Page 13 of Whatever Will Be

“Yeah?”

“As fucked up as the circumstances are, it is damn good to see you again.”

“Good to see you too. I guess you’ll be sticking around?”

His expression becomes uncertain. “I don’t know. Spring training starts next month.”

The life of a minor league ball player hoping to get another crack at the majors isn’t really one that’s set up to be the guardian of two little girls.

It’s not like I can really help with that so I say nothing.

The crowd inside the house has thinned out considerably and I’m glad. I’d rather not have an encounter with some girl who sucked my dick in eleventh grade or a guy I kicked the shit out of in the high school cafeteria. I’m not planning to be especially social while I’m living here and I don’t even know how long that will be.

I’ve got a score to settle and I’m not leaving until I get my pound of flesh.

And if word reaches that son of a bitch that I’m in town, let him sweat out the reason why until I’m ready to share.

A short whirlwind in dark blue satin zips this way from out of nowhere.

“Uncle Danny! Trentcassini found you.”

At first I don’t know if the little girl in front of me is Mara or Caitlin but then I remember being told that one of them has shorter hair.

“I sure did, Caitlin.”

She flashes the tiniest of pleased smiles and then pulls at her uncle’s hand. “Where have you been, Uncle Danny? Gramma was looking for you when she said goodbye.”

Danny frowns. “Your grandmother left already?”

“She said she had a headache. Aunt Gretchen got real mad at her.”

“And where is Aunt Gretchen?”

While he’s in the middle of asking the question, his sister appears on the far side of the room. I’m still not used to the fact that Gretchen Aaronson has evolved into such a beauty. If possible, she’s more stunning than she was half an hour ago. Gretchen doesn’t seem to notice me at all. She’s staring at her brother. Mara holds her hand while drinking out of a cardboard juice box.

Danny and Gretchen are eyeing each other like two wary opponents who are waiting to hear what the rules of the ring will be.

Well, I won’t be the one making the rules.

But with Jules in mind, I think I can manage to do a small good deed right now.

“You know something? I didn’t get to finish watching Frozen,” I say to Caitlin. “I was wondering how it ends.”

She forgets her sadness for a minute and her face lights up. She drops her uncle’s hand and reaches for mine. “We can watch it right now!”

Mara overhears and hands her juice box over to Gretchen so she can help drag me back to the den. “We’re gonna watch Frozen with Trentcassini.”

“You both can just call me Trent,” I tell them. I doubt they are listening, but I pass within inches of Gretchen. Our eyes meet and hers are full of grudging appreciation.

“Thank you,” she murmurs.

And the strangest thought flies through my head.

Right now I’d do just about anything to earn a smile from her.

3

Gretchen

---