by Tara Wyatt
Hunter’s eyes bounced from Jake to the door Abby had left through only a few minutes earlier. Jake waited for him to say something, but he didn’t. Probably because there was nothing to say.
“My dad ended up doing a bunch of stuff after he retired. He coached a minor league team for a while, wrote a book, learned how to make wine, started a few little businesses. Now he’s mostly actually retired in that he spends most of his time golfing, puttering around the house, and driving my poor mom nuts.”
Jake laughed. It was hard to imagine the great Garrison Blake spending his Saturday fixing a leaky faucet.
Suddenly, Hunter hit pause on his treadmill, snapping his fingers and pointing at Jake. “You have to talk to Aerin.”
“Who’s Aerin?”
Javi walked into the gym, backpack slung over his shoulder. “The devil incarnate, that’s who.”
Hunter shook his head. “She’s my agent, and she’s awesome at figuring shit like this out. She has a million connections. You want something, she can make it happen.”
“Connections, or evil powers?” asked Javi.
Jake tipped his chin at Javi. “What’d she do to you?”
His eyes flashed. “Besides trespassing in my clubhouse, insulting me, and telling me how to run my team, all within a five minute span?”
“Evil powers or not,” said Hunter, “you should talk to her. I’ll text her, see if she can schedule a meeting.”
“Sure. Can’t hurt, right?”
Eight
“If you’re just joining us, you’ve missed an afternoon of exciting baseball as the Longhorns and the Angels have battled it out here at Angel Stadium. As we head into the bottom of the ninth, the Longhorns are up, 6-5,” says Wayne Hopkins. “The bats have been hot today, and we’ve seen some stellar defensive plays. With the Longhorns in the hunt for a spot in that wild card game, you can really see how hungry they are.”
“You sure can,” agrees Ron Whittaker. “It’s been several seasons since the Longhorns made an appearance in the postseason. If they can take this series against the Angels—starting with a win today—they’ll only be half a game back.”
“Menard comes up to bat. He’s two for three today with a single and a double in the third and seventh innings respectively. Here’s the first pitch and it’s popped up high into foul territory. Landon’s after it, he’s gonna have to run it down and…nice grab by Jake Landon for out number one.”
“That was some heads up baseball on Landon’s part to make that catch.”
“It sure was. Landon’s been a valuable asset to the team in the short time he’s been with us. Now here’s Juan Hernandez, who’s pinch hitting for Mike Miller. The Angels have gotta be desperate to get something going here. Here’s the pitch and Hernandez gets all of it! Both Blake and McCormick are racing for it, but it’s going to drop before anyone can get there. McCormick throws a bullet to first, but Hernandez is on.”
“Great throw by McCormick to hold the runner, though, because that could’ve easily been a double. He got all of that ball.”
“And now we’ve got big Ignacio Lopez at the plate, who’s gone hitless today, so you know he’s looking for something here. And the first pitch is a curveball for strike one.”
“After this series against the Angels, the Longhorns will return home for the remainder of the season, and they’ll have a fight on their hands. They’ll host the Astros, the Tigers, and then they’ll cap off the season against the red hot Boston Red Sox.”
“Lopez takes a big swing at that second pitch for strike two.”
“If the Longhorns do make it to the wild card game, the race is shaping up so that they’ll be facing either the Twins or the Athletics, with small possibility that the Royals surge and take one of those spots. It’s a tight competition right now. September’s always exciting.”
“Third pitch coming as Hernandez takes off for second. Swung on and missed, the throw from Landon is in time and he gets Hernandez! A strike him out, throw him out double play to end the game. Longhorns win!”
Abby’s blood was still buzzing, full of excitement and adrenaline, the high of winning coursing through her as she walked the couple of blocks from her hotel to the Italian restaurant on South Harbor where she was meeting her family for dinner. They were only half a game back now, and everything was clicking. As long as they stayed true to the game plan, as long as they kept playing as well as she knew they could, the postseason was in their future. The very near future.
