For the Game (19 page)

“We’ve both been through a lot.”

“It’s a good thing we have each other,” I pointed out. “Together we’re stronger, baby.”

She nodded. “Yeah, we are.”

“I love you so much.”  Dropping her hands, I cupped her face with my palms and drew her face forward. Then I covered her mouth with mine, sealing my words with a kiss.

I knew what I had to do, but I’d been avoiding it all weekend. London and I hardly left her hotel room. I didn’t want to leave her side, not for one minute. The two days went by too fast as it was, but when she left I felt lighter than I had before. Soon she’d be with me for good. I only had to get through the rest of the school year. Then we’d have all summer together, and when I returned here in the fall I’d be bringing her with me. It seemed too good to be true.

But now that she was gone, it was time to face what I’d done.

It was time to talk to Ace.

When I arrived at his dorm, I wondered if this was a huge mistake. I’d found out his room number from Parker. He offered to come with me, but I told him this was something I had to do on my own. London reminded me of something over the weekend. She reminded me that I was strong and capable, nothing like the wuss I’d been behaving like since I’d arrived here. The Cooper in high school would never let some douchebag push him around all year. And I was done with that starting today.

When Ace answered, I almost lost my nerve, but forced myself to stand tall. No way was I going to cower any longer.

“What do you want?” Ace bellowed, but I noticed it lacked its usual luster. The bruise on his jaw was pretty dark, all purple with pink spots. I got him good.

“I wanted to talk to you about Friday night.”

“Oh, yeah?” He crossed his arms over his chest. “What do you want? A rematch?’

I shook my head. “I want to make a truce.”

“A truce, huh? And why should I do that for you?”

“Because I know you don’t want Coach to find out about our fight any more than I do.”

I saw the flicker in his eyes and knew he’d agree. Parker finally told me Ace’s big secret. Apparently he’d gotten into a fight with one of the new pitchers last year. Ace beat him up pretty bad, and the guy ended up transferring out. Coach had threatened to kick Ace off the team, but ultimately let him stay. No one really knew why, although there was a lot of speculation. At the end of the day, most of the team just figured it was because Ace was a better player than the other guy and Coach needed him. I’d seen Ace play. He wasn’t bad, so I could see why everyone thought that. However, Coach put him on a pretty short leash. If he found out Ace had fought again, Parker was sure he’d get kicked off the team this time.

“Fine. I’ll keep my mouth shut if you do,” Ace said, and I marveled at the fact that this was the first civil conversation we’d had.

“Deal.” I stuck out my hand.

Ace shook his head, but didn’t shake my hand. “We don’t need to shake on it. I gave my word. That’s all you need, Mini.”

I cringed. “And can we lose the nickname?”

“Not a chance. I’ll agree to keep the fight on the DL, but that’s it. I’m not doing you any more favors.” He smirked. “See ya round, Mini-Coop.” And with that he slammed the door in my face.

Well, that went better than I thought it would.

London

Cooper looked so hot standing on the mound in his Fallbrook Falcons uniform. It was the first game I’d attended, and the excitement that filled the air was contagious. Cooper’s grandparents sat on one side of me, my dad on the other. All of us sat forward watching with rapt attention. Ever since his first game of the season Cooper had progressively gotten better. Even though I hadn’t made a game, I watched the scores online religiously. Besides, Cooper and I spoke after every game and he recapped everything for me.

It was clear that the weekend I surprised him had changed things. Cooper had been different. More open, more confident, more like himself. I felt like things had come full circle for us.

The batter swaggered to home plate, and Cooper got in position. I loved the expression Cooper got right before a pitch. The intensity in his eyes made me feel like I was burning from the inside out. It was similar to the way he looked at me right before a kiss. Only this was more dangerous, more fierce. Honestly, it was freaking hot.

When he released the pitch it shot to the batter. He swung, missing it. The crowd around me erupted in cheers. But no one cheered louder than me. Two more pitches and that batter was out. I pumped my fist and hollered along with everyone else.

Cooper’s gaze flickered to me momentarily, and I saw the hint of a smile on his face. It was weird to be so connected to someone that you detected even the slightest shift in their expression. I never thought I’d have this with someone, and often it felt surreal.

It was the ninth inning and Cooper only had to strike out one more batter. I held my breath as the batter approached the plate. Even though Cooper was on fire today and I had no doubt he’d strike this guy out, adrenaline surged through me.

I heard the guys in the dugout shouting out encouraging words to Cooper, but I noticed his eyes were on the catcher. He and Parker shared a connection he didn’t have with any of the other guys on the team. I was grateful that he had found a friend like that. Being away from Nate and the guys he’d played ball with for years was difficult for him, so I knew it was crucial for him to make a solid friend here.

