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Cameron caught her breath. They did resemble a family—husband, wife, two daughters. She didn’t bother to correct the woman, but there was that ringing in her ears again.
Chip, chip, chip.
They followed the woman to their seats behind the home team dugout.
“Your seats are right here, ma’am. Mr. Sanchez’s unit will be on the field pre-game so he should be joining you shortly after the first pitch.”
“Thank you so much.” Cameron tried to wrangle the girls but gave up when they climbed on their seats to get a better look at Luke Haynes stretching in right field.
“Mom, look. A lot of people have dogs here. The sign said it’s “Dogs in the Park” Day. We should have brought Boomer.”
“We absolutely should not have brought Boomer. Who knows who he’d puke on and I guarantee you the people around us did not sign up for his stink. Boomer is just fine at home in his crate.” At least she hoped. There was no telling what kind of gift Boomer would leave her today.
Enough of that. They were here to honor Alex and his unit, not to worry about a dog. Speaking of which… the stadium announcer came on the loud speaker and she shushed the girls. “Ladies and gentlemen, please turn your attention to home plate where members of the Army’s 35th Military Intelligence unit are filing onto the field.”
The crowd around her stood and started to applaud.
She nudged Lizzie and Mariana. “Here comes Alex.”
Her heart raced as two lines of soldiers paraded onto the field, one down the third base line and the other down the first. She didn’t know how Alex managed it, but he stopped almost directly in front of them. She wanted with all of her heart to wave at him, to show the feelings that had been building inside her, but she was quickly coming to learn that there was a time and place for displays of affection.
When Alex was in uniform wasn’t one of them.
She studied the line of soldiers, backs straight, arms at their side. How many of these soldiers had been deployed before? How many would be deployed again soon? Would Alex be among them?
Every time her mind went somewhere it shouldn’t, she tried to remember what Mom had said. Did Cameron need to give herself permission to take a risk? To chip away the last remnants of her wall and really let Alex
into her life?
She didn’t want to always wonder what if.
The one thing she knew for sure was that Alex wasn’t Josh.
The man on the loudspeaker continued to recite a lengthy list of awards and recognitions Alex’s unit had earned. As the announcer continued, the applause from the fans grew to a fever pitch. Beside her, Lizzie and Mariana jumped up and down, screeching at the top of their lungs.
Could she set aside her fears and celebrate the wonderful man she was falling in love with? How could she not love someone who chose to serve his country, who loved his daughter with everything in him? A man who truly listened to her and took her feelings into consideration?
After the announcer completed the ceremony, the Federals players went down the line and shook hands with the men and women in Alex’s unit. Cameron smiled, proud of the man who had come into their lives when she’d least expected it.
Lizzie wrapped her fingers around Cameron’s arm, digging in so hard she was sure it would leave a mark. “Mom. Look. Alex is shaking hands with Luke Haynes. Oh my gosh, he’s so lucky.”
Alex and Luke laughed together for a minute and Alex leaned in and said something quietly to the young player who had won the hearts of Washington fans the day he’d stepped onto the field. Then Alex gestured to where she was sitting with the girls. When Luke’s gaze landed on Mariana and Lizzie, he plastered a huge smile on his face and waved.
“Oh my gosh, I think I’m going to die. Luke Haynes just waved at me.” Lizzie pressed her hand to her chest and she and Mariana giggled and tried to hide behind Cameron.
“Girls, look.” Cameron motioned to the jumbotron. A cameraman had positioned himself at the end of their row and had a camera focused on them. “We’re on the big screen.”
The girls spun just in time to see themselves on the video board… and proceeded to screech and wave to the camera. Mariana spun around to show off her Luke Haynes jersey while Lizzie pointed and grinned.
Before Cameron knew it, the video board had them on a split screen, with Luke and Alex on one side and the girls on the other. She had to get a photo of the board. Mom wouldn’t believe it, and the girls would probably like to show their friends. Cameron could also see sharing it with the girls’ future boyfriends. Just to let them know what they were up against.
She couldn’t believe she was thinking about the future with both girls in it.
Chip, chip, chip.
Cameron grinned at Alex and he nodded just as Luke Haynes motioned to the dugout. A bat boy ran two baseballs out to him. He scribbled something on each ball and handed them over to Alex.
Cameron wasn’t sure the girls had noticed, too busy hamming it up for the crowd. Eventually, the ceremony ended and the girls fell into their chairs.
