Page 78 of The Art Of Starting Over

Devorah nodded and leaned into his arm as it extended over her chair. She squeezed his hand again.

Hayden leaned over and pulled Devy’s sunglasses down a bit. “You owe me.”

“Oh God. Did I puke on you last night?”

He smiled as her eyes widened. “No, I’m only teasing.”

“I’ll make it up to you,” she told him.

“Oh yeah? How?”

“Dinner, or I’ll wash your truck.”

“Dinner it is.”

Crow and Colt, along with Lee and Darcy, joined them right before the game started. The six of them cheered until their throats went raw. Each time Conor or Maren came up to the plate to bat, Hayden and Devy went quiet. With every pitch and every swing, Devy would grip Hayden’s arm, while his heart did somersaults.

When the last out was called, the six of them cheered wildly, along with the other parents and grandparents. Oyster Bay had won the game.

Maren and Conor ran toward them, laughing.

“Mom, did you see my hit?” Maren asked.

“I did! It went so far. You ran really fast,” Devy said.

“Did you see my hit?” Conor asked.

Hayden held his hand up for a high five. “Great hit, bud. You ready to go fishing?”

“You’re going fishing?” Devy asked as she looked at Hayden, then at her dad, both nodding. “Oh.”

“We won’t be gone long. Home by dinner,” Crow said.

“Well, it looks like it’s just us,” Devy said to Maren. “These guys are going to go catch dinner.”

Maren’s face scrunched. “Fish is gross.”

“Corn dogs for you then.”

“Can I have corn dogs?” Conor asked.

Devy looked at Hayden and laughed. “We still need to go to Hank’s Fish Fry!”

“Next weekend, for sure!”

“Maren and I will go to the store and grab a few things for dinner. Darcy, would you like to join us?”

Hayden’s eyes widened in surprise as he stared from Dev to his mom.

“I’d be honored. I’ve wanted to spend some time getting to know your daughter.” Darcy came over and put her hand on Maren’s shoulder. “Come on, we’ll use Grandpa Lee’s credit card and buy up the entire store. Tell me, Maren,” Darcy said as they started walking. “Do you like chocolate chip cookies?”

“I love them.”

“Me too!”

The men stood there and watched as the women left them at the park. Lee sighed, shook his head, and looked at the others. “Happy wife, happy life. Now come on—the boat is gassed up, and I’m ready to drop a line or two.”

Twenty-One

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