It reminded me of how hard it was going to be when I had to leave Skyler and come here. Skyler was staying in Folsom and attending junior college. School was never her thing, and besides that, her parents couldn’t afford to send her away. But I wasn’t sure how well I’d fare without her. Making friends wasn’t really my thing. And even though Cooper would be here, I couldn’t hang out with only him all the time. He would have baseball and guy time. I would need to make some girlfriends, and just the idea of that caused panic to choke me.

The batter hit the first pitch Cooper threw him, but the first baseman caught it. I leapt up and clapped my hands. Cooper’s face broke out into a smile. They won the game.

I watched as Cooper and Parker commiserated before heading off to talk with the team. While waiting for Cooper, the four of us gushed about Cooper and how he’d played. By the time he came out to us, the bleachers had pretty much cleared out. Cooper’s grandpa got to him first, and I gave them a few minutes to chat. Then he gave his grandma a hug and greeted my dad. I waited patiently for him to get to me.

When he did, he swept me into his arms, picking me up off the ground. I squealed as my feet hovered over the grass. His lips clamped over mine firmly, but it was a quick kiss since our families were watching. Still, it made my cheeks warm.

“You were incredible,” I said, when he lowered me back down.

“That was because I had my good luck charm right here.”

Biting my lip, I smiled.

“You and me, we make a great team, baby.” He stole a kiss on my cheek. “It’s like I always said – together we win.”

London

The stadium was packed, all the seats crammed with people. Laughter and chatter filled the space, excitement radiating. The scent of hot dogs and beer wafted through the air. It was a warm day, the sun’s rays hot as they beat down on us, spraying the stands with bright yellow light. The grass on the field was so green it appeared fake, the sand golden, the bases gleaming white. Taking it all in, we headed down the stairs, searching for our seats. We zipped past a man carrying a bag of peanuts and a kid with one of those foam fingers. I bit back a laugh remembering when Cooper and I were in high school and I joked with him about wearing a foam finger. I may not have had one of those, but I was wearing my A’s cap today. My long hair was pulled back in a ponytail under my cap, and it swung down my back as I walked.

Our seats were right behind home plate. Stepping over the feet of those at the end of the row, I carefully made my way to my seat. Then I plopped into it, adjusting Nolan in my lap. He blinked, his eyes wide as he stared out at the field. His chubby cheeks were smooth and pale, and I couldn’t help it. I had to kiss them. His skin was soft against my lips. He had my same blue eyes, but everything else about him resembled his dad. I was sure as he got older he’d become a miniature version of Cooper.

“Okay, my turn.” Cooper’s grandma held out her arms from where she and Cooper’s grandpa sat to my right. “Nolan, you want to come see your great grandma?”

He smiled a toothless grin in response, and I handed him over. She bounced him in her lap, as I stared out over the field. While Nolan was being spoiled by his grandparents I sat back in my seat and pulled out my cell phone. Keeping my hand over my phone to shield it from the sun, I opened my emails. My heart flipped in my chest when I saw one from my literary agent. With shaking fingers, I pressed on it. After skimming it, a smile spread across my face. Everything was on track for the release of my debut novel next month. I thought about the proof copy sitting on my coffee table at home. I could picture the glossy cover, the interior pages with my name on the top of every other one. It all seemed so surreal. I was sure it wouldn’t feel like reality until I saw my book sitting on the shelf at the bookstore. Even then I wasn’t sure I’d believe it. Being a published author had been my dream since I was a little girl, and it seemed unfathomable that it was actually happening.

A ping sounded, alerting me to a text message. It was from Dad. I clicked on it, and a picture of he and Lisa popped up on my screen.

Dad: Wish we could be there for Cooper’s big day. But we’re watching it on my laptop from Paris.

I grinned, shooting off a response.

Me: I’ll let him know.

Dad and Lisa had married a few years ago, and after Dad retired he and Lisa spent most of their time traveling. It was something he and Mom had dreamt of doing, and I was glad that even though Mom was gone he was able to fulfill his dream.

The crowd erupted into cheers as the announcer began introducing the players for the Oakland A’s. I shoved my phone back into my pocket and sat forward in anticipation. When Cooper’s name was said over the loudspeaker, I leapt out of my seat and screamed. My pulse raced as he took the field in his crisp white uniform, the green hat perched on his head.

“Look, Nolan. It’s Daddy.” Pride welled up in my throat, making it difficult to breathe. This was Cooper’s moment. The day he’d been working towards his entire life. And he deserved it more than anyone I’d ever met. Nolan cooed from his great-grandma’s arms. When my gaze flickered over to Cooper’s grandpa, I saw the moisture gathering in his eyes. Mine started to fill as well, and when our eyes met, he smiled. I knew the look of pride on his face mirrored my own.

