Saving Drew

by Lara Van Hulzen

  The one he used to get when Baylee was pregnant with Casey and he’d talk of all the things he wanted for his son.

  Tears lodged in her throat. She swallowed. Hard. Erik continued his glowing description of his new fiancé and their athletic new family unit. She searched to find exactly what she was feeling but couldn’t pinpoint it. Jealousy? No. A big, fat no. Anger at Erik for being so shallow? Nope. She’d accepted long ago who he was. Sadness? Maybe. But mostly for Casey. No. Actually, mostly for Erik. He’d miss out on a relationship with Casey and that was his bad. Casey would be fine. Erik made it clear he didn’t want to try and connect with his son, so Casey would never know the difference.

  “You came all the way from Texas to tell me you’re getting married?” Erik was still going on and on, but she cut him off.

  He clasped his hands together on the table. “Well, yeah. I wanted to make sure you were okay with it.”

  “How thoughtful.” She tried to keep the sarcasm from her voice, but failed.

  He glanced in Drew’s direction then back again. “But I can see you’re moving on.”

  She didn’t like Erik’s tone. He was implying she was only with Drew because of his status and money. But she learned long ago that fighting with Erik didn’t do any good. He only wanted a rise out of her. One she would refuse to give.

  “I am moving on. I’m happy here. Casey’s happy here.”

  He leaned back in his chair again and nodded. “Good.”

  “Is that all?”

  He narrowed his eyes as he looked at her. “You’re different.”

  “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.”

  “I don’t know. Just... different.”

  “Moving to Silver Bay was the right choice.”

  “Yeah, yeah. The whole baking thing and all that. How’s that going?”

  She answered his questions and they exchanged small talk for a few minutes. The entire time Baylee could feel Drew’s eyes on them, his protective instincts not lost on her. How had she ever fallen for someone like Erik was a question she might never know the answer to, but honestly, at the moment she didn’t care. Erik was moving on. So was she. He was her past, Drew was her future.

  She looked his way again and smiled. He returned it this time. He’d said he wanted to hold her forever. Every fiber in her being wanted that to be true. But what would that cost them? He needed to be focused on things in New York. She had Casey and her life in Silver Bay. Doubts floated through her mind. She’d pushed them back these past few weeks, but was it time to pay attention? She wanted Drew and all that came with him, good or bad, but did he want all that came with her too?

  Chapter Fifteen

  The rest of the evening had gone as well as could be expected. As promised, Erik didn’t stay and Baylee had joined Drew and their group once more. They’d danced the night away, but something had shifted in Baylee. Drew saw it in her eyes. Sure, she tried to put up a brave front, but his gut said something was wrong.

  Erik had shown up to let her know he was getting married. Good riddance, in Drew’s opinion. He’d added some extra time with the punching bag in his workout that morning, just to work of his anger towards the man for not wanting to visit his own son. He’d flown in for a night to give Baylee news he could have easily given over the phone, then left without even saying hello to Casey. His own flesh and blood. His own son.

  Anger boiled up inside Drew again, but he stamped it down. Baylee had asked him to watch Casey after school so she could run some errands. It was Monday, her day off, and she had a few things to do. Drew was more than happy to say yes. He enjoyed time with Casey. Sure, he was quiet, but that was one of the main things Drew loved about him. They could hang out. Just be. And the kid had been studying baseball stats and fun facts almost religiously. He could give Vin Scully a run for his money at this point.

  “Baseball players are superstitious,” Casey said. They sat on the couch together, watching an old Yankees game. “One pitcher used to step over the first and third base lines when he came on and off the field.”

  Drew smiled. He could listen to the kid all day.

  He ruffled Casey’s hair and agreed. “Yep. We are superstitious creatures. I went a whole season once without cutting my hair.”

  Casey looked up at him but said nothing.

  “I’d cut it once and threw the worst game of my life. After that, I just let it grow. Drove my mom nuts.” He laughed.

  Casey blinked. “You don’t have long hair now.”

