by L. Wilder
I was actually feeling pretty good about my decision to help him out until my father dropped me off at the field, and I was hit with another damn curveball. The last thing I expected as I headed out onto the field was to meet a woman like Kaci. She was a firecracker, beautiful and full of bite, and from the moment I laid eyes on her, I couldn’t stop thinking about her. Her long, tan legs in those sexy cut-off shorts and her beautiful, dark brown eyes had me completely spellbound, making it impossible to think about anything except her. Damn. The last thing I needed was some chick screwing with my head, and it didn’t help one fucking bit that she was sitting in the bleachers just a few yards away. She was pretending to read some book she’d brought with her, but I knew her eyes were on me. I could feel them burning straight through me, and instead of focusing on the kid standing at the plate to bat, I found myself glancing over in her direction—again and again.
It was time to pull it together and stop thinking about the brunette or my brother was going to lose his shit. After taking a deep breath to clear my mind, I stepped forward and tossed the ball directly at the kid’s bat. He swung just in time and nailed it.
Surprised that he’d actually hit it, he just stood there staring at me. When I realized he wasn’t going to move, I finally motioned towards first base and yelled, “Run!”
He was quick on his feet, so Colton motioned him on to second as he shouted, “Attaboy! Keep going!”
Once he finally stopped and the ball was back in Colton’s hand, he tossed it back over to me. The next kid came up to bat, and when I noticed it was Kaden, I couldn’t help but glance back over at his sister. She stood at the fence and yelled, “Come on, Kaden! Bring him home! You can do it!”
I forced myself to turn my focus back to Kaden. Hoping he was ready, I threw it towards him; unfortunately, when he swung, he missed it by a mile. Kaden looked back at me with disappointment. “Remember what I told you. Bat above your shoulder. Feet square in the box. And keep your eye on the ball.”
I threw the second pitch and Kaden hit it, sending the ball sailing towards second base. The kids went scrambling after it as Kaden darted towards first base, and the kid on second made it all the way to home plate. Colton jumped two feet off the ground as he cheered, “That’s what I’m talking about!”
I looked over to Kaden and smiled. “You did good, kid.”
“Thanks, Coach.”
The rest of practice went without a hitch, and when Colton announced that it was time to go, the kids rushed to the dugout to grab their stuff. The place was a fucking wreck. Helmets, bats, and gloves were scattered everywhere. When the kids started to push and shove as they each tried to find their gear, Colton yelled, “Knock it off, boys! Those who have found their equipment—get out of the dugout.”
Noticing that Kaden wasn’t with the others, I looked around and found him standing at the fence, waiting for the others to get their things. I walked over to him and smiled. “You have fun today?”
“Yes, sir. I sure did.” He glanced over to the dugout and then back to me. “Are you coming back on Tuesday?”
“I wouldn’t miss it.”
“That’s awesome,” he said excitedly.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that his sister was approaching. Making sure I spoke loud enough for her to hear, I said, “When you practice this week, be sure to remember what I told you. Square in the box. Bat just over shoulder.”
He nodded. “Yes, sir.”
“Do you have anyone who can practice with you?”
“I’ll practice with him,” his sister announced.
“Do you think you can remember the things I told you about standing back and—”
“I think I can handle it,” she interrupted me before I could finish. I don’t know why I felt the need to give her a hard time, but I just couldn’t help myself.
“If you say so.” I shrugged.
She looked over at Kaden and motioned him towards the dugout. “Hey, buddy. Go grab your stuff. We need to get going. I’ve got class in an hour.”
Once he was gone, I looked over to her and said, “I gotta be going too, doll. If you need anything, just let me know.”
Her eyes flashed with annoyance as she snapped, “Thanks for the offer, but I won’t.”
I couldn’t take my eyes off her ass as she headed over to the dugout to meet up with her brother. I was still gawking at her when Colton came up behind me and asked, “Is she the reason why you were in never-never land earlier?”
