Trent (Season Two: The Ninth Inning #4) (12 page)

That wasn’t a date,
right?

***

“UM...OKAY…” MACY looks
at me as if I’m growing a third eye on my forehead. “You drank two
glasses of wine as if you’re doing shots off a hot
twenty-one-year-old male. Care to share with me what has you in a
pickle?”

I take two deep breaths and
wait for the wine to take effect. “I went out on a date. Well, I
think it was date, but it wasn’t supposed to be a date. It was
supposed to be two adult friends going to a wine tasting, because
he can’t date me and I definitely can’t date him.” My mouth is
running and words are coming out, but I know none of it makes sense
to Macy because she’s still staring at me.

“Okay,” she drags the word
out. “Now, let’s talk like we’re big girls and explain to me what
the hell you’re talking about.”

“I hate when you talk to me
like I’m a baby,” I scold her.

“I hate when you ramble. So,
explain it to me.” She sits back and sips her wine.

I look around the wine bar
and see there aren’t too many people here tonight. I’m thankful
there aren’t more people because I feel like I’m losing my mind. I
have lost my mind.

“I went out with
someone.”

“I got that part,” Macy
states. “Is he married? Is that the reason he can’t date you?”

“Well, he’s a widow,” I
explain.

Macy tilts her as if she
trying to solve a math problem and squints her eyes. After a
second, she sits up straighter, and her eyes widen. “No. No way.
Tell me what I’m thinking is wrong.”

I slowly shake my head. “I
don’t know what the hell happened. We kept running into each other
and then we exchanged numbers and then bam. He texted me Friday and
asked me to this wine tasting. I didn’t think of it as a date, but
then I was there and we were talking and—”

“Bam, you’re dating Trent
Baker,” she cuts me off and finishes my thought. “Need I remind you
of
who
he is?”

“No.” I stop talking when the
waiter comes back and refills my glass. I’m glad I came in a cab
because at this rate, I’ll finish the whole bottle in no time. “I
know who Trent is and this wasn’t supposed to happen.”

Macy sips her wine and glares
at me over the rim. “Scarlett, listen to me and please understand
I’m telling you this because I love you. This is a mistake. A
massive, nuclear bomb mistake. I know you’re name hasn’t been in
any of the media yet for Dominic, but his sentencing is coming up
fast. Your name could come up then. What will you tell Trent? He’s
already slated to talk at the sentencing. Are you?”

I shake my head again. “I
went and saw Dom in jail last week,” I tell her quietly. “He pretty
much told me to get lost and never come back. I’ve already told the
lawyer I’m not going to do it.”

“Oh.” Macy looks sad for me
and takes my hand. She’s always been there for me through Dominic’s
revolving rehab door and trying to keep him out of trouble. “I know
you were still hoping to connect as a family.”

“He’s my brother. He’ll
always be my brother,” I tell her.

“I know, but you
know
he’s going to prison for the rest of his life.” She releases my
hand and sits back. “Just another reason for you to not get close
to Trent.”

I groan and push my hand
through my hair. “All I wanted to do is apologize and nothing more.
I never meant for this to happen. I really didn’t.”

We sit in silence for a
moment as I replay the wine tasting through my mind again. It was
one of the greatest dates I’ve had in a long time. Our conversation
flowed, we laughed, joked, and it was...amazing. But it shouldn’t
have happened. I can’t let this go on. I need to tell him who I am
and how I’m connected to his life because he might find out from
someone else. I rather he find out from me.

“All right,” Macy breaks the
silence. “How was the evening with him?”

“Perfect,” I tell her
sadly.

“Do you think this is
something that could hold water?”

“Hold water? Have you been
watching
My
Cousin Vinny
again?” I love to tease her
about her movie obsessions.

“Maybe.” She winks and I
giggle. “But come on, be honest.” She nudges me.

“Yes. It could
hold
water
.” I roll my eyes.

“Have you met his
daughter?”

“I saw her one time, but it
wasn't planned.”

She nods. “When are you going
to tell him?” Macy eyes me with a stern look.

“Well, I’m not going to call
him. If he contacts me, I will tell him—preferably in person and
let him decide what he wants to do.”

Macy rolls her eyes. “What
are you really going to do?”

“Hide in my house and change
my gym membership to this place across town. Oh, and never answer
my phone again.”

We both laugh at my silly
answer. Even though it’s what I really want to do, I know I have to
take the mature high road. Even if it sucks.

I stare at my phone for
thirty minutes, and I can’t bring myself to answer the text Trent
sent me. I want to send him one that says:
hey, my brother
killed your wife, but can we still be friends?

I bang my hand against my
forehead. How is it that I got myself into this situation? Can’t I
just have a normal day?

Trent: Colby and I can give
the boys a tour today at 3. Text me and I’ll tell you where to meet
us.

