Page 22 of Love in the Outfield

“Moo.”

“That’s a cow. What does a horse say?”

“Neigh.”

“Good job buddy. What does a pig say?”

“Oink, oink,” he says then giggles.

“He’s a genius!” I laugh as Auggie curiously roots through the bag. “Looky what we have here. A Cutters ball cap,” I say, pulling it out and placing it on top of his head. He swiftly pulls it off, throwing it aside like trash.

“I’m crushed,” I say to Georgia hand on my heart.

She shrugs. “Kids hate to get clothes. Don’t you remember when you were a kid? Didn’t you hate to get practical stuff?”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

“He’ll like it once the excitement wears down.”

I pull out the Little Tikes car, then the carrier truck with cartoonish cars loaded on it and he shrieks with excitement. “Phew, glad I got something right.”

I leave the snacks in the bag so I don’t spoil his lunch and piss off Georgia. Auggie is very interested in the car set so I take it from him and open the package. Seems to be a hit as he excitedly reaches for them as I pull each one out. He’s making engine and honking noises a car in each fist.

“You did good,” Georgia says. I feel a warm glow from her praise.

“How hungry are you?” she asks.

“I’m almost too hyped to eat but I’m sure I’ll manage. Whatcha got?”

“Potato salad, ham sandwiches, and I made a key lime cheesecake last night.”

“You remembered,” I say trying to catch her eye. “Thank you.”

A light blush creeps across her cheeks. With her hair pulled back her high cheekbones and delicate features are accentuated. Loose tendrils have escaped and curl gently around her cheeks and I resist the urge to brush them back. Patches of sunlight break through the leaves catching strands of her hair. She looks so vulnerable that it brings out all my protective instincts.

She lifts a shoulder. “No big deal. It’s all the things Auggie loves. Potato salad and cheesecake are two of his favorites. He’s a good eater. Not too picky, what you’d call an easy keeper in the horse world.”

Her words say one thing, but her blush gives her away. “Glad he shares my favorites,” I say, letting her off the hook.

She looks at me from under her lush lashes. “Mustard mayo, right?”

I appreciate her subtle acknowledgment and nod. She hands me a plate loaded with a Dagwood-sized sandwich, a mound of potato salad and chips piled high. Auggie looks up from his car and eyes my plate then immediately drops his toys. With a look of determination, he crawls over to me and grunts while pointing at my plate. It cracks me up.

“Manners, August. Say please. You can feed him a bite while I fix his plate. Here’s a spoon.”

“Pees.” He opens his mouth and I give him a small bite of my potato salad. He looks at me with sparkling eyes and an impish grin and says, “Num num.”

Oh my God, this kid. Is he the most perfect being on the entire planet, or what?

While we eat lunch, I’m thinking that if someone were to be looking at us from the outside we’d look like a normal happy little family. I wish it were so.

11

GEORGIA

Auggie is crashed out on the blanket and Cade is sprawled out beside him, arms hooked behind his head, lazily watching me. I stretch out my legs and lean back on my elbows, taking in the blue sky dotted with big puffy clouds. Cumulus clouds, if I remember right. Cade is heavy-lidded, looking like he’s ready to join my son in Lala Land.

“Are you gonna nap?” I ask, feeling an unwanted tenderness.

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