megan are moving slow. I get the feeling she’s had her trust broken a lot, and she’s so protective of Cora. It’s amazing to watch her love for our daughter. Sometimes, I feel ashamed that I don’t feel about her like that, but Megan has had five years of taking care of Cora herself, grew her in her belly. We’ve only had a few brief weeks together, and only recently together. The night we went out for tacos, just the three of us, was one of my best nights ever.
I would do anything to make this an everyday occurrence. Anything.
The next day is our off day. They are so rare during the season that everyone disappears for a while and pretends the rest of us don’t exist. Doug invites me to a barbeque, but all I want to do is sleep and catch up on Netflix and stalk Megan some more on Facebook.
While I’m heating up my breakfast, she updates her status to say she’s taking Cora to the zoo with Kate. Immediately my brain starts churning and I shoot out a few texts.
Two hours and three stops later, I’m ready to make a hell of an impression. Carlos, George, and Edwards meet me in the parking lot. George cocks an eyebrow at the huge bouquet of flowers and gift bag in my hand.
“I knew there was another girl.”
“This stays between us, amigos.” I point at all of them. “I don’t want to scare her off, okay?”
“A girl who doesn’t like the limelight?” Edwards gapes. “Does she have a sister?”
I crack a grin. “Roommate.”
“I’m in.”
We make our way through the zoo, signing autographs and posing for pictures. This never gets old, meeting the fans. Kansas City really does have some of the best fans in the world. They are so protective of us, and cheer us on so much. It’s times like this that make me feel like the luckiest guy in the world.
And then I see them, and my heart swells. I really, truly am the luckiest guy in the world. Megan spots us and a beautiful smiles breaks out on her face. She taps Cora on the shoulder and points my way. Her little face brightens instantly and she makes a beeline for me. I scoop her up in my arms and give her a big hug. She smells like lavender and fits in my arms like she’s always belonged there.
She has.
Behind me, Carlos lets out a low whistle. “Girl with a kid. That’s ballsy.”
I shoot him a glare and meet Megan, giving her the flowers. “Beautiful flowers for a beautiful girl.”
She blushes and smells the bouquet. “They’re lovely. Thank you!”
I hand the bag to Cora. “This is for you, princess.” She tears the bag open and finds a stuffed Sluggerrr. Megan cocks an eyebrow, but I grin. “Every kid should have a Sluggerrr.”
I introduce everyone, noticing the special attention Edwards pays to Kate, and we make our way around the zoo. We keep stopping for pictures and autographs, and Megan makes fun of us and Cora gets excited to see so many cameras around. Aside from the fans and the guys, it almost feels like a family outing. Going to the zoo? It’s so perfect. It’s so American Family.
“I didn’t know you’d be here today.” Megan says Cora presses her nose to the glass at the Polar Bear exhibit.
“Neither did I,” I admit with a wink. “But a little hometown showboating is good for morale.”
“For you or for the city?” She teases.
“Both, obviously.” I lean in conspiratorially. “Edwards live for this stuff.”
“Just him, huh?” Her eyes sparkle. “He seems very interested in Kate.”
“She single?”
“Maybe.”
“You know, I long for the day that you don’t keep things from me.” I say quietly, walking up behind her. “As much as I enjoy you being coy, and as cute as it is, I wish you’d trust me.”
She turns to size me up. “Trust is earned, Jamie.”
“I know, I know. And I’m working hard to earn it.”
She doesn’t say anything, but smells her flowers again, smiles, and walks away with Cora in her hand.
“Yo, Jamsey.” George claps me on the back. “I’m going to jet, man. Doug’s barbequing and there’s going to be tequila.”
“You all leaving?” I ask. Edwards is busy with Kate, but I see them exchanging numbers. He must be leaving, too. “Well, thanks for everything, man.”
“Only for you would I get in this damn thing on an off day.” George winks at me.
Everyone says their goodbyes and soon it’s just me and the girls. My
girls. I take a deep breath and can’t stop the smile on my face.
“Let’s go on the Skayfari ride!” Cora squeals, pointing up at the glinting metal gondolas soaring in the distance.
Kate makes a face. “You want to go on that thing?”
“Let’s do it!” I jump in. “I’ve actually never been on it.”
Cora starts dancing in the middle of us, clapping her hands. Megan laughs and nods. “I guess we can’t really say no to that, can we?”
I pay for our tickets and every settles in—Kate and Cora in one gondola, Megan and I in the one directly behind them. I put my arm around her and place a kiss on the side of her head, smelling her hair. She also smells like lavender. It’s so calming and reassuring. It’s perfect, just like the rest of the day.
“This has been a really great off day,” I tell her, waving to Cora, who keeps turning around in her seat to wave at us. “I wish they could all be this nice.”
“It’s just a zoo,” Megan says carefully, but I shake my head.
“It’s not just a zoo. Being with you guys is great. Really great. I used to take my sister to the zoo when she was younger, and Cora reminds me so much of her. This just feels like home, even if we are thousands of miles away.”
“I’d like to meet her someday.”
“You will.” I don’t tell her that I know they’ll be great friends, or that Camila will tell embarrassing stories about a younger, clumsier me, or that she’ll cry at our wedding. Because I really don’t want to scare her off. Even though all I want is to jump to the end, where we spend forever together. Instead, I settle for, “You’d like her.”
“If she’s as great as you say, I think so.”
An African safari unfolds before us. Rhinos and chimpanzees and zebras spring to life, or as lively as they can get in a zoo pen, and I can hear Cora squealing in delight.
“You really like her,” Megan says, almost in amazement. I turn to look at her, and she looks confused. “It isn’t a show. You actually like Cora.”
Long Ball: A Secret Baby Sports Romance Page 7
