Swing and a Kiss: Carolina Waves Series Book 4

by Tina Gallagher

  “Yep.”

  “That kid is lucky I love him.”

  “Yes, he is,” I said. “Did you want to get something to eat?”

  “Oh no, don’t try to distract me with food. I want to go check out your hot baseball player up close.”

  I rolled my eyes and started walking toward the field. Hannah was standing down the concourse speaking to someone and I waved before continuing to our seats.

  “That was Hannah Reagan, Jack’s wife and the one who supplies us with what seems like an endless supply of tickets and swag.”

  “She’s adorable. I love her glasses.”

  “Yeah, that’s kind of her thing. She has all kinds of funky frames.”

  “Wait!” Chloe grabbed my arm and stopped me in my tracks. “Who is she related to?”

  “Aaran Diskin is her father.”

  “That’s right.” She let go and we started walking again. “Jesus Kar, you’re rubbing elbows with professional athletes and Mac Flynn. Who would have thought?”

  “I’ve never met him.”

  “Still, you’re only two degrees of separation away from him. Or is it one degree? I always get that messed up.” I stepped ahead of her and started down the stairs. “It doesn’t matter. It’s still hella cool.”

  I glanced back at her before heading down our row.

  “Hella cool?”

  “Hey, I have to use some lingo so I keep my rep as the cool aunt.”

  Rolling my eyes, I sat down and Chloe took the seat next to me.

  Jeremy stood down by the wall watching batting practice. I scanned the stadium looking for Dale and spotted him just off the first base line stretching with Jack and Dan.

  “I should come to these games more often,” Chloe said with a low whistle. “What a view.”

  Before I could comment on that, I heard my name and looked up to see Penny Montgomery walking in my direction. Based on the smile on her face, I’m assuming she knows about my dates with Dale. And of course, we met at his birthday party.

  “Hi Penny,” I said as she sat in the row in front of us.

  I introduced her to Chloe being sure to mention that she’s a member of the Olympic softball team as well as Dale’s sister.

  “You guys look like sisters,” Penny said.

  “We’ve definitely heard that before,” I said, then I noticed that Lexi had joined Jeremy down by the wall. “Sabrina must be here early, too.” I pointed toward the kids.

  “No, she’ll probably get here just as the game starts so she doesn’t have to keep Gavin occupied too long. Lexi came to the stadium with Dan and she hung out with me in the batting cages,” she said. “By the way, I stopped by Courtney’s Craft Corner the other day. What a great place. I’m so glad you told me about it. I got some things and am having her make a few custom items for my friend’s bridal shower.”

  “That’s great. It’s always my go-to place for gifts, especially when you’re buying for someone who has everything.”

  “Like my brother,” she said around a smile. I nodded. “Speaking of…”

  I looked at the field and saw Dale walking toward the on-deck circle with a bat tucked under his arm. His eyes were trained on me as he slipped his hand into a batting glove and secured it in place. He dropped his gaze to my shirt and before meeting my eyes again and smiled. I couldn’t help but smile back.

  “We better move out of the way,” Chloe said to Penny. “I’m afraid all these sparks are going to cause a fire.”

  “Wait until you get them within a couple feet of each other,” Penny said.

  I decided to ignore them and watched Dale go through his hitting routine. He held the bat in his hands and shifted from side to side before bending and touching it to his toes, giving me a nice view of his ass. After swinging the bat a few times, he leaned it against his upper thigh, drawing my attention to the part of his anatomy I’d been trying to keep from staring at.

  That certain part had definitely let itself be known the other night and I’d almost gasped out loud at the impressive tent in his shorts. I guess his nickname isn’t The Full Monte for nothing.

  He stepped into the batter’s box and got into his stance. His muscles bunched and flexed with every swing and I remembered how amazing it had felt to run my hands over them. Once he finished peppering balls all over the field, he signaled for two more pitches and sent them flying into the outfield.

  His gaze met mine again as he walked over toward the wall where Dan and Jack were standing talking to Jeremy and Lexi. I watched as he said something to my son then very deliberately took off his batting gloves and handed them to him.

