Page 49 of Tame the Player

Cole is biting his lip, but he nods his head. “Okay.”

I put my arm around my son’s shoulder. “Bye, Holden. Thank you for… everything.”

He crosses his arms over his chest. “I’ll talk to you soon.”

As Cole and I walk away, Holden’s family is watching us. I hold my hand up and wave at them as we go in the opposite direction. I should go talk to them, but I don’t have the strength to do it. No, it’s for the best to get a clean cut and just end it.

Neither Cole and I say a word the whole walk to the car. It’s not until we’re crossing the city limits into Whiskey Run that Cole asks, “You okay, Mom?”

It takes everything in me, but I force a happy tone. “Of course. You doing okay?”

Instead of answering, he looks out the window.

I reach over and elbow him lightly. “Hey, buddy, you okay?”

He shrugs, still not looking at me. “I just thought…”

His voice trails off, and I grip the steering wheel a little tighter. “You thought what?”

He shakes his head. “Nothing. Do you think we’ll ever see Holden again, Mom?”

“Yeah, honey. He’s got a lot going on right now, but we live in the same town. I’m sure we’ll see him sometime.”

It’s clear my answer doesn’t make him any happier. I’m kicking myself for getting him into this, but who would have thought this would happen? I wouldn’t have thought Cole would get so attached so quickly. And who would have thought that I’d fall in love with my patient? Sure as hell not me.

27

HOLDEN

I know she’s not here, but I keep looking in the stands for her, and every time I don’t see her big blue eyes and long blond hair, I get more upset about the whole situation. She’s scared. I know she is, and somehow I have to prove to her that I’m along for the whole ride. I don’t plan on abandoning her or her son.

We’re up to bat, and I’m standing on third. If Carter can hit the ball on the ground somewhere, I can make it home and tie it up. I have a big lead, and I’m hoping for a passed ball, a hit, a homerun or anything. With two outs, I’m running on anything.

Carter hits the ball, and I take off running tohome plate as fast as I can. The ball goes straight to the pitcher, and he catches it, getting Carter out.

I stop running and shake my head. If we’d won, it would have been over. We would have ended the season as champions, but in a series of best two out of three, we now have to play again tomorrow.

I look up in the stands where my brother was minutes ago, and see he’s already gone. It felt good being back last night, but now I realize that a lot of it was knowing Cat and Cole were in the stands. Today was different.

When I make it back to my locker, I grab my phone to call my brother. “Gabe, what’s up? I saw you up in the stands, you still here?”

“No man, sorry. I didn’t stick around. I’ll be at the game tomorrow. We’re all coming.”

“Sounds good, man. Thanks for coming.”

There’s a car horn and then Gabe keeps talking. “Yeah, I would have stuck around, but I’m trying to make it to Cole’s game. King said the umpires were late getting there, so I should still be able to make it.”

“The game is still playing?”

“Yeah, it’s like top of the fourth. You could still make it if you wanted to.”

“I’ll be there.”

I don’t waste any time with a shower. I put on some deodorant, shorts, and a T-shirt and then go to explain to my coach why I need to go. He gives me shit, but I don’t back down, and within fifteen minutes, I’m on the road back to Whiskey Run. I drive faster than I should, and when I get there, it’s the top of the seventh.

I stand out in the outfield and look for Cole, finding him on first base. Then I look for Cat and see her sitting in the stands next to some man I don’t know and surrounded by my family.

My chest expands a little as I see my family surrounding Cat. They know what her and her son mean to me, and it means a lot to me that they’re here when I couldn’t be.

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