Along with the adrenaline and excitement was pride. Jake had had a hell of a game today, especially with that flawless double play to win the game. He was a damn good ball player. Damn good. And while she was glad for the team’s sake that he was a Longhorn, watching him play every day just made her miss him even more.
The air around her was warm and sweet, the sun starting to sink into the sky. As she walked, she pulled a long, cleansing breath into her lungs. She loved her team, loved living in Dallas, but she missed the SoCal weather. The heat in Dallas was so oppressive, so stifling that it was nearly impossible to get used to. She felt at home as she walked, taking in the palm trees lining the road, the low-lying Spanish-style buildings, the vast expanse of clear, blue sky, untouched with the haze of humidity. Southern California would always feel like home, no matter where her career took her.
She could’ve taken an Uber from her hotel, but it was only a few blocks, and she’d wanted the time and activity to prepare herself for what waited for her. She already knew how it would go. They’d spend most of the time talking about Maddy’s upcoming wedding and every single tiny detail of Maddy’s apparently endlessly fascinating life. She’d hear about how great Maddy’s fiancé was, and how wonderful it was that Maddy had found such a fantastic man. Her mother would ask Abby about her dating life and make some passive aggressive comments about time ticking and having someone to take care of her. Her father wouldn’t say much of anything, as usual. It sucked feeling like she didn’t belong in her family, but she was used to it now. She was a grown ass woman and very used to handling it. It had been this way since she was a girl, with her sister on a princess pedestal and Abby trying to be good enough at softball that her father would approve of her.
At least there would be wine and pasta. Thank God for alcohol and carbs. They weren’t a solution, but they were a damn tasty distraction.
She arrived at the restaurant, took a deep breath, and pulled the door open. The aroma of freshly baked bread and garlic hit her, making her stomach rumble. The interior was dim and cozy, with a large stone fireplace separating the entryway from the main dining area. Old school jazz floated softly on the air, giving the place a cheery, relaxed atmosphere. She moved past the empty hostess stand and took a quick peek into the dining room, but she didn’t see her family yet, who’d all be arriving together. She turned and almost ran smack into a very hard and very familiar chest.
“Jake?”
He reached out his hands to steady her, his fingers curling around her elbows in a way that made her entire body come to life. “Hey.”
“What are you doing here?”
“Getting dinner,” he said with a shrug. “I had a craving for lasagna.” He took a step back from her, as though suddenly remembering that they were in public. His gaze swept down her body, leaving a trail of heat in its wake as he took in her silky black blouse, white skirt, and strappy gold sandals. “Are you…” He looked around and she knew he was looking for Javi. “You here with someone?” He crossed his arms in front of his chest, his jaw tense. The movement drew her attention to his corded forearms, and she licked her lips. She felt suddenly very aware of her pulse, jumping in her throat.
She cleared her throat, bringing herself back to reality from the haze of desire that Jake’s jealousy had sent her into. God, what was wrong with her? “I’m meeting my family for dinner. My parents and my sister.”
He smiled and then rubbed a hand over his mouth, as though he was trying to erase that grin. She took a l
ittle half step back, but not because she didn’t want to be close to him. No, it was because she didn’t trust herself not to launch herself at him.
“Well, I won’t keep you,” he said, the words thick with meaning. “I’ll just get my lasagna to go, and…” But before he could finish his sentence, Abby’s sister came rushing over.
“Abby! So glad you could make it this time, unlike the engagement party!” she said, pulling her in for a flimsy hug. Over her sister’s shoulder, Abby’s eyes flashed to Jake as she waited for him to check her sister out. It almost always happened. Madison was stunning, with blond curls, huge green eyes, and a petite, delicate figure. They were as different as night and day, and because of that, they’d never been close.
Jake’s eyes stayed squarely on Abby.
“Hey, Sis,” she said, gently disentangling herself from Maddy’s hug. Maddy spun, her shrewd gaze zeroing in on Jake.
“And who do we have here?”
Oh, no. Oh, shit. Jake froze with an almost comical expression on his face, a deer caught in Maddy’s headlights.
