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“I always knew you were one of the good ones.” She winked. “I’ll be back with your drinks.”
“You’re such a charmer,” Hannah said as soon as Sadie went to the kitchen.
“Yes, so you’ve said on more than one occasion. Seems our son is too.”
Hannah sighed. “I’m not ready for that yet. He’s still my baby.”
My chuckle earned me a playful glare. The moment Jimmy stepped into the gymnasium earlier that evening, decked out in jeans and his new blue button-down shirt, the energy seemed to shift. And when his friends joined him, it was as if a spotlight had been cast upon them. Not to sound cocky, but I knew that feeling. I remember when it first happened to me. From that point on, my confidence soared. I could see the same with Jimmy and his buddies.
But especially Jimmy. There had been no doubt that he’d been the center of several conversations. I’d seen it happen with the kids of former teammates. They were popular because their dad was. It couldn’t be helped. People were curious about the lifestyle that they thought professional athletes had. Most of the time, media portrayals were vastly different from real life. Other times, they weren’t—like other things in life, it depended on the person. When I first started in the league, I loved the attention ... once I got used to it. But after a while, it got old. Still, some guys thrived on it.
Jimmy had it all and then some. He was smart, had enough charisma to fill a room, was a star baseball player, and, if I did say so myself, was a good-looking guy.
“Can you believe him tonight?” Hannah asked.
“Which part? The part where he suddenly became a country line dancer? Or when he fumbled his way through the two-step?”
Hannah’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “Yes to both. But no one seemed to care that he didn’t know the proper steps.”
I chuckled, remembering how the girls practically swooned as he twirled them around. Even some of the shyest girls couldn’t resist the opportunity to dance with him. “I think our son is a bit popular.”
“You think?” Sadie dropped off our drinks, and we placed our burger order. “I hope it doesn’t go to his head.”
Shrugging, I took a sip of my iced tea. “It probably will at first. He’ll just need to stay humble. That’s where we come in. I’m not going to lie; it’s easier said than done.”
“Yes, I remember the pictures of you with various women.”
I cringed. “I can’t change my past, but all that matters is that I’m with you now.”
“I know.”
“Hey,” I said, reaching across the table for her hand. “We’re a family. You, me, and Jimmy.”
“A family.”
Sadie came back with our meals. “You two are adorable. Anything else I can get you?”
I shook my head, and Hannah looked at me and said, “No, thank you. I have everything I need right here.”
Damn straight she did.
Chapter24
Hannah
“I can’t believe this!” Jimmy said, standing on the mound of the Virginia Tigers before their game with the Utah Mavericks started.
“Cool, right?” Cash said, lifting the rosin bag off the dirt.
This morning Cash had surprised us with tickets to the minor league game a couple of hours south of Blossom Berry Falls. The last time I’d brought Jimmy to a Tigers game, he was six years old, and it was with his Little League team. And we were never on the field, but we also weren’t with Cash.
The teams were starting to take the field. Cash led Jimmy to Utah’s dugout. The young players’ eyes went wide upon seeing him. I couldn’t imagine getting that reaction. A gray-haired man in a Utah uniform stepped forward.
“Well, well ... Cash Jameson.”
“Coach Glen, it’s good to see you.” Cash shook his hand and pulled him into a quick hug before turning toward us. “Coach, this is my girlfriend, Hannah, and our son, Jimmy.”
He nodded. “Heard something about that. Not that I wouldn’t be able to tell looking at you two.” Glen extended his hand to Jimmy. “Nice to meet you.”
