Page 41 of Batter Up!

I wanted to find out more about these memories, but I was interrupted.

“Excuse me, friend,” the guy who had been trying to ask Molly out said with a glare at me. He scooted the boxes away and leaned his elbows down on the countertop and looked right at my Molly. “I’m sorry this jerk is being rude. I could take you to a fancy restaurant for lunch if you want.”

“You should go with him, Molls,” I found myself saying. “My boys and I can help Pen watch the bakery.”

“I… what?” Molly asked, and her eyes darted from me to the douchebag in front of her. “I… but you brought pizza.” She ran her fingers through her long, beautiful hair and pulled at it. I inwardly gloated that she had the same nervous tell as my brothers and me. She really was the perfect girl for me.

“The rest of us can eat the pizza.”

“Dude, what the fuck are you doing?” Cooper hissed in my ear.

“Yeah, what my new friend said,” the absolute zero with no chance said excitedly. “We should definitely go out!”

“You know what, I’m glad you said that, friend,” I said and put my arm around his shoulders. “Because if you’re going to go out with Molly here, we’re going to be getting real close. For at least the next eighteen years.”

I saw the minute realization dawned in her beautiful, blue-green eyes and a sheepish smile formed on her lips. I watched as she bit down on her bottom lip, probably to keep from laughing or saying something to ruin this momentous occasion.

“What do you mean?” the pansy asked as he tried to step out of my embrace.

“Well, Molly here is pregnant with my baby, and I may have been an asshole at first,” I turned my head and made sure to lock eyes with Molly, so she knew I was talking to her. “But I am going to be in their lives and heavily involved. I’m going to be the best dad ever.”

“Pregnant?” he croaked out. “You’re pregnant with his baby?”

Molly nodded, looked right at him, and confirmed, “Yes. Yes I am.”

“Oh, uh, well…uh…you know what,” he looked around. His friends shrugged and were no help to him. He looked around the cafe for what, I’m not sure. “I think I have plans…I, uh, forgot…I, uh, have a date already with Kinley over there.” He glanced over at a table filled with young, college-aged girls. They were watching this whole scene unfold, and with the mention of one of their names, they all burst into giggles and began swatting at a blonde at the end of their table.

I watched as he walked away and looked down at Molly’s sweet face. “Sorry if I ruined that for you. If you want to go out with him, I can apologize.”

Molly just shook her head and laughed, “And waste all your efforts from today?”

I had to laugh and tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear, “We can’t let that happen.”

“I guess all guys have an adverse reaction to hearing a girl is pregnant.”

“Hey! Not all guys assholes,” Ivan said with a laugh.

Molly smiled at my friend and nodded, “Are you a dad, Cruz?”

I loved that she was a big enough baseball fan that she knew my teammates names and seemed to know some things about them.

Ivan nodded, “Soon. I very happy to have baby girl.” He pulled out the most recent picture of Camila on his phone to show her.

“She’s beautiful!” Molly said. “Congratulations.”

“Gracias,” Ivan said and stepped away so that I could talk to my girl.

“I’m excited, too,” I confirmed. “I was just shocked, and I’m so sorry, baby.”

“I know you are,” Molly said as she smiled up at me. She began walking around the counter towards me. She wrapped her arms around my waist and put her head on my chest. Even with her being so short, it still seemed like she fit perfectly in my arms.

“You know, I had more ‘get to know you’ questions planned,” I admitted as I wrapped my own arms around her and pulled her even closer to me.

“Well, maybe if we go on a date, you could ask me more,” she said almost shyly. God, she was cute.

“Molly Green, are you asking me on a date?” I asked with a little flair of dramatics.

“I think I am,” she replied and looked up into my eyes. “Tyler Stone, will you go on a date with me?”

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