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So lost in the moment, he hadn’t heard Baylee pull up to the driveway. He watched as she approached. Based on her body language and tone of voice, she wasn’t happy.
Drew walked over to Casey and put an arm around his shoulder. “We’re playing catch.” He grinned like a fool. He couldn’t help it. The smile faded, however, when he saw her eyes. Definitely not twinkling.
“How dare you?” She took Casey by the hand and led him into the house, leaving Drew to stare after them, shocked and beyond confused at what had just happened.
*
Baylee stomped intothe house, Casey behind her, being pulled by her hand.
The screen door slammed shut behind them. A baseball game was on TV, remnants of Casey and Drew sitting there watching left behind on the coffee table. Casey’s juice glass, half a glass of tea for Drew. The book about baseball sat open on the sofa. Disinterested in the emotion around him, Casey sat down on the sofa, plopped the book in his lap, and started reading.
The screen door creaked behind her. She turned to see Drew standing in the doorway, unsure of whether to come inside of not.
“Bay? What’s the matter?”
Her anger subsided a bit at his soft tone. His eyes searched hers for answers but saw she was still upset so he made no move to enter the room with her.
She looked at Casey and then at Drew. “On the porch.” She wasn’t about to have this conversation in front of Casey.
Drew nodded then stepped back, holding the screen door open for her as she walked through it. Even with her pissed at him, he was the consummate gentleman.
She walked to edge of the porch and leaned against the railing, her arms crossed.
“Honestly, Bay, I haven’t got a clue as to what just happened. Casey and I were having a blast…”
“Playing baseball!” She cut in.
Drew nodded, the look of confusion on his face almost comical. And cute. No. Not cute. She was mad at him.
“Casey doesn’t do sports.”
“I’m still not following you.”
She looked him in the eye. “I don’t ever want him to be forced to be something he’s not.”
Drew stepped back as if she’d hit him. “I would never force Casey to do anything. Ever. I think he’s great as he is.”
“Then why were you trying to get him to play baseball?”
“I didn’t do anything. We were watching a game inside and he said he wanted to throw a ball. I still had the stuff in my trunk from our picnic so I got it and we played some catch.” He took a step towards her. “Why is that so bad?”
She looked out at the yard, anywhere but at him. “I saw the look on your face when I pulled into the drive. You were practically glowing.”
“I was having a good time.” He turned his attention to the front window where Casey sat inside reading then looked back at her. “I think Casey was too.”
“How could you possibly know that?”
“I’ve spent time with him. He likes things that repeat, likes the flow of it. We had that going, throwing the ball.”
Gracious, the man was right. He’d been in town a month and already he knew almost as much about her son as she did. Part of her heart warmed to that fact, another part was terrified. She’d let him get too close. How did she know he wouldn’t want Casey to play sports like Erik did? Sure, he had proved to be better with Casey in a short time than Erik, Casey’s own father, but in the long haul, who was to say Drew wouldn’t want the same things for Casey that Erik wanted?
He took another step towards her, now an arm’s length away. Still cautious. Smart man. “Baylee. Talk to me. Please. I don’t understand what I did wrong.”
“Just… go, okay? Please. I need some space.”
She glanced at him, caught sight of the pain and confusion in his eyes. Big mistake. She wanted to be mad. How could he not understand? She’d told him about Erik’s feelings towards Casey. Why would he try and push her son the same way?
He took a step back but it pained him to do it, she could see it written all over his face. With a nod he went down the steps and to his car. He drove off, taking her heart with him.
