Page 6 of Love in the Outfield

I blow out a breath. “How should I approach this then?”

“Find out where Georgia lives and drop by.”

“Without warning?”

“If he’s your kid, my guess is she’ll be expecting you. She’s probably freakin’ out bout now.”

“I suspect you’re right. I have that charity banquet tonight but I’ll get on it first thing tomorrow.”

“I’ll do a search and get Kennedy to help. She loves sleuthing,” he says, referring to my sister-in-law.

“Georgia’s parents used to live on Prairie Road, outside the city. They’re probably still living there. Maybe a good place to start. Let me know if you find out anything.”

“Will do. And relax, it’s all good. In the end, if he’s yours, I think Georgia will see that having a mother and father is best for the kid. If she gives you grief, you have legal rights to rely on. I know one thing for sure, you’ll make a hell of a good dad.”

“You truly think so?” I hear the doubt in my voice.

“My kids are obsessed with Uncle Cade. You’re a natural. Listen, being a dad is the best thing that ever happened to me. Changed my life. It puts all the other bullshit into perspective.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence. Now that the shock is wearing off, I’m kind of stoked at the thought of being a father.” I’ve always wanted a family but thought it was way off in the future. I glance at my watch. “Hey, I gotta go. I’ll call you in the morning. I have to finish shopping and then head over to the gym. Meeting a couple of teammates for some weight training. Home game tomorrow night.”

“I know, that’s all Grayson and Emma have talked about this week. Uncle Cade, blah blah blah.”

“Aww. Guess they’re happy to have me back. You’re coming with Mom and Dad to Friday’s game, right?”

“Dawg, we’re counting on another homer.”

“No pressure,” I say. “I hope my luck continues.”

“Yeah, maybe your energy will rub off on the rest of the offense.”

“Hey, they’re picking up. We all have hitting slumps.”

“But why do they all happen at the same time?”

I laugh. “Biggest mystery, man.”

“Talk to ya later.”

“And Quinn, thanks. It’s good to be home.”

“Keep me posted… and hang in there. There’s a reason you and Georgia were at that store at the exact same time. That’s destiny.”

“A weird coincidence at the very least,” I say.

I stuff my phone back in my pocket and return inside to find my cart parked right where I’d left it.

4

GEORGIA

I’m standing in my black slacks and bra, ironing the white button-down blouse that is the top half of my catering uniform while Mama tends to August. The iron hisses as I press the steamer and slide the hot iron across the stiff cotton fabric. Mom just finished twistin’ my hair into a fancy French braid and is now sprawled out on my bed, chin propped on her fists, watching me.

“I like that shade of red on you,” she says. “I swear, whatever ding-a-ling said redheads can’t wear red lipstick should be taken out to the woodshed.” Mama had insisted I put on some cherry red lipstick and I have to admit I like it.

My mama is a beauty. Her name is Loretta Abilene Anderson. She was an Alden before she hitched up with Doyle, my stepdaddy. My grammy and papaw moved from Tennessee up to Kentucky when Mama was a toddler and made a life here. Doesn’t get much more southern than that. I got my red hair and green eyes from her. Grammy says all the boys were after her from the time she hit puberty. She’s smart as a whip too. She could have done anything she put her mind to and chose to bless the women of Jefferson County with a degree in cosmetology.

She’s been doing hair since she was nineteen and loves all the girlie stuff. Don’t get me wrong, she can shoot the center of a bullseye dead on, but her default is a flawless brow and a pop of lipstick. Truth be told, it rubbed off. I don’t mind it none either. She loves to brag about how she worked right up until her water broke with me while giving a customer a perm. Almost had me right there and then in the salon. Thankfully they loaded us up in Sally’s old pickup and made it to the hospital in the nick of time.

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