Page 73 of Stepping Up to the Plate

“Tell me you can do it, Lola.”

“I can do it.”

“Good girl,” I praise. With two fingers massaging her tight walls, the heel of my palm grinds into her clit. I can tell she’s getting close as she leans harder into me and pushes herself onto my hand.

“There you go. Ride my hand, baby. Make yourself come in this dark corner with me. Make yourself come and I’ll show you how proud I am of you when we get home.”

I shush her when she moans a little too loud. I love seeing her like this but I’ll be damned if I’m going to let anyone else. “Shhh, you gotta be quiet. The music is loud but you still have to keep it down. Can you do that?” She nods.

“They’re at the bridge, baby. You’ve only got a minute left. You can do it. Come on my hand.” I quicken the motion of my fingers and suck her earlobe into my mouth as her pussy clenches and body shakes from the force of her orgasm.

“That’s it. You’re doing so good. Coming on my fingers as I asked you to, Lola. That’s my fucking girl.” I gently stroke her through the aftershocks and right her panties as the song ends. When I slip my fingers out of her, she blinks up at me with glassy eyes. I bring my fingers to my mouth and suck them clean. The lust radiating off her is palpable. My expression offers her silent promises of much more to come when we get home.

ChapterThirty-Five

• LOLA •

September

While the boys are out of town, Carina and I grab dinner at our favorite Mexican restaurant. We’ll be joined by Raven, a girl I was friends with in high school. She attended college in Nashville and stayed, making a name for herself as an interior designer. Unfortunately, she got caught in traffic. While waiting for her to arrive, we enjoy chips and queso with our margs.

“How was your first summer of programming?” I ask Carina. “I’ve barely seen you the last few weeks.”

“I think that has more to do with a certain baseball hottie hogging all your time than me being busy, but it was awesome. With classes back in session, our after-school program is in the full swing. I am happy with how everything is running.”

“That’s amazing!” I praise. “And you’re one to talk about baseball hotties monopolizing time. If Robby isn’t on the field, he’s practically glued to your side. I would have thought marriage would have mellowed him out, but it only made him worse.”

She laughs. “I think he hates that we didn’t get a proper honeymoon. I don’t regret getting married during the All-Star break, but it would have been easier to do it after the season concluded.Someonedidn’t want to wait any longer than he had to, though.”

“Who can blame him? He didn’t lock you down the first time. He wasn’t going to make that same mistake twice.”

“Perhaps,” she acknowledges. “Aside from spending time with Tiff and Miller, what have you been up to lately? I loved your post about goat yoga! I’m making Robby take me as soon as the season ends. Kent is of course tagging along.”

“It was beyond fun. You’re going to love it. Robby and Kent will, too. Brady said something about a DIY charcuterie class, too. We need to sign up for it.”

“That sounds incredible,” she gasps, immediately grabbing her phone to research it.

As I take a sip of my margarita, my phone dings. Thinking it is Raven with an update, I open up my texts. Instead of a message from my long-lost friend, it’s from my mom. The chips I’ve eaten turn to lead in my stomach. My face must give me away because Carina is immediately alert.

“What’s wrong?” she asks. “Is it Raven? Miller? Your Dad?”

“It’s-it’s my mom.”

“Oh my God, your mom died?! I’m sorry.”

“What?” I ask, confused. “No, she didn’t die. She texted me.”

“Oh… That’s good? That she’s alive, I mean. Judging by your face it’s not good that she texted you, though. To be honest, I don’t remember much about her. When was the last time you talked to her?”

“I wouldn’t say it is good or bad, it’s… weird. I haven’t heard from her since I invited her to my college graduation and she didn’t show,” I confess.

I haven’t heard from my mom in over six years. She left my dad over twenty years ago to move in with some guy she met online. She hasn’t played an active role in my life since, only coming around when she was trying to convince a new boyfriend she was an upstanding citizen. The last time I saw her in person I was fifteen and she showed up high asking my dad for money. He cut her out of our lives for good after that.

Her foray into drugs was the typical story – pain meds after a surgery that spiraled out of control. Then one of her boyfriends got her hooked on heroin. She went into a downward spiral and has been jumping from guy to guy, dealer to dealer ever since. I don’t even know where she lives.

Even though she missed my high school graduation, Phil convinced me to invite her to my college ceremony. I think he was embarrassed that I had such little family. To no one’s shock but his, Mom didn’t show or even send a response. I have no idea what she could want now, all these years later.

There was a time I was desperate for my mother’s involvement in my life. Hell, even last year I would have been bursting with emotion that she wanted to connect with me again. My Nonna and Aunt Teresa were amazing role models, but no one can replace your mom – even when leaving was her choice to leave. Now, however, I am apprehensive. I don't know how she even got my number since I got a new one after my wedding.

---