Baseball and Other Lessons (Devil's Ranch Book 2)
Page 28
Matt reached for the nightstand and blindly searched for a condom. He found one, pulled it out and ripped the foil packet. “God, Jenn, I need to be inside of you.”
“Hurry, Matt. Please.” Her quiet begging almost undid him.
He quickly rolled the condom on, settled between Jenn’s thighs and slid home.
Home.
As his hips pumped in and out, he reached up, found her hands and grabbed them, holding them tight above her head. She surged up and kissed him, nipping at his bottom lip before licking it and kissing him fully.
He groaned into her mouth and let one of her hands go so he could touch her. He worked a hand between them, moving his thumb in circles over her clit. She moaned and tightened her legs around him. He slammed in to her, high and deep, hitting that place inside of her that she liked, and her pussy tightened around his dick.
“Come for me, baby.” He slammed into her again.
Jenn tightened her hold on his hand and grabbed the comforter with the other. His name on her lips was a curse, a prayer, a command, as she climaxed, her inner muscles milking his own orgasm from him. With a groan, Matt felt his own release.
As their breathing slowed he shifted so that he was propped on his elbows, keeping at least a little bit of his weight off of her. Jenn’s eyes were closed, her cheeks flushed and her hair wild on the mattress. He could just make out the pulse beating in her throat, and fought to get his own pulse under control.
The longer he looked at her, the longer he stayed there suspended while still inside of her, though, his pulse quickened until his heart was almost hammering out of his ribs.
This woman.
God, this woman was everything to him.
More than baseball.
More than another championship.
More than the World Series ring and the NCAA championship rings.
More than the accolades, the awards, the MVPs and the records.
Looking down at Jenn, at her beautiful face so relaxed post-sex, Matt finally felt the pieces fall into place. The pieces he hadn’t even realized he’d been looking for, but had been missing in his life.
#
“I’m retiring.”
Jenn’s eyelids flew open at Matt’s quiet, casual announcement. She could still feel him inside of her—let’s face it, physically and emotionally—and she vaguely realized that now was a bit of an odd time to make that sort of an announcement.
Matt, though, had always done things his own way.
“You’re retiring?”
He nodded, looking much more at peace than she’d figured he would when he made that decision. “After the end of the season. It’s time, and while my stuff’s still as good as it was, my heart isn’t in it anymore.”
She rubbed her thumb over his chin, along his jawline. “What changed?”
“It stopped being fun a while ago, which I never told anybody. When I got hurt and it forced me to step away from the field, I had to face the fact that in chasing a dream I’d neglected a lot of other areas of my life.”
“Like family,” she said quietly, knowing that while the rift between Matt and Chase had definitely lessened over the past few months it would still take some time before that relationship was truly whole.
“Like family,” Matt reiterated. “And like love, too.”
Her thumb stilled on his jaw as her gaze flew up to his. She swallowed, but couldn’t seem to form words. She blinked, licked her lips and finally squeaked out, “Love?”
His expression was serious as he looked down at her. “Yes, love.”
Her heart beating like a hummingbird on crack, she managed to ask, “What about love?”
“You don’t realize it, do you?” he asked as he traced the lines of her face with an index finger.
“Realize what?”
“How could you not know I love you?”
Her stomach dipped and her pulse kicked up another notch. “You love me?”
“More than anything.” He kissed her slowly, sweetly before continuing. “I love you more than baseball, Jenn. More than records and awards and championship rings. I’ve loved you for ten years, and I’ve spent all this time running from it because you didn’t fit into my plans. But I’m tired of fighting it, I’m tired of living half a life and coming home to a cold, empty condo every night. I love you more than I ever knew was possible, and I think you love me, too.”
Jenn’s nose and eyes stung, and she rapidly blinked away tears. “You love me more than baseball?”
“More than baseball.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck and brought his weight fully down onto hers, unable to hold back the tears any longer. She’d loved him for so long, had felt so much heartache and so much joy because of him that hearing his words was like a balm to her soul.
“I love you, Matt,” she said as he pulled away to watch her. He wiped away tears and she smiled. “They’re happy tears. I promise. It’s just that no one’s ever made me feel the way you do—happy, sad, complete heartache and utter joy. I’m so sorry I wasted so much time being a bitch towards you and blaming you for so many things, including the loss of Tyler.”
He opened his mouth to speak, and she held two fingers against his lips, keeping him quiet. “No, I need to say this. I did blame you for the loss of Tyler. It didn’t seem fair that you were out playing a game while I was miserable and heartbroken, having to bury our baby. A baby you knew nothing about, because of me. I was an idiot—no, I was a total fuckwhit—and I’m sorry.”
She moved her fingers and let him speak. “Jenn, you don’t have to apologize. We both made mistakes, but the past is the past. I don’t know that we were ready for each other ten years ago, or would have even made it for the long haul ten years ago. Fate played a certain hand here, I’m sure, but what matters now is that we’ve put all the past stuff behind us and have a future to look forward to. Together. Hopefully.”
She nodded, her heart flip flopping in her chest and her body and soul feeling freer, lighter than it had in years. “You really love me more than baseball?”
