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The duo headed down the stairs to where Callie’s husband was waiting. “It feels so weird, you not living here anymore. And having a husband. Wow.”
Callie grinned. “Just wait, you. It’s the best feeling ever.”
The girls raced to Kyle’s truck, Callie hopping in front and Cassie in the back.
“You ready to go, Cass?” Kyle asked, turning around and grinning at her. “You haven’t seen your man in a long time.”
“He’snotmy man, Kyle. I’m supporting JJ, that’s all.”
“Whatever you say. I’m just sayin’ I heard through the wedding grapevine that we weren’t the only ones playing tonsil hockey that day.”
Cassie could feel her face turning red. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Kyle.”
“Funny. That’s what Jamal said, too,” he replied mischievously.
Fifteen minutes later, the trio was pulling into Reeves Park. “Let’s go watch some softball.”
Cassie was getting out of the truck when she heard a young voice calling out her name.
“Cassie! I didn’t know you were coming!” JJ shrieked, running up to Cassie and wrapping her tiny arms around Cassie’s waist in a fierce hug. “You even got a shirt of my team! How’d you do that, huh?”
Cassie pulled JJ out of her arms and looked at the girl who was stealing her heart a little at a time. “Who did your hair, kid? It looks like a bird made a nest in your curls.”
JJ’s hair was in a haphazard, lopsided ponytail, bits of her curls not even in the band and flying wildly around her face in the Oklahoma wind.
“My dad has no clue how to fix my hair and Irma was at her boyfriend’s,” JJ shrugged. “Can you fix it?”
Cassie smiled. “Of course. My hair might not be curly, but it’s as thick as yours. I’m sure I can manage.” Cassie took the tie out of JJ’s hair and started to brush it out with her fingers as best she could before pulling it back into the best ponytail she could manage.
“I’m notthatbad at fixing your hair, kid,” a familiar voice tickled the back of Cassie’s neck. “Besides, you didn’t tell Cassie that thereasonwe were late and your hair looks the way it does is becauseyouwouldn’t get out of bed.”
Jamal went to ruffle his daughter’s hair but Cassie grabbed his wrist before he could get near the ponytail she had just fixed. “Touch her hair that I just fixed and you die,” she said.
Jamal reached with his other hand, took his hand off Cassie’s wrist and entwined their fingers. “I’ve missed you, Bambi,” he said, pulling her hand up to his lips and kissing the top of it. Cassie could feel the heat of his kiss working its way up her hand and tingling all her lady parts in the best way possible. She knew what those lips felt like trailing kisses down her neck and the taste of his lips on hers. “Have you missed me, too?”
“Maybe a little,” Cassie grinned.
“Will you two stop kissing for a minute? I’ve got some games to play,” JJ walked up to the couple and, taking their hands apart, put one of each of their hands in hers and began swinging them back and forth. “Besides, all that mushy stuff grosses me out.”
Jamal winked at Cassie over his daughter’s head and smiled. “Sorry, kid. I’ve just missed her.”
“So you said,” JJ agreed. “Now let’s go. I want to show this other team what a real softball team looks like.”
Untitled
CHAPTER NINETEEN
“Wow, she’s really good.” It was the final inning of JJ’s last game and Cassie was amazed at how good the kid was. Cassie knew she was good when they played together, but compared to other girls JJ was far and away the best.
“Yeah, she is,” Jamal grinned, a proud look on his face. “I know I give her a hard time about liking softball and not basketball, but she amazes me every day. And she works really hard at it, too.”
“I can tell,” Cassie said. “She’s way better than all the other kids I’ve seen today.”
“It really means a lot to her that you came, Bambi. She thinks you’re pretty special.”
Cassie could feel her face turning red. “You probably say that to all the girls.”
“I can tell you that isnotthe truth, young lady,” Irma leaned over Jamal and gave Cassie the stink eye. Jamal had introduced the women to each other again since they had met for just a few minutes before his game the other night. Today was the first time they had actually spent any time together, and Cassie could feel the older woman assessing Cassie’s every word and move. Had it been any other person, Cassie would have felt awkward. But with Irma, Cassie knew she was just watching out for her adopted son and granddaughter. The more Cassie talked with Irma, the more she liked her.
