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“Here, but she’s a judge, so she doesn’t get to work in the office anymore.” He waved down the street they were crossing. “She’s at the courthouse a few blocks away.”
“Wow, a judge. Has she been a judge a long time?” Sam took her hand since she was so busy looking around, her steps were slowing.
Sam was asking questions they knew the answers to, but Natalie was happy she was getting to hear it. Yes, she had read it, but hearing it was so much better.
“As long as we’ve been married, so around five years now. It seems like yesterday, but time does pass.” Max was opening the door to the Victorian across the street from the law office. The house was not nearly as grand as the law firm.
“It wasn’t yesterday, Dad. It was a long time ago,” Molly informed Max with authority only an eight-year-old could pull off.
“It’s an expression, Molly, I was just saying that I can remember very well when I met your mom.” He smiled at his daughter.
“Mom says you didn’t even notice her when you met.”
“I noticed her later, and when I did, I didn’t look away.” Max then started pointing out the things Sam and Natalie would need to know about the house. Showing them the kitchen, dining room, and living room, he eventually showed them up the stairs to their bedroom.
Natalie bit her lip as she looked around the room with its one big bed. One big bed that they would have to share.
“I’ve put you guys in here. The room next door is empty as well if this one isn’t comfortable. The one across the hall has guests coming tomorrow night. My sister-in-law and her husband are coming for a few days. It’s my wife’s birthday on Thursday.” Max smiled at the couple.
“How old?” Sam asked.
CHAPTER10
“The big four-zero.Zephyr coming is a surprise, so don’t tell Della,” Max said with a wink.
“I think Beckett needs a few minutes; she’s getting over the flu.” Sam hustled both Max and his daughter out of the room, leaving Natalie to digest what she had just heard.
Sitting down on the bed, Natalie tried to breathe. The small bits of information Max had provided were almost too much. Natalie wished she had known it before she came. The shock that the woman who had given her life had been just a girl at the time. She had turned sixteen the day Natalie had been born and given up for adoption. Sixteen. What had Natalie done when she was sixteen? Played sports and hung out with Hanna and Hazel. Maybe she had fallen for Henry, but maybe she was actually seventeen when that happened.
Della … The name played around in her head. Since the beginning, she had been Delphinea in Natalie’s life. It was a long, difficult name, but it was the one they had for her. Della seemed to suit the redhead from the pictures more than the formal Delphinea.
When Sam brought in the suitcases, Natalie was still sitting on the bed, working things out in her mind. Once the door was closed and the bags were on the ground, Sam sat next to her. “I didn’t realize she was so young.”
“Me neither. It never crossed my mind. Why did I think she would have been in her twenties?” Natalie leaned into him.
“It changes things a little. Do you think she told him?” He wrapped his arm around her.
“I don’t know. Maybe she doesn’t want to see me?” Natalie had to stop herself from crawling onto his lap and letting him comfort her.
“Didn’t you get a letter once saying that she wanted to see you?”
“Yes, but that was years ago. She wasn’t even married then,” she realized.
“Well, we’re here now, and you don’t have to tell her who you are. Just have a few fun days in a new town.” He kissed her forehead.
“Maybe we can stay long enough to see her. Just once.” She pulled out of his arms, not wanting him to feel uncomfortable, even if she still wanted his comfort for herself.
“I told Max that you were on the softball team in high school, so he’s getting his other daughter, and you’re going to show them how to pitch. The other daughter wants to learn how.” Sam got up from the bed.
After getting their stuff sorted out in the room, they headed outside to see if the Valentines were out of their house. Natalie spotted them before Sam did, playing in the large open yard beside the house. As they walked over, Natalie saw the other girl looked like her sister. They must be Max’s from a previous relationship since Della and Max hadn’t been married all that long.
Molly saw them first and ran toward them. She introduced her sister and remembered their names to tell her sister. Lilly, the older girl, was more subdued than her little sister.
Soon, Natalie had Lilly pitching well for her first time. Since the actual pitching in softball was different from baseball, it took time to get the basics down. It had been so long since Natalie had actually picked up a softball, she had to remind herself. At first, she had Sam catching the balls and Molly trying to hit them, but soon it became apparent that Lilly wasn’t that good with the pitching, so Sam started helping Molly catch the balls that came her way. Max had moved from the outfield, where Molly was hitting the ball to, and was now leaning against the house, watching and encouraging his girls.
Natalie was having so much fun watching Sam and Molly catch the wayward balls. He was so good with kids, she realized. He knew what to say and when to say it. Maybe that was why she was so drawn to him—because he was so kind to everyone.
The two adults were trading insults as they played. Natalie teased Sam’s ability to catch, and Sam joked about Natalie’s ability to catch the balls he threw back. Neither said anything about the way the girl pitched, except encouragements.