  “I think I’m gonna go join my nephew.”

  “Please behave,” I begged.

  Chloe stood and smiled down at me.

  “Jeremy is down there so I can’t be too bad, right?”

  No matter who’s down there, I’m sure she’ll find a way.

  Dale

  * * *

  “I’ve lived here my whole life and somehow you’ve managed to introduce me to three eating establishments I’ve never heard of before,” Karen said.

  Jeremy and Lexi had devoured their sundaes and were now playing catch across the parking lot, safely out of hearing distance.

  “One of the groundskeepers at Victory Park told us about this ice cream place years ago and we’ve been coming here since. It’s usually busy during the day, especially on the weekend, but at night it’s dead making it a perfect place for us to frequent.”

  The two girls working the window seemed to panic when she saw us all pull up, but handled the onslaught of orders well.

  “These guys find the best places wherever they go,” Sabrina said as she fed Gavin vanilla ice cream. He kept sticking his fist in his mouth then rubbing it all over his cheeks. She’d given up trying to clean him up a few spoonfuls ago.

  “So how’s your wrist?” Dan asked.

  I held out my arm showing him the bruise a wild fast ball had given me.

  “That sounded awful up in the stands. I can’t imagine how bad it was down on the field,” Karen’s doppelganger, Chloe, said from the other side of the table.

  When I saw her walking down toward Jeremy before the game, I couldn’t believe my eyes. It would be easy to mistake the two of them for each other from far away, they look that much alike. Of course, I’d never do that. The zing between Karen and me isn’t there with Chloe.

  “Yeah, it hit right on the bone so it sounded nasty,” I said. “It’s throbbing a little bit now, but it’s nothing ice and Advil won’t fix.”

  Wanting to take the attention off me and my ailing wrist, I turned to Jack and Hannah. “Is this the first time you’ve been here since the proposal?”

  “No, we stopped by right after we got down here,” he said.

  “This is where Jack proposed to me,” Hannah said, looking between Karen and Chloe.

  When I asked the question, I didn’t think about the fact they wouldn’t have a clue what I was talking about. I know it’s hard hanging out with a tight group like ours, but both Karen and Chloe are fitting in well. And I love the fact that neither one of them blinked at the fact that Jack, who is basically a multi-millionaire, proposed to his wife at an old ice cream shack.

  “So how long are you down here for?” Karen asked Sabrina.

  “We fly home Monday night. Then we’ll be back the last week of spring training and we’ll all go home together,” Sabrina said, smiling up at Dan.

  “It must be tough, being separated so much,” Karen said.

  I looked at Sabrina, silently begging her to pick her words wisely. Karen glared at Chloe so I can only assume the thump I heard was a kick to the shin. I get the feeling Chloe’s on my side, which kind of surprises me since she’s Jason’s sister. But hey, I won’t look a gift horse in the mouth.

  “Most families are separated regularly even when they have normal jobs. Whether they work nine-to-five, nights, or have to travel, it definitely gets in the way of family time,�
�� Sabrina said. “Extended road trips are balanced by long home series. And of course, we have the time between October and February together, which is nice. Most families don’t get that.” She shrugged. “We make it work.”

  I mouthed a silent “thank you” to Sabrina and she smiled.

  All my friends and at least one of Karen’s are rooting for us. Hopefully that swings an abundance of good juju in our direction.

  Everyone was done with their ice cream, even Gavin, and we just hung out talking for a while. Normally we all would have scattered by now but my friends know how much Karen means to me and they’re trying to give us as much time together as possible. They’ve even asked her when she’ll be at another game and if she plans on coming up to Myrtle Beach at some point. Thankfully that last question came from Sabrina. It would have been strange if one of the guys had asked.

  “I better get Jeremy home,” Karen said. “He has school in the morning and he’s been impossible to get up lately so I don’t want to be out too late.”

  I stood with her and looked over at Jeremy, who was still happily playing catch with Lexi.