Shaking my head, I answered, “Hell, no. A chick like that is way out of my league.”
“Umm-hmm.” He tossed his backpack over his shoulder and reached for his duffle bag. “I’m going to put this in the car. Take a look around and make sure we didn’t leave anything behind.”
The practice had taken a lot out of me, and my leg was feeling a little tender as I made my way around the field. After I made sure we had everything, I headed towards the parking lot. I had my hands full of empty water bottles and was tossing them in the dumpster, when I heard a woman’s voice say, “Well, damn! What am I supposed to do now?”
I glanced over my shoulder and found Kaden standing beside his sister. They were both staring at her back tire that was completely flat, and it was clear from the expressions on their faces that neither of them had any idea how to fix it. Considering my present medical condition, I had no business messing with her tire, but I couldn’t just leave them. I walked over and asked, “Everything okay?”
She looked at me with a scowl, and I had no doubt she was about to tell me to buzz off when Kaden answered, “We’ve got a flat.”
“I see that. Do you need a hand?”
“No, thanks. We’ll manage.”
“Come on, Kaci. You just said you didn’t know how to fix it,” Kaden protested.
“I’m sure Mr. Michaels has other things he needs to do, Kaden. We’ve already taken enough of his time.”
Seeing that she was going to be stubborn about it, I walked over to the back of her car. “I’ve got some time. Why don’t you open the trunk, so we can see if you have a spare and a jack?”
Following right behind me, Kaden smiled and said, “Thanks, Mr. Tucker.”
With an exaggerated sigh, Kaci did as I requested and popped the trunk. I was relieved to see that there was, in fact, a spare tire and everything else I’d need to fix the flat. I was just about to pull it out of the trunk when Colton walked up behind me.
“I’ve got this little brother.” A wicked grin crossed his face as he skirted by me and grabbed the spare, dropping it next to the car. “I wouldn’t want you to hurt yourself.”
Kaci’s irritated demeanor had quickly dissolved as she said, “Thank you so much for helping, Coach. I really appreciate it.”
“Not a problem.” Then he extended his hand. “You must be Kaden’s sister.”
“Oh, yeah. I’m Kaci. It’s really nice to meet you,” she told him as she shook his hand. A twinge of jealousy ran down my spine as I watched her lips curl into a sexy smile. Not once had she smiled at me like that. Not once. Fuck.
“Let me get this fixed for you, and then you can be on your way.”
“Can I help you do anything?”
“No. I’ve got it,” he told her as he knelt down and started removing the flat. My brother suddenly looked like a knight in shining armor while I stood there looking like a fucking putz. To make matters worse, he started making small talk with her. “So, Kaci … do you have a job that you need to get to, or are you still in school?”
“I’m still in college.” She complained. “But I only have four semesters left before I graduate.”
“Don’t rush it. Enjoy the freedom while you can.” He smiled. “You have plenty of time to start a career.”
He put her flat in the trunk and as he closed it, he said, “Well, you’re set to go.”
Ignoring me altogether, she smiled at him. “Thank you so much. I don’t know what I would’ve done without your help.”
Colten and I watched as they got in the car and pulled out of the parking lot. As soon as they were gone, he turned to me and said, “I can see why she had you rattled.”
“Rattled? What the hell are you talking about?”
“You know exactly what I’m talking about, little brother.” He started walking towards his car as he went on, “That girl has something special about her, and if you have a brain in that head of yours, you’ll go after her.”
“You’re out of your damn mind, Colt. I’m leaving in two weeks.” Since I couldn’t drive, I had to hitch a ride with him, so I got in his car and shut the door. Adjusting my knee brace, I said, “I’ve got no time for a chick like that.”
“I don’t know, man … Girls like that don’t come around very often. She might be worth making the time for.”