  “Nope. I had a run of not so great games toward the end of the season. Decided to cut it after the playoffs. Moved on to another superstition. I’m not as bad as some of the other guys though.” He shook his head.

  One season the centerfielder didn’t change his socks. Thank God he was out in the middle of the field where no one could smell him. The right fielder swore he could on windy days. They even moved the guy’s locker to another room it got so bad. No one wanted to be within a mile of those socks.

  Man, he missed it. The team. The field. The locker-room antics. All of it.

  He looked down at Casey, now engrossed in the game on TV once again. Could Drew have both worlds? He’d thought so initially, but now? Now that it was growing dangerously close to the time he’d have to leave for spring training, he wasn’t so sure.

  “I would like to throw a ball.”

  Casey’s voice brought him back from his thoughts. “Oh yeah?”

  “Yes, please.”

  “Okay. I have some stuff in the trunk of my car. I’ll be right back.”

  Since that first picnic with Baylee, Drew hadn’t given much thought to playing catch with Casey. He didn’t want to push, but rather let Casey take the lead on things. Whatever Casey wanted to do was fine by him. In the same way Drew’s dad had been with him, he wanted to learn from Casey what he loved, not force his interests on him.

  He ran to his car and got the gloves and baseball from the trunk. Casey stood in the front yard, waiting for him. Drew showed him how to fit the glove on his hand. He wasn’t exactly sure when he’d bought the glove how it would fit Casey, but it worked.

  Drew put on his own glove. It formed to his hand like a second skin. The scent of leather and grass filled his nose. He breathed it in and grinned wide. This. This was his kind of day.

  “Okay. You stand there, Casey, and I’ll go over here and throw you the ball.” He took a few steps away and faced the boy. “Now, hold your glove out and I’ll toss you the ball, nice and easy. I want you to get used to how it feels in the glove.”

  Casey nodded but said nothing. He held out the glove.

  Drew lobbed it nice and easy, the ball landing dead center in Casey’s glove. The boy stared at it then looked at Drew.

  “Okay. Now. Grab it in your other hand and toss it to me.”

  Casey obeyed. The toss was awkward. The ball dropped in the grass a few yards from Drew and rolled toward his feet. He scooped it up with his glove. “That’s great! Just like that.”

  They did this a few more times, Casey’s movements almost mechanical. Catch. Grab. Toss. Catch. Grab. Toss. The kid wasn’t anywhere near a natural but that didn’t matter. Drew’s heart grew a few sizes in his chest, seeing Casey do the same movement over and over again. A hint of a smile even graced Casey’s lips at one point.

  He seemed to like the repetition of it all so Drew kept things moving at the same pace, moving back a step or two every few throws to see if Casey could throw a bit harder with time.

  A car door slammed and then Baylee’s voice carried across the yard. “What are you doing?”

  So lost in the moment, he hadn’t heard Baylee pull up to the driveway. He watched as she approached. Based on her body language and tone of voice, she wasn’t happy.

  Drew walked over to Casey and put an arm around his shoulder. “We’re playing catch.” He grinned like a fool. He couldn’t help it. The smile faded, however, when he saw her eyes. Definitely not twinkling.

  “How dare
you?” She took Casey by the hand and led him into the house, leaving Drew to stare after them, shocked and beyond confused at what had just happened.

  Baylee stomped into the house, Casey behind her, being pulled by her hand.

  The screen door slammed shut behind them. A baseball game was on TV, remnants of Casey and Drew sitting there watching left behind on the coffee table. Casey’s juice glass, half a glass of tea for Drew. The book about baseball sat open on the sofa. Disinterested in the emotion around him, Casey sat down on the sofa, plopped the book in his lap, and started reading.

  The screen door creaked behind her. She turned to see Drew standing in the doorway, unsure of whether to come inside of not.

  “Bay? What’s the matter?”

  Her anger subsided a bit at his soft tone. His eyes searched hers for answers but saw she was still upset so he made no move to enter the room with her.

  She looked at Casey and then at Drew. “On the porch.” She wasn’t about to have this conversation in front of Casey.

