Page 55 of One Hot Daddy

Damian releases my hands and grins, winking at me."Don't worry, Fletcher.The only one here who can see the future is Kirsty."

"Is that a woman or a man?"

"Kirsty MacTaggart is a woman.Sorry, I meant Kirsty Turner.She's a lovely Scots lass who hasda-shealladh, the second sight."

Yes, of course she does.Are these people having me on?Or are they all off their rockers?

"Fascinating," I mutter, desperately scanning for an escape route.

Thankfully, Jennifer jumps in."We should probably check on the children.Henry tends to climb things when unsupervised."

A sigh of relief rushes out of me.

Just as we start walking toward the makeshift cricket pitch, Dominic jogs up to me."We're having a practice match, and I figured you'd want to be there for that.I assume you are, ah, a bit rusty."

I must've made a sour face because Dom slaps me on the shoulder."Try to get into the spirit, Fletch, eh?"

Jennifer kisses my cheek."Go.Have a good time with your friends.I should hunt the kids down before they decide to boost a car and drive themselves to the water park."

"That's a wise decision."

I watch as my wife vanishes into the crowd.

Dominic claps a hand down on my shoulder."I gather you're experiencing a small bout of nerves.Forget that bollocks, Fletch.Thane Buchanan brought plenty of his whisky from his distillery in Scotland.We have six cases of Thane Black Label, his signature whisky, as well as two cases of Sensual Secret and two of Dùndubhan Masterpiece."

"Duh-what?I don't need booze, Dom."

"Au contraire."He chuckles."No one needs whisky more than you do right now."

Dominic drags me over to the edge of the pitch, where I now see the cases of whisky he mentioned.

An American man trots up to us, holding out his hand to shake."I'm Derek Hahn.My wife is Diana Hahn, though you might know her better as Diana Sangster.She married me a while back."

Yes, that explains everything.

Derek grips my shoulder hard enough to make me wince."Let's get you in the mood for a brief match.That'll get your blood pumping."

Though I don't need any "pumping," I might as well give in.My friends believe this will help me somehow, but I have my doubts.I stare at Derek, then at the cases of whisky, then back at Derek."A brief match?How brief are we talking?"

"Just a quick knock-about," Dominic says, already rolling up his sleeves."It'll get the blood flowing and remind your muscles what cricket is like."

He hands me a whisky bottle, urging me to drink.

Oh, why not.I open the bottle of Sensual Secret and down two big gulps.I wind up coughing.But quickly, my hacking dissipates, and the warm, smoky liquid infiltrates my senses.

"Damn, that's smooth," I rasp, my throat still burning pleasantly.The smoky flavor coats my tongue and warms my chest.Not bad whisky at all.

"Told you," Dominic grins, taking the bottle and having a swig himself."Thane knows his spirits.And speaking of spirits, yours needs lifting, mate."

He waves toward a blond man who rushes over to us.Dom introduces him."This is Chance Dixon.His brothers Dane and Reese are here too."

Someone across the green waves emphatically, dashing toward me and Dom.I squint across the green, trying to identify the rapidly approaching figure.The whisky has already made my vision slightly fuzzy around the edges.Drinking probably wasn't the wisest thing to do before attempting to play cricket for the first time in years.

Reese grins and extends his hand."Fletcher!Heard you're a bit rusty on the pitch.Don't worry, we'll go easy on you."

"How reassuring."I shake his hand as the whisky burns pleasantly in my stomach, and I'm starting to understand why Dom thought alcohol might help.My nerves are definitely settling.

Dominic grins again."Let's get you kitted out properly."