Page 48 of Love in the Outfield

“Sure,” I say glad to be doing something to distract me. So, this is what pure temptation looks like. Oh, he’s good all right, I’ll give him that. He knows good and well what he’s doing. He’s adorable in his apron, looking like he’s cooking from scratch when all he has to do is open a jar. Flying in Maine lobster just for me, being all silly, juggling lemons to put me at ease. Danger danger! Red flags all over the place. I suddenly feel panicked and almost drop the salads I’m pulling out.Girl, you are not in a romance novel and don’t you forget it!You’re not going to swoon just because he’s opening a jar of sauce and a package of pasta!

I scurry to the terrace and open that dang wine faster than you can shake a stick and pour myself a full glass. I take a big sip of the chilled Chardonnay. Yummy. Nice and bright with hints of citrus and fruit. I let the fresh air and wine do its thing and begin to relax as Kelsea Ballerini sings, “Cowboys Cry Too.”

22

CADE

Ibalance the weight of two steaming bowls of pasta in the crook of one arm and carry a generous block of Asiago cheese in my other hand. The cheese grater is in the pocket of my apron. The aromatic tomato and garlic sauce waft up making my stomach growl. Stepping onto the balcony, I’m caught off guard by her exquisite profile. She’s leaning back holding her glass of wine, slim bare legs crossed, sundress riding up mid-thigh, taking in the vista.

“This is lovely,” she says with a sigh. “Thank you. I feel like I’m on a fancy vacation or something. Feels like most of my life is a whirlwind of work, sleepless nights and diaper changes.” She leans down and sniffs the bowl I place in front of her. I pull out the grater and break off a hunk of cheese. Holding it over her bowl I start grinding.

“Tell me when.”

She looks up at me with a sweet smile. “Keep going.”

“Carpal tunnel could be career-ending,” I tease.

“Quit your fussin’. Okay that should do it.”

“Toss away, I’ll be right back.” I jog inside to grab the lobsters and melted butter. If she can resist this, I’ll be shocked. I set thetwo tails down in the middle of the table and say, “Now the one on the left is the one you didn’t meet. In case you’re wondering.”

“Nice try. I have plenty here with the pasta and salad.”

“More for me,” I say and sit down across from her watching as she pours my wine like a pro. “Do you like bartending and serving tables?”

She tilts her head thinking. “I kind of do, yes.”

“How many men do you have to beat off a night?”

“Only a dozen or so,” she says, repressing a grin that tells me my compliments are landing. She twirls the pasta around her fork and takes a bite.

“This is surprisingly good.”

“Glad you like it. I know my brands.” We eat in silence for a few minutes. I down half my wine in two gulps. Gotta catch up. “How do you like the wine?” I ask.

“It’s excellent. I don’t like a Chard that’s too oaky.”

“Me either.” I hold my glass up for a toast. She touches her glass to mine and I say, “To new beginnings.” Her green eyes flare and I can’t tell if it’s desire or something else. I don’t have to wait long to find out.

She frowns. “New beginnings do sound nice in theory but two years have passed and the day I found out you’d left still feels like it happened yesterday.”

I set down my glass and lean forward willing her to meet my gaze. “You know a part of me never thought I’d get the call. Didn’t think I was good enough. When I did, I lost my shit for a few days. It was something I’d wanted my whole life. I was a stupid kid chasing a dream. I thought I’d have time to figure it all out. The way I handled all of it was selfish. But I swear to God, Georgia, I never wanted to hurt you. You were the best thing that had ever happened to me. Still are.” I can see the hurt in her shimmering green eyes.

She props her elbows on the table and rests her chin on her palms. She meets my gaze and says, “I always knew you had ambitions and baseball came first but I thought what we had was special. I truly believed you loved me as much as I did you and that we’d overcome any obstacles. I was beside myself when you left. But life rolled on and I threw myself into my job, signed up for fall classes and kept busy. But every night when I got into bed there you were again. Six weeks after you disappeared into a world of bright lights and dreams, I found out I was pregnant. I don’t mind tellin’ ya, that shook me to my core.”

Every word is like a stake in my heart. “I wish I could rewind. I did love you. But in all fairness, I wasn’t a mind reader either. I didn’t know your expectations had changed. You never let me completely in. I always felt you held a piece back.”

“But I didn’t. I just never asked for something you couldn’t give.”

“You know I tried calling you, left messages, but I gave up after a couple of weeks because I knew I’d blown it. Baby, if only you’d called me back. You know I would have been there for you.”

“Cade, I couldn’t. You were barely twenty-five. Your entire life ahead of you. You were living your dream. The last thing I wanted was to hold you back. I also didn’t want you to come back out of pity or a sense of duty. No way did I want to trap you. As much as I wanted to blame you, I knew what I was getting into, I’d just fooled myself is all. That wasn’t your fault. You made no promises. I knew I wanted to raise my child even if it was without you.” She shrugs. “Now we share a child. He’s as much your flesh and blood as he is mine and we have so much to figure out. I don’t know where to even start.”

“We’re not the same people we were back then, Georgia. We’ve both been through a lot. Maybe we have a chance to dothings differently this time. Together I mean,” I say earnestly and grasp her hand in mine.

“I swear, you need to come with a danger sticker. Now listen to me, new beginnings don’t mean we pick up where we left off romantically, it means we navigate parenthood together. Got that mister? Now, may I please get back to my pasta?”

I raise my glass. “To be continued. Dig in.” I’m relieved that an upbeat tune comes on, chasing the melancholy away.

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