“Absolutely.”
“That must mean you love me a whole, whole lot.”
His grin was wicked. “If you don’t believe me, I’ll show you.”
And with the same determination he’d had had every time he stepped onto the pitcher’s mound, he proceeded to show her just how much he really did love her.
It was definitely more than baseball.
Epilogue
“We’re here in the bottom of the ninth of Game Seven of the World Series. The Giants are down to their last batter and the Wranglers currently hold a one-nothing lead over San Francisco.”
“This has definitely been a pitcher’s duel, Craig, with hits hard to come by for either team.”
“Roger that, Nathan. This has definitely been a hard-fought battle that is indeed coming down to the wire. Meanwhile, Wranglers ace Matt Roberts is still in this game, refusing to hand the ball over to pitching coach Troy Matherson or the skipper, Toby Prince.”
“Well you can’t blame him, Craig. Roberts has pitched lights out this game and is only at a hundred and one pitches. We’ve certainly seen him go deeper pitch count-wise before.”
“Plus, Nathan, there’s all the speculation that this will be Roberts’ last game and that the veteran right hander will retire after this season.”
“Absolutely, Craig.”
“And it appears the Giants have substituted Fox as a pinch hitter here. Fox steps up to the batter’s box. Roberts goes into the windup. Fires a fastball down the middle for strike one.”
“That thing was clocked at ninety-eight miles per hour, Craig.”
“Roberts has certainly been on top of his game tonight, Nathan. I can’t recall him ever pitching this well. Fox steps back into the box. Roberts winds up. Curveball just outside for ball one. He shakes off a couple of pitches to catcher Miguel Rodrigo, finds one he likes. Sets. Goes back to the curveball for strike two.”
&nbs
p; “That was a nasty pitch, Craig.”
“Indeed it was. Fox calls for time, steps out of the batter’s box and back in. Roberts sets, nods to Rodrigo. Winds up and oh my, Fox smokes a ball towards left field. This could be trouble for the rookie Carpenter. He’s back to the warning track and oh my goodness makes a leaping catch to win the game! Wranglers win! Wranglers win! The hometown crowd just erupted in celebration.”
“Man, this stadium is rocking right now, Craig. What a sight to see.”
“No kidding, Nathan. Not only did they just see their team win a World Series Championship, but they also just witnessed a Game Seven perfect game. The last time a perfect game was thrown in the World Series was by Don Larsen in 1956…”
#
Matt stood on the makeshift stage that had been erected in the middle of the infield after the game. He was sticky from the champagne that had been sprayed liberally around the locker room immediately following the Wranglers win, but he had a hard time caring. Diane Johnson, the on-field reporter, stood beside him and signaled they were ready to go.
“Matt, I know you must be feeling all kinds of emotions right now, but tell us what was going through your mind on that last out.” She pointed the microphone towards him.
“Oh, sh—crap.”
The crowd in front of the stage, and his teammates gathered around him laughed. “What’s it like, knowing you’re the first person since 1956 to pitch a perfect game in the World Series?”
Matt shook his head and fought back tears as emotion overtook him. He found Jenn down in the crowd, wearing that old shirt of his that she’d turned into a tank top, tears streaking her face as she beamed up at him and said, “It’s a hell of a way to go out, that’s for sure.”
“Does that mean the rumors are true? You’re retiring?”
Matt smiled at the cameras. “It just means it’s a hell of a way to go out. And tonight’s not about me. There were eight other guys on that field with me who provided amazing defense in a couple of sticky situations.” Matt looked around. “Carpenter, where are you? Get over here.”
Carpenter grinned as he shoved through bodies to get to the front of the stage. Matt clapped him on the shoulder and said into the microphone, “This guy right here? We might not be standing here if Carp hadn’t made one of the best catches I’ve seen in years. I didn’t even know you could jump that high, man.”
Carp blushed before turning on every ounce of southern charm he had. “Aww, shucks. That was nothin’. I’ve jumped higher tryin’ to get away from a freshly castrated bull on my daddy’s farm.”
The crowd laughed, their attention drawn to the likeable rookie, and Matt casually sidled away until he was able to jump off the stage and head towards Jenn. She jumped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist and showering him with kisses.
“You threw a perfect game, Matt! A perfect game! In the World freaking Series!”
He laughed. “I know, baby, I know.”
“Why do I seem more excited about this than you do?”
He shrugged. “It’s just a game. Like I said, it’s a great way to go out, and one day I’ll probably look back on this and think, ‘holy shit, I actually did that,’ but right now? The only thing I really want to do is get you home, naked and on top of me.”
She kissed him then, long and deep and Matt felt a peace he’d once thought would be impossible to achieve. When she broke the kiss, she nuzzled his ear and whispered, “Would now be a bad time to tell you I’m pregnant?”
He drew his head back and looked at her, searching her face for any signs of worry or stress. Instead, she simply looked happy, and was actually kind of glowing. “Are you serious?”
“As a heart attack.”
He grinned. “Now that’s what I call a perfect game.”
