“I promise.”
The retirement village is quiet, and it smells like fresh-cut lawns. When we walk up to Maggie and Earl’s building, we find them in the recreation room, completely locked into an exercise video game on a giant TV. They’re swinging their arms around like madmen, and my grandpa drops an F-bomb when my grandma seems to take him for a point. Maggie spots us a second later and laughs. She immediately hands her controller over to another couple waiting their turn. My grandpa does the same.
Earl gives Roddy a hefty clap on the back and pulls me into a one-armed hug that’s surprisingly strong for a guy his age. They lead us down a shaded walkway, across a courtyard, and toward their place. We sit in their living room, trading stories about the season and catching up on Daisy, but the lighthearted mood shifts when Maggie reaches for a drawer and pulls out a white envelope, its edge neatly ripped open.
She hands it to Roddy.
“Looks like the town is trying to take over our old home,” Earl says, his voice gruff and worried. “They’re calling it eminent domain or some horseshit. I can’t even make sense of this thing!”
My dad frowns as he pulls the letter from the envelope and begins to read.
“Eminent domain? For what? It’s not like the state needs to double the lanes on the highway or build a parallel road through town. This doesn’t make sense. I’ll look into it, Earl. Don’t you two worry. I’ll figure out what’s going on.”
I glance at my grandfather, and he seems satisfied with my father’s pledge. But when my gaze shifts to my grandma, I feel less certain. There’s worry in her eyes. Hell, I’m sure there’s worry in mine, too. That old home? My mom lives there. My life was there. It’s every good memory I’ve got.
When Dad and I hit the road back to Sweetwater, the drive back is quieter, but the air feels lighter than it did this morning—even with the new mystery my grandpa dropped in our hands. The drive back seems to take half as long, and soon, my dad is pulling into the ballpark parking lot to dropme off at my truck. I step out and lean in through the open window.
“You heading to the bar to talk to Mom?” I figure he’ll want to let her know about that eminent domain business.
His eyes draw in tight, the worry lines etched deep in his brow as he nods.
“Yeah, something feels off with that. But we’ll sort it out, I’m sure. See you tomorrow.”
We hold our locked gazes for a beat, a new comfort settling in between us. Perhaps this is level two.
“Yeah. See you tomorrow.” I pat the inside of the window and send him off.
I watch him drive away, then scan the parking lot. It’s nearly empty now that the rest of the team has gone home. Except for one car. A certain Mercedes.
My mouth curves up. I jog up the steps and into the front office suites. The hallways are dark, but light is spilling out of Campbell’s office. I pause at her door to find her hunched over her desk, completely locked into some project on her laptop.
“Still working?” I ask, leaning against the doorframe.
She jumps slightly, looking up, a beautiful flush hitting her cheeks. “Jake. Hey. Yeah, I’m trying to finish this lifestyle angle on this pitch deck. I want to sell people on the experience out here. Pull in some of the local dude ranches for weekend getaway packages.”
I chuckle, walking inside and shutting the door behind me. I take care to turn the lock. “Weekend getaway packages? Sounds a little bougie for minor league baseball.”
Campbell pouts playfully, crossing her arms and spinning in her chair. “It’s modern marketing, Jake. It expands our demographic.”
“I’m just teasing,” I say, walking closer. “It’s damn good. I love it.”
I round her desk, and before she can say a word, I scoop her right out of her executive chair, then sit down in it myself, plopping her straight down onto my lap.
She lets out a breathy laugh, immediately covering her mouth. “Jake! Someone might see.”
“Nobody is around,” I murmur, my hands resting on her hips. I nip at her ear, and she quivers. “Besides, I locked the door just in case.”
“I have work to finish,” she protests, though she isn’t making any move to get up.
“Go ahead. I’ll just wait,” I say, my voice dropping as I kiss the curve of her neck. “I’ll even give you a massage while you work.”
She gives me a hard, melting look, her dark eyes searching mine, but she doesn’t turn down the offer. She turns her torso back toward her laptop instead, her fingers hovering over the keys, trying to pretend she’s focusing.
I don’t let her.
My fingers move to the top button of her blouse. I undo it. Then the next.
“You seem like you’re a bit hot in here,” I tease.
