Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 54966 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 275(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54966 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 275(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
I nod. “There’s one more, actually. Ledger is enlisted right now.”
She repeats his name. “Ledger… got it.”
“Mom, go get your glove and come play.”
My mouth falls open. “Your glove? You play?”
Before she can answer, Cole chimes in, “Mom plays with me all the time. She’s pretty good.”
I look at the woman in awe as she holds up her finger. “Okay, I’m going to change and be right back.”
She jogs away, and as everyone goes back to the game, Gabriel nudges my shoulder. “Close your mouth, you’re drooling.”
I snap my mouth closed, and Gabe has his arms over his chest, watching Cat walk away. “Have you told her how you feel?”
I roll my eyes. “No, I haven’t told her I want to fuck her.”
He laughs. “I think there’s more to it than that.”
“I don’t do long-term.”
He widens his stance, nodding his head. “Right. Well, if that’s the case, stay away from her. She has a kid. She doesn’t do flings.”
I know he’s right, but there’s no way I can stay away from her. It’s like she’s in my blood. I have to have her. Maybe, just maybe I can be up front with her and tell her what I want and get her out of my system. I turn to my brother. “What about you? What’s going on in your love life?”
Automatically his eyes shift across the yard toward Chrissy. “I don’t have one.”
I look between him and my sister. “What—”
But before I can even finish my question, his phone starts ringing, and I remember that it's his emergency ringtone.
Gabe looks at his phone. “There’s a fire. I gotta go.” He looks out at our family, and they’ve all stopped what they’re doing and are now looking anxiously at him. We all worry when he gets a fire call. “See you guys later. Keep working, Cole! You’re a natural, and if you keep it up, you’ll be following this guy into the big leagues.”
He gives a longing look at Chrissy and then is headed out the door. All of us are quiet, and I’m sure we’re each saying our own prayers for his safety.
They are just getting back into the game when Cat walks out in cut-off shorts and a tank top, holding a pink glove.
“Pink?” I ask her.
She smiles up at me. “It’s cute, right?”
Before I can tell her she’s the one that’s cute, Cole hollers for her to join them.
For the first time, I’m glad I have to sit out because I can stay here and watch Cat. There’s something about the way she smiles and laughs. She gives a hundred percent, and when she dives for a ball and misses, she gets right up and chases after it. My family is totally rooting for her, and she's won them all over in no time.
It’s crazy because if she was anyone else, I would be trying to figure out how to get her out of here. But with Cat, I’m wondering how long I can keep her and Cole here. It doesn’t make sense to me, but I will not question it. I’m just going to enjoy it while I can.
12
CATHERINE
I can’t sleep because I can’t stop replaying the night in my head. I should probably figure out what I’m going to do about Jeremy—I can’t keep seeing him—but that’s not what is on the forefront of my mind. Nope, all I’m thinking about is how wonderful it was hanging out with my son, Holden, and his family.
At one point, I sat back while everyone was playing the game and just soaked it all in. This is what I hoped for my son to have. This is the kind of family nights I wish he had. Everyone was laughing, having fun, joking around with each other. The night was perfect.
I walk into the kitchen and turn on the low light, trying to be quiet. Holden and Cole are asleep, and I don’t want to wake them up just because I can’t sleep.
I pull open the fridge and grab a bottle of water. When I shut the door, I jump and let out a squeal after seeing Holden standing behind the once open door.
“You okay?”
With my hand to my chest, I try to calm my breathing. “Yeah, I’m fine. You scared me.”
He walks across the kitchen, putting the island between us. “Sorry. I couldn’t sleep.”
“Me either… why couldn’t you sleep?”
He puts his hand to his shoulder and grimaces. He’ll never admit it out loud, so I shake my head. “You’re hurting, aren’t you?”
He grunts and lifts his shoulders in a shrug.
“Really? Answer me, Holden, instead of grunting and groaning.”
When he remains silent, I ask, “Did you throw the ball tonight in the game with your family?”
“I did not throw the ball,” he assures me.
He’s hiding something, though. He was standing with Chrissy when I got here, but maybe he played before then. “What did you do, Holden?”