“This is Jake Landon. He plays for the Longhorns. He was just getting some food to go, and—”
“Oh, don’t eat alone in your hotel room. You should join us!” Her sister shot Abby a smug little smile, as though she’d caught her doing something she shouldn’t be.
“Uh…” Jake shot Abby a what the hell am I supposed to do look. She grimaced and shrugged. Hell if I know, she tried to say back.
“Abby, darling!” called her mother from the door, with her father right behind her. “Sorry, we were just parking the car.” Her mother’s eyes landed on Jake. “Who’s this?”
“Abby’s teammate Jake. He’s going to join us!” said Maddy with a smirk before turning to Jake. “Besides, my fiancé couldn’t make it—he’s a doctor and he had to perform an emergency surgery—so we have an extra spot at our table.”
“Oh, how nice,” said her mother. Her father stared at Jake, not saying anything. Much to his credit, Jake pulled himself together and plastered a charming smile on his face.
“I don’t know about you all, but I’m starving. Shall we?” He gestured toward the dining room. When no one was looking, he shot Abby a wink, but it didn’t ease the knot in her stomach. What if someone saw them together and assumed what it would only be natural to assume?
“Relax,” he whispered in her ear as he pulled out her chair for her. He lingered just long enough to add, “You look so sexy right now.” Tiny little sticks of dynamite went off in her stomach as she took her seat, her skin tingling.
They ordered their drinks and then the conversation immediately turned to Maddy’s wedding plans. By the time the drinks arrived, Abby had heard all about flowers, dresses, cakes, seating charts and favors, her mother chiming in excitedly while her father silently sipped his sparkling water. Abby wasn’t surprised that no one at the table had asked a single question about her life. It was fine, she was used to it, and was doing her best to ignore Jake’s big warm body a little too close to hers and enjoy her glass of wine.
But then Abby’s father turned his attention to Jake. “So, how long have you been dating my daughter?” She nearly choked on her wine and barely managed to cover it up. She let out a laugh, shaking her head a little too hard as Jake chose that moment to shove a piece of bread into his mouth.
“We’re not dating, Dad. Jake’s a player on my team.”
“So what are you doing here?” he asked Jake, his stare scrutinizing. Unflinching.
Jake chewed and swallowed, then took a sip of his beer. “I didn’t know Abby was going to be here. I just came for the lasagna and then we ran into each other and—”
“And then I invited him to join us,” chimed in Maddy. “Jeez, Daddy, not everyone is out to snag your daughters. And I hardly think Abby is Jake’s type.” She let out a little laugh and then sent Abby a smile, as if that would smooth the sting of her barb. Abby was used to Maddy’s antics, but her comment left a bad taste in Abby’s mouth. Of course Jake wouldn’t be here because he was dating Abby. Maddy was the one who attracted male attention, who earned it with her pretty face and tiny body and delicate laugh. Of course of course of course. Abby picked up a piece of bread from the basket and started ripping it into little pieces.
“Yeah, it was a total surprise,” she said, nibbling on a crust. “I barely know him. He’s only been on the team for a few weeks.”
“Yeah, we barely know each other,” agreed Jake quickly. “Like, practically strangers.” He let out a little laugh and took a long pull on his beer. “But I have to say, your daughter’s the best hitting coach I’ve ever worked with. She’s smart and really knows her stuff. No one works harder than her.”
She almost gasped when she felt his hand land on her knee beneath the table cloth, this thumb tracing circles on her skin.
“Yes, well, I’m sure everyone works hard in the MLB,” said her father in a dismissive tone.
“I wish that were true, but it’s not. Believe me, I’ve been around a while, and Abby’s special.”
Her mother smiled at her. “Of course she is. And it’s so nice to see you in a dress for once! Oh, Maddy, speaking of dresses, did you ask your bridesmaids about…”
Abby tuned out, too busy savoring the feel of Jake’s hand on her bare knee to pretend to care about bridesmaid dresses. His hand moved from her knee to her inner thigh, his fingers inching below the fabric of her skirt. Heat flushed over her skin and she took a sip of her drink, trying to cool down. He caught her eye and sent her a grin, one that was both sexy and reassuring.
