Page 52 of Batter Up!

I pulled her close to me and hugged her tightly. Soon, Ivan stood up and hugged her from the other side. Cooper and Hayden joined in on the hug, too.

“Gracias,” Ivan said with tears in his eyes. “No one ever do this for me.”

“You’re welcome,” Molly said with tears in her own eyes now.

“Are you going to be able to pitch tonight?” I asked Ivan, and he gave a watery laugh.

“Yes. Maybe then five days off until the next start.”

“That is so awesome,” Hayden said. “I hope Mack lets you go.”

“We can go with you,” Cooper offered. “We can help explain everything.”

Ivan smiled and nodded, “Please come.”

Molly gave Ivan one more big hug. “I can’t wait to hear what he says. I hope after your win tonight, we can all take you to the airport.”

According to psychologists, childhood crushes are a normal part of our social and cognitive development, where children start to understand their emotions and learn how to process love and attraction.

I stretched out in my bed and felt a warm body next to me. I squealed and wrapped my arms around his muscular body. “Tyler!”

“It’s too early,” he mumbled sleepily against my hair. “But, hi, baby. How are you?”

“What time did you get in?” I asked while I leaned over and kissed his shoulder, then his jaw, and finally, his lips.

“We got in about 11:30 last night,” he said in between kisses. “I missed you.”

“I missed you, too. Oh, how I love waking up next to you.”

He had been on a four day road trip, and even though we talked and texted all the time, I missed him like crazy.

“Cruz sent me some new baby pictures.”

“Oh! Oh! I have to see them! Where is your phone?” I asked and reached over his body to grab his phone off the side table.

“Woman, it’s too early for this!” he said with a laugh and swatted my butt.

Ivan had won the game he pitched five days earlier, and his coaches let him have a week of paternity leave. He had not made it in time to see his daughter’s birth, but he was there for Camila, and she was so appreciative of everyone in the community. Valentina Molly Cruz had weighed seven pounds even and was perfect in every way. I still couldn’t believe they gave her my name as her middle name, but I felt honored and hadn’t expected that.

“Oh my gosh!” I squealed as I saw the newest picture Ivan sent Tyler of him in a chair with a beautiful baby girl sleeping on his chest. He had the biggest smile on his face. “Why didn’t you send me this one?”

“He sent them after you went to bed last night.” Tyler said and pulled me down on his chest. “Do you have to get up now? Can’t you just call in sick and stay in bed with me all day?”

“I wish. I can spend a little longer with you, though,” I said and snuggled into him with my head under his chin. He wrapped his arms around me and held me tight. “Things are even busier now that Lilly is doing more social media posts for us. I’m glad I hired Cash, but I might still have to hire someone else, too.”

“A growing business is a great sign of success!” Tyler said. “I’m proud of you, baby.”

“Thanks,” I said with a smile and kissed his jaw. “I’m actually thinking about promoting Penelope to manager.”

“She would be great. Then, you could come to more of my games!”

I had to laugh, “How did the game go yesterday?”

“Like you don’t know,” he said with a chuckle. “I love that you bought the package to listen to the games on your phone.”

“Well, maybe I was busy and missed it.”

“Where is my girlfriend, and what did you do with her?” Tyler asked as he tickled my side.

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