  Drew nodded then stepped back, holding the screen door open for her as she walked through it. Even with her pissed at him, he was the consummate gentleman.

  She walked to edge of the porch and leaned against the railing, her arms crossed.

  “Honestly, Bay, I haven’t got a clue as to what just happened. Casey and I were having a blast...”

  “Playing baseball!” She cut in.

  Drew nodded, the look of confusion on his face almost comical. And cute. No. Not cute. She was mad at him.

  “Casey doesn’t do sports.”

  “I’m still not following you.”

  She looked him in the eye. “I don’t ever want him to be forced to be something he’s not.”

  Drew stepped back as if she’d hit him. “I would never force Casey to do anything. Ever. I think he’s great as he is.”

  “Then why were you trying to get him to play baseball?”

  “I didn’t do anything. We were watching a game inside and he said he wanted to throw a ball. I still had the stuff in my trunk from our picnic so I got it and we played some catch.” He took a step towards her. “Why is that so bad?”

  She looked out at the yard, anywhere but at him. “I saw the look on your face when I pulled into the drive. You were practically glowing.”

  “I was having a good time.” He turned his attention to the front window where Casey sat inside reading then looked back at her. “I think Casey was too.”

  “How could you possibly know that?”

  “I’ve spent time with him. He likes things that repeat, likes the flow of it. We had that going, throwing the ball.”

  Gracious, the man was right. He’d been in town a month and already he knew almost as much about her son as she did. Part of her heart warmed to that fact, another part was terrified. She’d let him get too close. How did she know he wouldn’t want Casey to play sports like Erik did? Sure, he had proved to be better with Casey in a short time than Erik, Casey’s own father, but in the long haul, who was to say Drew wouldn’t want the same things for Casey that Erik wanted?

  He took another step towards her, now an arm’s length away. Still cautious. Smart man. “Baylee. Talk to me. Please. I don’t understand what I did wrong.”

  “Just... go, okay? Please. I need some space.”

  She glanced at him, caught sight of the pain and confusion in his eyes. Big mistake. She wanted to be mad. How could he not understand? She’d told him about Erik’s feelings towards Casey. Why would he try and push her son the same way?

  He took a step back but it pained him to do it, she could see it written all over his face. With a nod he went down the steps and to his car. He drove off, taking her heart with him.

  “I’m the biggest jerk that ever walked the planet.” Baylee plopped down in a chair and hung her purse on the back of it.

  “No you’re not. And I heard. Well, not that you’re a jerk...” Kate sat across from her, Hannah in the chair beside.

  Meg was next to Baylee. They’d agreed to meet for dinner. Normally a coffee date was in order for Mondays, but they’d switched it because of everyone’s schedules. That was fine with Baylee. She needed some girl talk and she needed it now.

  “What do you mean, you heard?”

  “Well, believe it or not, Drew called me. I’m still a bit shocked myself. He’s not one to share anything without it being dragged out of him. But he said he’d upset you and wanted to know how to fix it.”

  Baylee laid her head in her hands. “Then it’s official. I’m more than a jerk.”

  Hannah placed a hand on her arm and gently pulled her hands from her face. “Talk to us, Baylee. What happened?”

  Baylee proceeded to fill them in on how she came home to find Drew and Casey throwing a baseball back and forth and then laid into him like he’d let her son play with a Bengal tiger. What she didn’t say was how her heart had leapt in her chest at the sight of Casey with a baseball glove on and the hint of a smile on his face. Or that the glow from Drew’s demeanor lit up the yard. How in that moment she loved them both more than she ever thought humanly possible. And that it scared the living daylights out of her.

  “Wow. I’m not sure about biggest status, but jerk might be applicable.”

  “Thank you so much, Meg.”

  “Sorry.” She put an arm around Baylee and hugged her. “Sometimes my sarcasm is ill-timed.”

  Baylee hugged her back. “It’s okay.”

  The waitress came by and took their orders then went to get their drinks. “Is this because of Erik?” Kate asked.