When I returned my gaze to the field, Cooper was on the mound. His head lifted, craning in my direction. Even from this distance I knew he was looking right at me. I blew him a kiss, and his lips curved upward. He mouthed ‘I love you’ and then turned his attention back to the team. It was a quick interaction. One most people probably didn’t even notice, but it meant the world to me. This may have been Cooper’s moment, but he was acknowledging that it was also mine. Together we’d worked to get here. I’d helped him every step of the way. Just like my book deal was just as much Cooper’s as it was mine. He’d supported me through all the hours in front of my computer. He’d read all the drafts and gave me tips and advice. He’d held me when I cried over rejection letters, and cheered with me over my victories.

Nolan clapped his little hands together as the game started. At six months old he was too young to know what was happening. He just liked to clap. Still, I liked to think it was his way of supporting his dad. Before my book deal or Cooper’s offer to play for the A’s, a different dream of ours was fulfilled. It wasn’t really a planned one, but it was a miracle just the same.

After the cancer and all the treatments I’d had as a teenager, there was no guarantee that I would be able to conceive. And even if I did, I assumed it would take some work. But no. Nolan came at a time when I wasn’t even trying. A few months into our marriage we weren’t careful one night, and next thing I knew we were having a baby.

Our little miracle baby. That’s what we called him. And he truly was. A perfectly healthy little boy. And he made our family complete.

I sat down as the game started, but I couldn’t sit still. My legs bounced up and down, adrenaline pumping through my veins. I didn’t start to relax until Cooper struck out the first batter. Only then did my shoulders soften, my pulse start to regulate. I didn’t know why I was so nervous anyway. I knew Cooper had this. He was the best pitcher I knew.

“That’s my boy!” Cooper’s grandpa hollered.

Happiness filled me as I watched the man I loved more than life itself living his dream. Playing for the team he’d loved since he was a child. Cooper continued to strike out the batters, his pitches consistent, his focus never wavering. Nolan played musical laps with the three of us, and a few times I had to walk him around the stands to keep him entertained. I had to steal away a couple of times to feed him too. Still, I thought he did well for his first baseball game. And I didn’t miss much. Any time I had to leave, Cooper’s grandpa gave me the play-by-play when I returned. Seriously, he should have taken up a career as a sports announcer.

When the game was over, we headed over to congratulate Cooper on the win.

“There’s my girl.” He swept me up into his arms and kissed me hard on the lips. His mouth tasted like sweat and mint.

“You played amazing. I’m so proud of you,” I said.

When he smiled, my heart skipped a beat. It was amazing that after all this time he still had this effect on me. Standing before me in his uniform he looked just as sexy as the first time I’d laid eyes on him. In fact, he looked even sexier. And I marveled once again at the fact that he was all mine.

“Thanks.” His eyes rested on his son who was contentedly sleeping in his grandma’s arms. “Looks like I put my boy to sleep.”

I chuckled. “It’s been a long day for him.”

Staring at his son, Cooper sighed. “It means the world to me that he’s here though.”

I squeezed him tight, knowing full well why that was so important to him. As if on cue, his grandpa stepped forward. I drew back to give them a minute, and offered to relieve Grandma. She wouldn’t take me up on it though. I swear she’d hold Nolan all day every day if she could. Not that I was complaining. It was nice to give my arms a rest.

“I’m so proud of you, son.”

“I couldn’t have done this without you, Grandpa.” Cooper’s eyes filled with moisture. “You know how much I’ve wanted to make my dad proud by making it to the major leagues.”

His grandpa nodded.

“But it’s funny, because today when I looked up in the stands all I could think about was how much it meant to me that you were here. I don’t mean to take away the love I have for my parents, but you and Grandma raised me. You’re the only dad I’ve ever really known.”

“Oh, Cooper. Since the day you came to live with us you’ve been our son.” Stepping forward, he enveloped Cooper in a hug. Fighting back tears, I glanced away. “But I know your mom and dad are looking down from heaven, and they’re just as proud as your grandma and I are.”

When they separated, both of them wiped their faces. Cooper moved toward me, slinging an arm around my shoulder. “I’m guessing Grandma hasn’t let go of that boy all day,” he joked.

“Hey, he likes his great-grandma,” she teased.

“Oh, I’m sure he does.” Cooper looked from his son to his grandpa and then back to me. “This is the best day of my life. And not just because of the game. All of it. Having all of you here. It’s like a dream.”

“But it’s not. It’s reality.”

Cooper stared into my eyes, as if letting the statement sink in. “I love you, London.” He leaned over to kiss me on the cheek. “Always.”

The word ‘always’ had taken on different meanings throughout my life. When I was sick I wasn’t sure if ‘always’ meant one more week, one more day, one more hour. But then the days turned to months, and the months turned to years. And I lived. And I flourished. Cooper had given me a miracle, and now my future spread before me vast like the ocean. The possibilities were endless. Cooper had given me a life I never even dreamed of, and loved me more intensely than I ever imagined someone could.

I still had no idea what tomorrow would bring, but I knew that Cooper would be by my side…always.

THE END

FOR THE RUSH (Playing for Keeps #3) Coming Spring 2015! Turn the page for a sneak peek at the cover.

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