  “Can I get a minute alone?”

  “Oh, sure.”

  Chloe smiled and sat back down as I directed Karen around the back of the building. Pulling her closer, I wrapped my arms around her waist and gave her slow, tongue-tangling, toe-curling kiss. Before things could get too out of hand, I ended it and smiled down at her.

  “I’ve been wanting to do that since I saw you sitting in the stands earlier.” I kissed her forehead. “Thank you for coming to the game today. Besides my grandparents and Penny, I’ve never had anyone special come to watch me play and it meant a lot. Especially since you’re wearing my number.”

  Her light blue eyes stared into mine as if she was searching for the truth of my words. I let her look. I have nothing to hide.

  “I had a lot of fun tonight and I know Jeremy did, too. So thank you.”

  I kissed her again, keeping it PG-rated. I don’t need things to get out of control like they did Sunday. Reluctantly, I ended the kiss and stepped back.

  “I better let you go so Jeremy can get to sleep.”

  She nodded then followed me back around the building.

  “Jeremy, it’s time to go,” she yelled over to him.

  He didn’t look happy as he threw the ball back to Lexi, but he didn’t complain.

  I followed Karen and Chloe to her car and Dan trailed behind with a sleepy Gavin in his arms.

  “We’re gonna head out too,” he said to Lexi. “Your brother is ready to conk out and he needs a bath before bed.”

  Lexi looked over at Jeremy. “Are you coming to the game tomorrow night?”

  He looked at Karen. “Can we go mom? My first tournament game isn’t until noon on Saturday.”

  She looked over at me and I raised my eyebrows. Does she seriously think I had something to do with this? Nope, it’s just dumb luck that Jeremy and Lexi are getting along so well.

  Then Chloe chimed in trying to seal the deal. “Since Jeremy doesn’t have a game or practice, there’s no reason you can’t go.”

  If looks could kill, Chloe would have dropped dead right in front of us, but she just stood there with a cocky smirk on her face.

  Karen shook her head and sighed.

  “Sure, we can go.”

  “Yes!” Jeremy and Lexi said at the same time.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow,” Jeremy said to Lexi.

  “If you get there early, you can come to the batting cages with Penny and me. She’s so awesome,” Lexi said.

  “I know, I can’t believe she’s gonna be in the Olympics,” Jeremy said then he looked at Karen. “Is that okay, mom?”

  She nodded then looked at Dan. “We usually get there just after batting practice starts. Will that work?”

  “If you come a few minutes before that we can get Jeremy settled with Penny.”

  “I’ll leave word with the security guard at the VIP parking lot, so just go there,” Hannah said as she and Jack approached. “The lower-level entrance, which is the easiest way to get to the cages, is right there so text me when you park and I’ll meet you and we’ll get him where he needs to go. And instead of you just sitting in the stands for two hours, we can go grab a bite to eat.”

  Jack put his arm around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. “That’s my girl. The queen of planning.” She smiled up at him and settled into his embrace.

  Karen’s stunned look almost made me laugh but I imagine I don’t look much different. My friends know what she means to me and have really closed rank, welcoming her, and doing whatever it takes to make her feel included.

  I didn’t grow up with a big, extended family but thankfully I managed to piece one together as an adult.

  Chapter 13

  Karen

  * * *

  For the second time in as many days, I pulled into the VIP parking lot at Victory Park. The security guard waved me through with a smile after I gave him my name and I settled into a spot.

  Jeremy had talked nonstop during the twenty minute drive. He’d had a great time last night and he’s excited to hit the batting cages with Penny and Lexi today.

  I texted Hannah and she immediately called me and told me which direction to head in. One of the heavy metal doors opened as we approached the side of the stadium and she peeked outside.

  “Come on in,” she said and held the door open wide.

  We stepped over the threshold and she slammed the door shut. As we walked through the beige hallway, she pointed out the trainer’s room, gym area, and a couple conference rooms. I heard the ping of an aluminum bat as we approached an open door. Jeremy stepped inside and Penny stopped mid-pitch and smiled over at him. After reassuring me she was thrilled to have Jeremy join them, Penny told Hannah and me to go enjoy our dinner.

