AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Fine,” she sighs. “Maybe I need to start looking for apartments.”
“Wait until the off season.” I’m a selfish, selfish man. I don’t want her to leave. I don’t like the thought of her somewhere in the city all alone. I love having her here, and hope that someday we can make this arrangement permanent. “We’ll have plenty of time in the off season, and if that’s what you want to do, I’ll help you look.”
“You’re not sick of me yet?”
“Not yet,” I smile and press a kiss to the tip of her nose. “Not ever.”
Fourth of July cookouts with the team have always been my favorite; I love having the kids around, watching fireworks over The Sound, and the only thing that makes a Fourth of July cookout better, is being able to celebrate with a win under our belts. Sutton and I make a beeline to the ferry when our post-game duties are wrapped up, in the hopes that we’ll beat the rest of the team to the house, and we arrive home with enough time for Sutton to run upstairs to shower and change while I check on Sam and the grill.
“What a game!” Sam calls from the grill, wearing an apron and a goofy grin as Kaline snoozes at his feet. “Can’t think of a better way to head into the All-Star break than decimating your rivals at home.”
“I wouldn’t call Anaheim arival,” I laugh, clapping Sam on the shoulder and peering over his shoulder to make sure he’s not burning the chicken. “But after our last meeting, it felt really good to beat them.”
We scored ten runs off of their pitchers tonight, the first five of those came in the first inning off of Jamie Webster. I took an immense amount of joy in watching him be pulled with one out in the first inning, although I feel bad for the clubhouse attendants who have to put up with whatever tantrum he threw on his way down the tunnel.
“I bet,” Sam smirks and I watch as his gaze travels to the kitchen where Sutton is laughing with Elise, “especially after the way they treated your girl the last time you all met.”
“Don’t call her that.” I can’t tear my eyes away from her. She’s dressed in dark green shorts and a gray Olympians sweatshirt. Her hair is damp from her shower and piled in a haphazard bun at the back of her head. I drag my gaze from her bare feet, up her toned legs, to the sleeves pushed to her elbows. But her face…she’s smiling, but she doesn’t look relaxed.
“It’s true, isn’t it?” Sam asks.
“It is…” I scowl at him, an ache settling in my chest. An ache to go to her and make sure she’s okay. I take a step toward her just as Luca Phillips and Luis Perez walk through my front door. The one and only time I’ve ever regretted my open door policy. Luca sets a twelve pack of soda on the counter and greets Sutton with a hug. Perez offers her a fist bump; I’m glad he’s warming up to her, and even more glad that he’s not a hugger like Luca. “But she’s so much more than that.”
“You look like you want to launch a rescue mission.”
“Where’s Maggie tonight?” I know it’s a cheap shot, but it wipes the grin off his face.
“Detroit,” Sam sighs. “The closer we get to the trade deadline, the further away they send her.”
He had to bring up the trade deadline. It settles like a dark cloud over my head as I watch more and more teammates and their families come through the front door, or around the side of the house and into the yard. All the gatherings I’ve hosted here for the team, all the memories I’ve made here, I don’t want to lose any of that. I don’t want to give this up for another city. Another team.
“Looks like I struck a nerve.” At least he has the courtesy not to laugh.
I grunt in his general direction before walking away and greeting my guests. I don’t want to think about the trade deadline tonight. So I won’t. Not while I’ve got Sutton walking around like she owns the place. And she might as well. She owns my heart. She’s making sure everyone finds the cooler filled with drinks. Helping kids fill their plates with fruit and cheese and crackers. She’s acting like the hostess and no one is questioning it.
There’s a primal, possessive part of my brain that wants to wrap an arm around her and hold her close for the rest ofthe night. A clear sign to everyone here that she belongs to me. Except she doesn’t belong to anyone but herself, and she’d sooner throw me in The Sound than allow me to do that. But a man can dream. Instead, I sit down near the fire pit and help Jerome’s kids toast their marshmallows to make s’mores. Every so often though, I hear Sutton’s voice from somewhere nearby, and it soothes the ache in my chest. Because when I’m washed up and my name fades from baseball’s memory, there’s a tiny bit of hope that says she’ll still have me.
Luca and Perez team up against Nico and Alex for a game of cornhole on the lawn, music floats out from the speakers in my kitchen, and I lean back in my chair, watching my friends and teammates laugh together and enjoy each other’s company. My sister is giving backyard science demonstrations to all the kids willing to watch – a few of the players, too – and Kaline curls up at my feet. It’s a pretty perfect night.
Until a shout pierces the air.
I sit bolt upright, trying to find Sutton, who is running past me onto the lawn and practically tackling someone that I can't quite see, both squealing and hugging each other so tight I’m worried neither one can breathe. And then I see a few familiar faces crossing the grass as a shout goes up from some of the guys around me.
Jake Hutchinson wraps me in a bear hug, and for the first time in a long time, tears sting the back of my eyes. I know we just saw each other in New York a few months ago, but it’s always nice to see my old friend. We used to catch up on road trips, and Elise and I have spent a lot of holidays with the Hutchinsons over the years. He’s, truly, one of my best friends.
“What are you doing here?” I finally ask when I break off the embrace.
“James offered to fly us out,” Penelopeanswers, “and we couldn’t pass that up. Mandy wanted to surprise Sutton. Sorry to crash your party.”
“You’re not crashing,” I give her a hug, and look around for James, who is predictably sitting with the pre-teen son of our bullpen catcher, talking about the book he’s reading. Mandy is the one squeezing Sutton’s soul back into her body on my lawn. “It’s great to have you here, but this isnoton the way to Kansas City.”
“No,” Penelope laughs. “But mommy and daddy have babysitters for a few nights, and we wanted some time away that doesn’t include work. You all get a break. We don’t.”
“Hey! I don’t get a break! I’m starting.”
“You’re pitching one inning, big guy.” Penelope laughs and claps me on the shoulder. “Some of us have to work for the whole game.”
“Are you in the booth?”