  Baylee took a deep breath and let it out. It was. Of course it was. If Erik hadn’t shown up the night before and rattled her, reminded her of all the crud from when they were together, her mind wouldn’t have ever gone to getting angry with Drew. But she was too chicken to admit that to him. Instead of telling him about her conversation with Erik, she’d blown up at him for no reason. Well, a reason, but not a totally valid one.

  Kate reached across the table and too her hand. “Talk to him, Baylee. I know I’m his sister so I’m biased, but he’s a good guy. The best, really. He loves you. He wants only the best for you and Casey.”

  “Yeah. I’m sure if you explain about Erik, he’ll understand.” Meg agreed.

  Baylee nodded and pulled her hand back as the waitress set down their drinks. “My mom said the same thing. We talked some when she came over to watch Casey tonight.” She chuckled. “It’s funny. My mom all but took Drew’s side. Believe me when I say, she has never done that with anyone I’ve dated before.”

  “Well, that’s a good sign,” Hannah said. “If your mom likes him, right?”

  “Likes him? I think she’d rather he be her child right now instead of me.”

  The women laughed.

  “You can fix this, Baylee,” Kate said. “I promise. Don’t ever tell him I said this, but Drew has never been this crazy about anyone. He sounded awful earlier. He wants this to work. He wants you.”

  Baylee’s spirits lifted. “Okay. I’ll talk to him.”

  “Text him right now and ask him to meet you after dinner. Someplace romantic!” Meg clasped her hands together.

  “Wait. What? Did you just say something about romance?” Baylee teased her friend.

  “I did and if you tell anyone, you’re dead.” Meg dropped her hands and gave Baylee the evil eye.

  Baylee laughed.

  “Yes! This is such a great idea.” Hannah all but squealed.

  “Okay, the girly romance stuff we expect from Hannah, but not you, Meg.” Kate said.

  Meg rolled her eyes and grabbed her drink. She lifted it in a toast. “To Drew and Baylee. May this evening end with romance and hot kisses.”

  “I’ll drink to that,” Hannah said.

  They clinked glasses. All Baylee wanted was for Drew to forgive her. But she wouldn’t turn down any hot kisses if Drew was willing.

  “I’ll drink to it, but this is my brother we’re talking about. L
et’s keep it clean.”

  They laughed again and prodded Baylee into sending Drew a text. He answered immediately, agreeing to meet her at the bakery. Not the most romantic of spots, but one where no one would bother them.

  She enjoyed dinner with her friends, but kept stealing glances at her phone, the one where Drew’s text stared back at her saying, “I’ll be there. I love you, Baylee. Always know that.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Drew paced in front of Baylee’s bakery. He’d gotten there early, eager to talk to Baylee as soon as possible. After Erik had shown up at the saloon the night before, she’d given Drew a quick version of their conversation. Wanting her to have a nice evening, he didn’t push to know more, but now, he wished he had. It was obvious the guy’s visit rattled her more than she’d let on.

  He dug his hands into the pockets of his cargo shorts and leaned against the wall beside her front door. People strolled by, window shopping. Many shops were closed on Monday in Silver Bay having been opened all weekend for tourists. It was a beautiful night. Clear enough to see the stars. Drew ran a hand through his hair. The day had started out so great and got so horrible so fast. He didn’t regret playing catch with Casey, but he sure regretted not talking to Baylee first.

  As if he wished her to appear, she stepped in front of him.

  “Hey.”

  Their eyes met. More than his next breath, he wanted to pull her to him and hold her close, but unsure of where they stood, he kept his hands in his pockets and fought he urge. “Hey, yourself.”

  She smiled.

  That was a good sign, right?

  Moving past him, she unlocked the door to the bakery and they went inside. She closed and locked it behind them, motioning for him to take a seat at one of the tables.

  “Let me make us some coffee real quick. I’ll be right back.”

  He nodded and took a seat.

  She ran a hand over his shoulder as she passed him on her way to the kitchen, the slight touch sending warmth through his system. She wasn’t mad anymore. Yet another good sign. He relaxed a bit.