She smacked him on his left shoulder but couldn’t hide her smile. “Oh, and I totally forgot to tell you, but my parents are going to be on that Doomsday Preppers show. You okay with the possible media backlash?”
He laughed, a deep belly laugh that made their bodies shake and brought tears to his eyes. “For you? I’m okay with just about anything. I love you, Jenn.”
“More than baseball?”
He looked around at the confetti that still lazily flew through the air, the crush of fans around them and his still-celebrating teammates and said, “More than a Game Seven win in the World Series.”
“Wow. That’s a lot.”
“Damn straight it is.”
She kissed him again, and the cheering, the interviews on the PA system and the catcalls from nearby fans all faded into the background until all he was aware of was Jenn wrapped around him, carrying his child and showing him more love than he sometimes knew what to do with.
It was so much better than baseball.
Acknowledgments
First, I want to say “thank you” to you—the reader—for taking the time out of your busy day to read this book. I hope you enjoyed Matt and Jenn’s story as much as I enjoyed writing it. These were two characters who ended up surprising me (Matt, especially) in all the best ways.
Second, I have to acknowledge my husband and his never-ending support. I wrote the bulk of this book in the first two months after he received a kidney transplant, partially as a means to escape our somewhat uncertain reality, partially as a way to process many of the emotions I’d been feeling since we’d found out how sick he was in June of 2014, and mostly because his illness has made us both realize that we can’t keep putting off living and reaching for our dreams. You never know which day will be your last, and “some day” may never come. Those were lessons that I suddenly understood, and which drove me to keep pushing on.
Third is another “thank you” to everyone who’s purchased Between the Seams (Chase and Jo’s story), found me on Facebook, emailed me, commented on my blog, reviewed the book, etc. Y’all have no idea how much it means to me to know that there are people out there who really, truly enjoyed that book and were looking forward to this one.
Fourth: thank you, to my beta readers for the fantastic feedback and general cheering section as soon as you finished this book. Your input is invaluable.
Fifth: thank you to all of the great radio baseball announcers I've listened to over the years. You don't know it, but you totally shaped my announcers in this book. Craig Way (aka The Voice of the Texas Longhorns) is one of the best in the business, and his "prodigious clout" call is one of my all-time favorites. I'm spoiled to have great radio guys for the Round Rock Express and Texas Rangers. Mike Capps with the Express is a minor-league gift, and makes listening to AAA baseball incredibly enjoyable. For the Rangers, Matt Hicks and MLB Hall-of-Famer Eric Nadel bring the game to life. Y'all have no idea how enjoyable you make those long drives between Austin and the ranch during baseball season.
Last but not least I want to give a shout-out to the indie writing community. The world of publishing is changing by leaps and bounds, and there are so many indie writers out there who are willing to share their knowledge with us newbies. Thanks to all of you for sharing your sales data, your marketing strategies, your general advice and virtual hugs when needed. Most people think we writers are a bit anti-social (and, yes, we admittedly can be), but there are so many thriving, supportive, friendly writing communities out there that it’s sometimes hard to believe the stereotype.
Cheers!
Aubrey
P.S. Love what you read? Share the love and leave a review and/or rating so other readers can find books to read!
Baseball and Other Lessons Playlist
Flashback Scenes:
Maroon 5 – “She Will Be Loved”
Evanescence – “Going Under”
Breaking Benjamin – “So Cold”
Kelly Clarkson – “Behind These Hazel Eyes”
Matchbox20 – “Hand Me Down”
Linkin Park – “My December”
Sarah MacLachlan – “Fallen”
Liz Phair – “Why Can’t I?”
Michelle Branch – “Are You Happy Now?”
Jann Arden – “Insensitive”
Evanescence – “My Immortal”
Present Day:
Jenn:
Pistol Annies – “Hush Hush”
Coldplay – “Paradise”
Easton Corbin – “Clockwork”
The Civil Wars – “The One That Got Away”
Kacey Musgraves – “Merry Go Round”
Sara Bareilles – “Gravity”
Demi Lovato – “Heart Attack”
Jon McLaughlin – “Beautiful Disaster”
Taylor Swift – “Style”
Heart – “Alone”
Matt:
The Lumineers – “Stubborn Love”
Mumford and Sons – “Little Lion Man”
Ed Sheeran – “Kiss Me”
Neon Trees – “Sleeping With a Friend”
Mike Ryan – “Dancing All Around It”
Matt Nathanson – “Car Crash”
Matt Nathanson f. Sugarland – “Run”
Matt Nathanson – “I Saw”
Ed Sheeran – “Small Bump”
Wade Bowen – “Trouble”
John Mayer – “Heartbreak Warfare”
Excerpt: Between the Seams
What happens when life throws you a curveball?
Chase Roberts is the quintessential Good Guy. Attractive, athletic, intelligent and successful, the former college baseball star and one-time major league prospect is the kind of guy any woman would love to take home to Mama. Except there’s one small problem: Chase has never really gotten over his former best friend—and first love—Jolene “Jo” Westwood, who broke his heart as a teen. Now, all grown up with two thriving businesses, Chase has enough to worry about.