Kaci
I’d like to say that when I left the park with Kaden, I went to my class and never gave a second thought to the pretentious, egotistic Tucker Michaels, but that didn’t happen. In fact, I couldn’t get him out of my head. I don’t know why he’d taken over my every thought. It wasn’t like I was actually interested in the guy. I’d never been one to go for the sexy player type. I’d always been more comfortable with safe guys, the type I could trust—guys like my ex-boyfriend, Lucas. He was my high school sweetheart and was known for being an all-around good guy. Lucas was the kind of guy who would help little old ladies cross the street and pick up strays from the pound. While he was attractive, he was no heart-throb. Actually, I’d never really dated anyone who I would consider to be a heart-throb. I dated men who were harmless, and Tucker Michaels was far from harmless. Knowing a guy like him would only bring me a world of heartache and frustration, I returned my focus to my English professor and continued taking notes, pushing all thoughts of the sexy ballplayer to the back of my mind.
By the time I arrived home from class, I was worn out. All I wanted to do was to take a shower and go to bed. Unfortunately, Jessie, my roommate and best friend, had other plans. When I walked into our apartment, she was already in her pajamas with her hair twisted on top of her head, and was propped up on the sofa with the remote in her hand. There was Chinese takeout on the coffee table, and as I walked into the living room, she gave me one of her looks. Without asking, I knew it was time for a movie night. It was something we’d do whenever one of us had had an exceptionally bad day. I dropped my bag on the floor as I sat down beside her and asked, “What’s going on with you?”
“Nothing.” She rolled her big, brown eyes and whined, “Just an all-around crappy day. I bombed my Biology exam. I’m bloated. I have the world’s worst cramps … and I’m pretty sure I’ve got a zit on the inside of my ear.”
“That’s gross, Jess.”
“Yeah, it is, and it hurts like hell. But at least you can’t see it.” She pouted as she glanced down at her stomach. “I wish I could say the same for my gut. Good Lord. I look like I’m six months pregnant or something.”
I loved Jess, but she tended to be a bit dramatic, especially when it was that time of the month. With her long, black hair and olive skin tone, she was beautiful without even trying, and she had a body that any girl would kill for. I looked over at her petite figure and shook my head. I knew better than to try and convince her that she didn’t look puffy, so I asked, “So, what movie do you want to watch?”
“Movies,” she replied. “I want to have a scary movie marathon.”
“Why? You don’t even like scary movies.”
“Yes, I do! I love them.”
“Then, why do you sleep with the light on after you watch them?”
She thought for a moment before she answered, “Because if something is going to get me, I want to see what it is before it gets me.”
“You know that makes no sense, right?”
“I think it makes perfect sense. If something is going to kill me viciously in the dark, I want to know if it’s some guy with a samurai sword or a blood-thirsty vampire with oozing puss draining from its veins. It’s as simple as that.”
“Oh, good grief. You’re such a dork.” I giggled as I reached for a box of takeout. “So, what’s it going to be? Are we going for the old stuff like The Amityville Horror or The Exorcist, or something new like Annabelle?”
“Hmm …. Let’s go with one of the newer ones, but first we’ve gotta see what’s even on,” she said and started flipping through the movie channels. Once she’d found what she was looking for, she purchased the movie and started it. As the credits started to play, she turned to me and asked, “I forgot to ask. How did things go at ball practice with Kaden?”
“I don’t know.” I shrugged. “All things considered, it was pretty good I guess. I mean, Kaden seemed to have a good time.”
“Why do I get the feeling you aren’t telling me something?”
“It’s nothing really.” I took a bite of my lo mein, then asked, “Have you ever heard of a baseball player named Tucker Michaels?”
“Who hasn’t?” she scoffed. “He’s a great pitcher, and he’s hot.”
“Well, he’s helping out with Kaden’s Little League team, and he’s a—”
“What?” She sat up in her seat with an animated expression. If I hadn’t known better, I would’ve thought she’d just won the damn lottery. “He’s here, in town, and you’ve actually seen him?”
