Page 2 of Sliding into Home

With one more bobbled attempt at bat, the game was done.

As the kids filed in from the field, Jeff held up his hand, and each player slapped it for a high-five. “Good job today, everybody. Grab all your gear. You’re responsible for your own stuff, so make sure you bring it with you. If I have to bring it in, it’s mine.”

A high-pitched squeal sounded from his right. He turned, not sure what he was going to find. With this crew, it could be anything from a nosebleed to a butterfly. Max stood on the bench, waving vigorously at someone across the field. He looked in that direction and saw the woman he’d been admiring earlier waving back.

It figures my favorite kid has a hot mom.

Max ran up to him. “Smitty! Smitty! You gotta meet my mom.”

His muscles tensed, and his pulse raced a little faster at the prospect of getting a better look at the woman. “Sure, kid.” He adjusted his hat on his head. “Just let me make sure no one left anything behind.”

Jeff walked with Max toward the dugout. The kid scooped a glove off the ground. “Annie left her glove. Can I have it?” Max looked up at him wide-eyed.

“No, it’s Annie’s,” Jeff answered.

“But you said anything that gets left is yours, and—” He grinned and slid the glove on his hand. “It’s not gonna fit you, so….”

“Nice try, kid.” Jeff held out his hand for the glove. With a dramatic sigh, Max dropped the mitt onto Jeff’s palm.

“That looks like the only thing left behind today. You guys are getting better.” Jeff looked at Max and the boy beamed back at him with a grin. His missing front teeth made him look like he was at hockey camp instead of baseball.

Max grabbed his hand. “Come on. You gotta meet my mom.”

“I’m coming.” Max tugged Jeff’s hand, trying to drag him down the field as fast as he could. Jeff resisted. There was no way he was jogging across the field to meet a woman. Not even one as sexy as Max’s mom. He could maintain some kind of dignity.

“Mom!” Max yelled as they got closer to the woman. He dropped Jeff’s hand and ran toward her. The second he got close to his mom his feet left the ground and he leaped at her. The woman caught him in midair like a seasoned pro. The move was so practiced and easy it was clear they’d done it a thousand times.

Not taking his eyes off the pair, he smiled. Not many kids in the program seemed to have this kind of relationship with their parents. It was nice to see. Reminded him of his family.

“Mom, Mom, this is Smitty.”

The woman turned her attention toward him. With her big black sunglasses on, he couldn’t see her eyes, but her mouth gaped as soon as she looked at him. “Jeff?” she whispered.

“Yeah?”What the hell?How did she know his first name? Most of the players, including the kids, called him ‘Smitty.’

“No, Mom, this is Smitty.”

“I heard you, baby.” She set her son on the ground and then stared to her right for several seconds. Finally, she stood tall, and flipped her dark sunglasses up on her head and stared right into Jeff’s eyes.

“Saskia?” Jeff’s heart raced.What was she doing here?

“Yep.” She gave him a tight smile.

“Shit.” He winced when the cuss word slipped out. “I mean, wow! Small world.” What were the odds a woman he’d slept with years ago in Tucson would show up here, in San Diego, at an inner-city youth program?

“No kidding,” she said. “So, you’re the infamous Smitty I keep hearing about?” She fidgeted from one foot to the other.

“Apparently.”Why did she look so uncomfortable?It’s not like he was going to tell her kid he’d had a one-night stand with his mom before he was even born. Trying to reassure her, he smiled.

“Wow, Jeff, um…ugh.”

Max’s face scrunched up as his gaze darted between Saskia and Jeff. “Mom, why do you keep calling him Jeff?”

“Ugh…um…” she stammered.

Jeff decided to help as best he could. “Your mom and I knew each other years ago.” That didn’t sound so bad, saying they’d known each other.

“You did?” Max’s hazel eyes widened, then he turned to his mom. “Why didn’t you say you knew Smitty?”

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