Page 60 of Walk Off

When he saw Jasmine heading toward him, he pulled back. “Jasmine’s coming.” He wanted her to have time to compass herself.

She used both hands to wipe her eyes. “Can you watch her? I’m going to the bathroom.”

He nodded. “Take your time.”

He was a jumbled mess inside. He knew she had feelings for him, but he also knew she was feeling guilty for what she’d done. Having her in his arms only solidified his need for her. He just wasn’t sure if he was pushing her too hard too fast.

While she was gone, he helped Jasmine pick out as many outfits as they could find, along with other items to go with the doll. By the time Celia joined them, he’d paid for everything and was carrying two large bags full of doll accessories while Jasmine carried Juniper.

“Are you ladies ready to get out of here?” he asked happily.

Celia took Jasmine's hand in hers. “Lead the way.”

Those three words were much bigger than she knew. He planned to lead her back to him, and soon, the three of them would be a family. The way it always should have been.

Chapter 16

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Kyle

He’d been back in Arizona for two days and he already hated it.

Not the baseball part or even his teammates. It was the not seeing Celia and Jasmine part that he hated.

How in the hell did guys do this day in and day out when they had families?

Leaving them had been the hardest thing he’d ever done. Jasmine had given him the biggest hug before running off to her room. Celia had explained that she might not understand just how long he was going to be gone. She’d tried saying goodbye without a hug, but he’d nixed that. If he had to be without her for weeks on end, he needed to feel her in his arms one last time.

That had been just two days ago and he was miserable without them. It didn't matter that he’d talked to them both twice since that day.

The locker room was packed with his teammates for the first official day of spring training, and like the rest of them, he was gearing up at his assigned locker.

“You sort of ghosted me the last week,” his best friend, Shawn, said from his seat on the bench next to him.

He and Shawn were pulled up from the minors at the same time. He’d been around through all of Kyle’s ups and downs over Celia, and he knew the whole story.

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