“Yeah? Like I just said, he’s helping out with Kaden’s baseball team.”
All her woes were suddenly forgotten as she started pounding me with questions. “Was it for just that one practice or is he coming back?”
“I think he’s going to be there for a couple of weeks. I think it’s because he hurt his knee or something.”
“Oh my God, Kaci. I can’t believe you are just now telling me! You do realize that he’s—”
“A jerk? Yes. I realized that right away,” I grumbled.
“He can’t be that much of a jerk. I mean, come on! He’s one of the best pitchers around, and here he is taking the time out to help with your little brother’s baseball team. And he’s doing it while he’s hurt! He can’t be all bad.”
I watched as she reached for her phone and started typing. “What are you doing?”
“Holy cow. Just look at him.” After several seconds of drooling over the screen, she finally turned it towards me, revealing a picture of Tucker with no shirt. “If I lick him does that make him mine.”
“I don’t think that’s how it works.” I rolled my eyes and laughed. “Besides, I don’t think Zach would appreciate it if you went around licking other men.”
“Probably not, but it never hurts to look,” she replied as she continued to flip through all the different pictures. “So, when is the next practice?”
“Tomorrow afternoon. Why?”
“Just curious.”
“Umm-hmm.” Hot or not, I was growing tired of talking about Tucker Michaels, so I changed the subject. “Are we going to watch the movie or are you going to sit there staring at your screen for the rest of the night?”
She looked up from her phone just long enough to ask, “You really don’t think he’s good-looking?”
“I didn’t say that, Jess. I said the guy was a jerk, but like you said, I could have him all wrong. I don’t know, and honestly, I don’t care. Now, let’s watch the stupid movie.”
“Seems like Mr. Tucker made quite an impression.” Jess snickered. When she saw the irritated look on my face, she shrugged and said, “Fine. We’ll watch the movie.”
“Finally.” I huffed.
“One last thing … You might wanna fix yourself up a little for that practice tomorrow. It wouldn’t hurt.”
“Jess!”
“I’m just saying.” She giggled. “If I know you, I’m sure you made quite an impression on him, too.”
Thankfully, the movie started playing before either of us could say anything more. We actually made it through the rest of the night without any further
talk of our bad day, cramps, or Tucker Michaels. By the time we finally went to bed, Jess’s mood had improved dramatically, but as expected, she wanted to keep all the lights on in the house.
The next morning I struggled to get out of bed. All I wanted to do was lay there and enjoy the comfort of snuggling under my warm quilt, but I didn’t have that luxury. First, I had an early morning class; afterwards, I needed to pick up Kaden for practice. I threw the covers back, forced myself out of bed, and headed into the bathroom for a shower. As soon as I was dressed, I hurried downstairs and was surprised to find Jess in the kitchen making coffee.
“Good morning, sunshine.” She smiled as she gave me a quick once over. “I see you took my advice about fixing up today.”
Even though I’d chosen the outfit because I thought it flattered my figure, I rolled my eyes and grumbled, “I’m wearing shorts and a tank top, Jess. This isn’t exactly dressing up.”
“If you say so.”
“Whatever.” Ignoring her smirk, I poured myself a cup of coffee and asked, “What are you doing up so early?”
“I guess you were right about the scary movies after all.”
“Next time, I’ll pick the movies.”
“That’s probably a good idea.”
“Well, I’ve gotta get to class, so if there’s any paranormal activity going on around here, you’ll have to deal with it on your own.” I teased as I took my coffee and headed towards the door. “You might want to steer clear of any weird-looking dolls today.”
“Gee, thanks.”
Even though I was running late, I still managed to make it to class on time. After suffering through an hour and a half lecture on the deteriorating ethics of our American government, I headed over to the house to pick up Kaden. When I pulled up in the driveway, I was surprised to see that Mom’s car was still there. Worried that something might be wrong, I jumped out and headed inside. I’d barely gotten to the front door when she came barreling out.