I know David and Joey would
give up all their toys to go on a tour with the favorite player. I
can’t deprive them of this. It’ll be their one chance.

Me: We’ll be there at 3

Oh, I’m the biggest fool
ever. I sigh and call the foster home to let the director know I’ll
be picking up the boys. When I look at the clock, I realize I don’t
have much time to get everything ready, so I’ll have to go in the
clothes I’m in. I look down at my black pants and pink blouse. Why
do I care about my clothes? I’m not going to see Trent. I’m doing
this for David and Joey. No other reason.

Trent: Great! Come to the
west gate and we’ll be waiting.

Who am I fooling? This is
going to be nothing but another disaster to add to my life. I push
all the crazy thoughts out of my head and gather everything to take
home.

When I reach the foster home,
I don’t tell David and Joey where I’m taking them. Although, I do
tell them they haven’t been adopted yet. I don’t want to torture
the kids. They’re bouncing with excitement trying to guess where
we’re going. They both cheer when I pull into the Angels parking
lot.

“But there isn’t a game
tonight,” Joey informs me.

“You’re correct. However,
look.” I point out to my right when I turn toward the west gate.
Standing there in street clothes is Trent and Colby, both smiling
about something. I figured the boys would be cheering. When I shut
off the car, I turn to face them both. “Colby and Trent are going
to give you a private tour of the baseball stadium.”

Their eyes are wide with
shock, and their mouths are hanging open.

“Okay, if you don’t want to
go, we can go back—”

Before I can finish the
sentence, they are scrabbling over each other to get out my car,
and I laugh seeing their reactions now. I quickly catch up with
them as they reach Colby. I never realized how tall Colby is, but
he is almost a head taller than Trent.

After I introduce David and
Joey to Colby, because the boys still can’t speak, Colby leads all
of us through the door. The first stop is the locker room. I
expected something less clean and smellier. However, it’s much
different than I thought.

“Which one is yours?” I
whisper to Trent as Colby shows the boys some equipment.

“Are you kidding me?
Scarlett, this right here is one of the best parts of the job. Most
of us don’t mind it at all. The kids are always worth it.” He
shrugs as if it really isn't a big deal.

“That sweet, Trent. It’ll be
embedded in their minds forever. I don’t think they’ll ever stop
talking about it. Well, once they remember how to talk again.” I
laugh at my joke.

“Think they’ll pass out if we
run into anyone else?”

“Are we going to run into
anyone else? Please tell me you don’t have the whole team on the
field ready to play catch with them.”

He chuckles. “No, I wasn’t
able to round everyone up for something like that, but I know a few
guys are still here somewhere. It’s possible that we’ll run into
them.”

“Shoot. I wish I had brought
some baseballs or something for you guys to sign for them.” How
could I forget about bringing them something to sign?

“I’ve already got it
covered.” He winks.

“Really?”

“Of course. I couldn’t let
them come without making sure they leave with some goodies. Colby’s
going to give them a bag full of stuff once we’re done.”

“Trent.” I am suddenly very
shy. “Thank you. It’ll mean the world to them. It will mean
everything to them. They don’t have much. I bought their equipment
so they could play in the public league this summer. It’s hard on
them and, well, you know how I feel about them heading down the
wrong path.”

“Wow, you did that for
them?”

“I took out a small loan and
made sure they were in. It’s not much, and I try to help all my
kids, but baseball equipment is expensive. Nonetheless, the look in
their eyes makes me happy every month I write the check.”

“You’re amazing,
Scarlett.”

“I’m sure that’s not true.
But I try.”

Colby takes us to several
other rooms. The boys love the weight room. All the machines are
top of the line and a few look as if they're from NASA. Felix and
Jordan are working out but stop to talk to everyone. They are quite
nice to the kids.

The tour ends with Trent and
Colby playing catch with them out on the field. They even give the
boys some pointers. The boys almost pass out at the large bag of
balls, hats, and shirts signed by the team. It couldn't have gone
better for them.

“Trent, thank you so much.
You didn’t have to, but seriously thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank me.
I was more than happy to do it. And who knows, maybe one day we’ll
see Joey and David on the field?”

“I hope one day I’ll see it.
I should get the boys back.” I am nervous as I ask, “Hey, listen,
I’m wondering if you want to grab coffee sometime soon.”

“Yeah, sure. Just let me know
when.”

***

SCARLETT SEEMED NERVOUS
when she asked me for coffee, which in turn has made me nervous.
I’m going in expecting bad news of some capacity. So when she texts
me, I’m sitting on the floor in the living room, coloring with
Kaelyn.

“Hey, Granny, do you mind
staying for an extra hour? I need to run out.” If my gut is right,
it’ll be a quick trip.