Page 56 of Small Town Frenzy
Cricket wraps her arms around me and kisses my head. “It’s okay.” She laughs gently. “I felt the same. It’samazing and shocking all at once.” When I lift to look at her, she says, “And the best thing that ever happened to me.”
My chest is so tight, the hold this kid already has on my heart feels immeasurable. How is that possible when I don’t even know if he’ll like me. “What if he doesn’t want me in his life?”
Her smile is soft at the corners, but there’s a confidence in her eyes. “Jacob’s going to love you so much. What’s not to love about a dad who plays your favorite sport?”
I want to chuckle, but she’s probably not that far off. “I can get this kid to the majors.”
“We’ll focus on kindergarten first.” She gives me a wink. It’s playful in nature but comforts me in a way she’s not even aware. The tightness in my chest loosens under her gaze and the warmth of her proximity.
“Kindergarten? That’s a year late to be starting Little League.” He had a solid grip on that hobby horse. All he needs to do is turn it sideways, and he’ll be hitting homers in no time. Well, in about fifteen years. Twelve if we work on it. “I’m starting him on T-ball as soon as possible. When’s his birthday?”
She slow blinks at me, already knowing I’m up to no good. “His birthday is May third.”
“Perfect. He’ll be four before the Little League deadline at the end of August.”
“Oh lordy.” She rolls her eyes and plops in a chair in front of me. “I think you should meet him first.”
I sit on the edge of the couch closest to her. Reaching forward, I cover her knee with my hand. Her skin is as warm as her gaze when she looks at me. There’s no fear and no anger. All I see are her beautiful greens with trust lying inside. “I want to tell you something.”
“Okay,” she says with a hint of nerves in her voice. “What is it?”
“I think you’re amazing.” Her smile returns, and even a glimpse of what I would have typically considered charmed, but I know that doesn’t fit. I’m just not sure how to read her eyes when they look a lot like they did last night at Whiskey’s.
She covers my hand with hers. “Why is that?”
“The gravity of what you’ve done, raising our son and keeping him safe.” I smirk, though I try not to be an asshole about it. “Teaching him baseball. Thank you.” Tears swarm in the inside corners of her eyes, and this time, she drops her head down as if she’s too shy to cry in front of me. Moving in, I kneel in front of her and take this incredible woman in my arms. “I wish I could have been there, but since I couldn’t, I’m glad he has you as a mom.”
As a sob racks her body, I take her into my arms to hold her, console her, or whatever she needs from me. Her tears fall against my neck while I rub her back. Kissing the side of her head doesn’t stop her emotions from coming, but when she leans against me, I know it was the right thing to do. I lift her into my arms and situate her on my lap. Her long hair flows over my shoulder and down the other side of her face. Tucking the strands behind her ear, I get to see this stunning woman I’m in total awe of.
As if she could be more beautiful, her eyes are as captivating as she is. I lean down and kiss her on the cheek. “I have to tell you something, Griffin.”
Those simple words shouldn’t cause my heart to stop like they did, but they do. Her lashes are wet from crying, her lips licked as she stares up at me. She slowly pushes up and angles to fully face me, making me think I need to brace for bad news.
“I didn’t,” she says, her voice low as she looks nervously at me. “I didn’t teach him baseball.”
“What?”
“He inherited his interest in it.” She steals a kiss, then leans back again with the sweetest smile on her face. God, it’s good to see. “And he’s oddly good for a three-year-old whose mom never played the sport a day in her life.”
She didn’t have to say anything to make me feel better about the downsides of this situation. And sure, him showing a natural inclination toward baseball doesn’t make up for me missing his birth.But it sure as fuck gets close.
I burst into a chuckle that feels a lot like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. “That’s okay,” I say, running my hand over her shoulder and higher to her neck just to settle on the delicate curve of it. “He’s got his mom’s vocal range. Did you hear how loud he was when she was carrying him away?”
She whacks my arm, but it’s all in good fun. “You’re the worst, you know that, Greene?”Greene. Hearing her call me that through feist and fun has me realizing we’re getting back on track the way we should be. It was a quick detour on a bumpy side road, but we’re going to make it through this together.
Cricket tries to get up, but I hold her right where she is. “Come on, Little Chirp, don’t be mad. I’m just playing.” I lean in to kiss her just below the ear, but then whisper, “Kind of.” She punches my arm harder this time, still holding back like she could actually hurt me. I bring her back onto my chest until she’s fully trapped in my arms. She wriggles but gives up the fight a little too easily. I think she likes where she’s at. I sure do. “He also has your fight. And that’s something you should be proud of.”
Her smile gives her away. “Those Greene genes aremighty strong, though.” Leaning down to kiss me, she brushes her lips against mine, and says, “What a lucky kid.” Our lips press together as if waiting even a second longer was too hard to bear. It was for me. This time when she sits up on my lap, she runs the tips of her fingers along my temple, then lower over my cheek. “Do you want to go to the park to meet him?”
I answer straight from the heart. “Yes.”
CHAPTER 24
Griffin
Cricket shiftsher BMW into Park and looks over at me. “Are you ready?”
She felt it would be less of a production if Jacob saw her vehicle with the “naked man” in it, versus her arriving in my truck.Too much new all at once.Watching her maneuver through this situation has left me in awe of how her mind works. She covers all the bases with him at the forefront of her motives, selflessly putting herself at the back of the list of priorities. Everything said back at the house was with the best for him in mind.