“So, Abby, you’re going to come to the actual wedding, right?” asked Maddy once their food had arrived, just a hint of snark in her voice. “You know, since you bailed on the engagement party.”
Beneath the table, Jake’s leg shifted closer, his knee brushing hers before he hooked her foot around his. He didn’t look at her, just took a big bite of his lasagna, and something settled deep inside her. Normally, she would’ve given Maddy’s snark right back to her, but with Jake sitting beside her, knowing he had her back, she was able to muster a calm she didn’t usually feel around her family.
She took a sip of her wine and smiled. “Of course I’ll be there.”
“Well, good. Should I give you a plus one? Probably not, right?” Her eyes once again bounced to Jake. “Since you’re married to the game and all,” she said with a little eyeroll.
Abby sat back in her chair, feeling bold with Jake’s solid presence beside her. “Does something about my job bother you?”
“No, why would it bother me? I just think it’s kind of a masculine thing to dedicate your life to,” Maddy said with a dismissive shrug.
“Just because you don’t understand something doesn’t mean it’s wrong.”
Her mother jumped in and changed the subject back to the wedding, hating conflict of any kind. Which was fine. Abby had no desire to defend her life or her choices to someone who’d never understand.
Her father let out a heavy sigh. “This wedding’s getting pretty damn expensive,” he grumbled, quiet enough that only she and Jake could hear. Jake leaned forward on his elbows.
“Pretty expensive, huh?”
“Oh, son, let me tell you.” Her father proceeded to talk Jake’s ear off about the ins and outs of how expensive the wedding was. Thankfully, her mother and sister were so wrapped up in their own wedding conversation that they were oblivious to her father’s griping. Jake didn’t say much, just nodding and agreeing, and she could see some of the tension ease from her father’s shoulders.
Finally, Jake grinned at him and clapped him on the shoulder as though they were old buddies. “You’re a good man, Frank. Look how happy she is.” He tipped his chin in Maddy’s direction and her father smiled, his eyes going soft.
A slithery emotion wound its way through Abby. It wasn’t jealousy—not exactly—and it wasn’t plain old sadness. She couldn’t name it. She swallowed hard, fighting back the tremble in her li
ps. Her stomach felt uncomfortably hard, and in that moment, she felt completely alone. All because she knew her father had never looked at her like that.
“Excuse me,” she said, her voice barely loud enough. She pushed up from the table and hurried to the ladies’ room, shutting herself away in a stall. Closing her eyes, she took several deep breaths. She had no idea how long she stood like that, just trying to breathe.
When she finally felt calmer, she let herself out and stepped back out into the restaurant. Jake stood a few feet away, leaning casually against the wall. His brow was furrowed as he studied her.
“Are you okay? I didn’t mean to stir up shit back there.”
Her knees felt weak—honest to God weak—as she studied him. “Yeah. Just needed a time out. It’s all good.” She took a tentative step toward him. “I’m glad you’re here.”
He smiled at her, that crooked grin that always made her feel like she was glowing from the inside. “Me too.” He leaned a bit closer, his lips brushing her ear. “Especially since I got to see you in this outfit.”
She blushed a little. “You like?”
“Very much.” His voice took on a lower, huskier tone.
Another customer came around the corner, headed for the restrooms, and they jumped apart. She smoothed her hands down her skirt and headed back to the table, her heart pounding hard in her chest.
When the check came, Jake snagged it before anyone else could. When her mother tried to protest, Jake smiled affably and shook his head. “It’s the least I can do after you all let me crash your family dinner. Please. It’s on me.” He pulled out his wallet, counted out some cash, and handed it back to the waitress. Her father even offered Jake a handshake and a smile, telling him he’d had a nice time talking with him.
“Miracle of miracles, I think he likes you,” said Abby as they headed out the door.
