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“Hey!” he said, pointing a finger at me. “This is not about me, this is about you.”
I looked at my mother. “Were you a virgin when you met Dad?”
She nearly choked as she started to cough, and my father gently patted her back. “This is not about me either.”
“I’m starting to think you have more of an issue with me having sex with someone over quitting my job.”
“Rose Marie, I’m not naïve, but it still was something I wasn’t prepared for,” Mom stated dryly.
With a one-shoulder shrug, I softly said, “You asked for the short version.”
“Okay, enough with all of that,” Mom stated, sounding more tired than I had ever heard her. “I can understand why you don’t want to date him, I think.”
My father nearly broke his neck turning to look at my mother. “You can? I mean, I guess the fact that the man is one of the best pitchers in history, is worth millions, clearly wants to have a relationship with our daughter, bought a helluva lot of land right outside of town and wants to build a house on it, a house he wants her to design…yeah…I can see why she doesn’t want to date him.”
“Ty, he lives in Seattle most of the year, and that’s only when he isn’t traveling to games. Rose would never see him during the season. Would he expect her to move to Seattle?”
My father scowled at the realization.
“I’m not moving to Seattle for anyone or anything,” I quickly said, causing my father to place his hand over his heart and sigh in relief.
I exhaled and pushed off the counter and took a seat on the other side of the small breakfast table.
“Rose,” Mom said as she looked at me. “You’ve always been so smart. You skipped kindergarten and went right into first grade. You’ve always made intelligent, thoughtful choices. Why in the world would you have a one-night stand with a baseball player?”
I lifted my chin. “Because I wanted to do something daring. I wanted to follow my heart for once.”
“What does that mean?” Mom asked. “When have you not followed your heart?”
“I can’t explain my feelings for Bryson to you. Yes, I don’t want to be in a long-distance relationship, that is one reason. Bryson isn’t going to give up his career for me. He’s trying to impress me with this gesture of buying a place in Montana only minutes from my home, but that doesn’t squash my own insecurities. I don’t want a repeat of…that happening again.”
They both looked at each other and back to me.
“Not all guys are bastards, sweetheart.”
“I know, Dad. It’s just, I don’t even know what I want to do with my life, and starting a relationship with someone right now will complicate things. Plus, I know I would worry about him…straying.”
Both of their features softened, and my mother reached for my hand. “Sweetheart, I know that you’ve had your heart broken by he who will not be named.”
I couldn’t help it, I giggled.
“But like your father said, not all men are that way.”
Turning to my dad, I asked, “When you were out on the road with the PBR, how many guys cheated who were married or dating?”
He looked at my mother, then back at me. “A few. There were more guys who didn’t, though. I know it’s scary to give your heart to someone, Rose, but you can’t push every guy away for fear of getting your heart broken. This guy really seems to like you. I mean, he bought land down the road from here.”
“You don’t think it’s crazy he did that and wants me to design his house? That doesn’t give you stalker-type feelings?” I asked them both.
Dad simply shrugged while my mother smiled.
“I think it’s kind of romantic.”
My mouth dropped open as I stared at my mother. “Romantic?” I looked at my father. “Dad, you were ready to rip his head off when I said I slept with him, but I mention he bought land near here, and you think he’s my knight in shining armor.”
“I mean, it’s not what I would have done, but he obviously didn’t consult me.”
Mom laughed.
“What was that for?”
Patting his hand with hers, she said, “You and I hated each other and fought like cats and dogs. But remember the snowstorm?”
Dad smiled and laced his hand with hers. “I could never forget the snowstorm.”
I looked back and forth between them. “Okay, well, I can tell you with complete sincerity that I do not want to hear the long or short version of the snowstorm.”
They both smiled.
“He hurt his arm and that’s why he’s not been playing, didn’t he?” Dad asked.
“Yes, he’s doing physical therapy right now. He has a partial tear. I guess when he goes back, they’ll do another MRI and see whether he can play or needs surgery.”