  “There’s a place right across the street if you don’t mind walking. That way we can enjoy a cocktail or two,” Hannah said.

  “A cocktail sounds amazing right about now.”

  She led me back out of the stadium and through the parking lot. Thankfully I’d changed out of my work clothes and into jeans, one of the T-shirts Dale had given me, and comfortable sneakers. I’d hate to walk any distance in the heels I had on today. They look amazing but hurt like hell.

  “Are you okay with tonight? You kind of got bulldozed into it.”

  “It’s fine. Jeremy loves coming to the games.”

  She opened her mouth to say something then closed it as we approached the corner.

  “That’s the place right there.”

  She pointed to a two-story, glass-fronted building across the street. The light changed and I followed her toward the restaurant.

  “It’s early yet, so it’s nice and quiet. Later there’ll be a band downstairs and it’ll be packed.”

  The hostess greeted us and led us to a table against the window, looking over at the stadium. When she asked if we wanted any drinks to start, Hannah ordered a margarita and I did the same.

  I opened the menu and since I’d only had time for yogurt for lunch, wanted to order one of everything.

  “What’s good here?” I asked Hannah.

  “The crab cakes, Thai shrimp, and maple-glazed salmon are amazing. They used to be offered as specials but were so popular, they added them to the menu. But honestly, I’ve never had a bad meal here.”

  The waitress brought our drinks and set them down along with two glasses of water.

  “Are you ready to order or do you need more time?” she asked.

  I glanced at Hannah. “I’m ready if you are.”

  “I know what I want.”

  We placed our orders...crab cakes for me and Thai shrimp for her...and the waitress promised to return with our salads and some bread.

  I picked up my margarita and took a sip. “Mmm, good.”

  Hannah nodded as she took a drink of hers. “Their mango margarita is good too, but I’m not in the mood for a swee
t drink right now. I’m still in sugar shock from my brownie a la mode last night.”

  “I can’t believe the size of their sundaes for the price. How do they make any money?”

  “I have no idea. Low overhead, I guess.”

  “Jack really proposed to you there?”

  “He did.” A soft smile crossed her face. “He actually introduced me to the place after the CADD beach bash where we met you. When he dropped me off at my hotel afterwards, he kissed me for the first time.”

  “When I met you that night, I thought you were a couple.”

  “Well, we were after that night.” She held up her glass in a mock toast and took another drink.

  “But you’d known each other for years beforehand, right?”

  Looking up at the ceiling, she tipped her head back and forth. “Yes and no. I mean, we knew each other and worked together, but we didn’t hang out socially and didn’t really know each other.” She chuckled. “Like I told you, I had the biggest crush on him for years and I hated myself for it.”

  “Did he know?”

  “God no! Well, not at the time. He does now.”

  “And what did he think about that?”

  “He said he doesn’t know why he had his head up his ass for so many years.”

  “Obviously I don’t know Jack very well, but it does sound like something he’d say.” I couldn’t help but ask, “So what made him get his head out of his ass and notice you?”

  She shrugged. “I really don’t know. Spending time together, I guess. But one day he just looked at me differently and I’m so glad he did.”

  “You guys really are adorable together. So are Dan and Sabrina.”

  “You haven’t met Barbara yet, but she and Cal are pretty cute too.”

  The waitress returned with our salads and a basket of bread. Hannah picked out a slice and slathered it with butter.

  She held up her knife. “This butter is amazing. I have no idea what they add to it, but it’s delicious.” She took a big bite, chewed and swallowed as I followed her lead and added a generous amount of butter to my own bread. “But you asked about the proposal, which is a funny story. Jack had this whole big party planned. He invited my father and his wife and the rest of the gang.” She gestured with her bread. “Private room, fancy food, music, flowers. You name it, he had it there and he planned on proposing in between dinner and dessert, in front of everyone.”