The puppy’s barks broke her concentration and had her looking around, confused. Gwen stepped out of the small room she’d turned into a makeshift studio in the apartment she and Reena shared, and caught her dog as he came barreling up to her.
“What is it, Chip?” she murmured to him, rubbing his back. “What’s got you so antsy?” When the knock sounded again, she frowned. “We weren’t expecting anyone, were we?”
She set the pup down and made her way to the door, Chip running in circles around her as she did. She grinned down at him but lost the smile when she saw her visitor. “Kirby! Wh-what are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be in school?”
Kirby smiled, butterflies doing somersaults in her belly. “Um, it’s an in-service day today, so we don’t have school. I was wondering if I could talk to you. Reena told me where you lived, so I came over. I hope I’m not bothering you.” The words tumbled out quickly, and Gwen realized the girl was nervous.
Her smile was genuinely warm when it came this time. “Of course you’re not bothering me. Come on in!” She held the door open just wide enough for Kirby to slip in, and Chip couldn’t escape.
The puppy began to yip joyfully around the stranger, and Kirby knelt down with him, delighted. “You have a dog! That’s so cool!” She rubbed his belly when he flopped over and had him rolling his eyes in ecstasy. “I always wanted a dog, but Dad said that after his dog died when he was younger, he just didn’t have the heart to get attached to another one again.” She looked up at Gwen. “What’s his name?”
Gwen tried not to let her mind slide towards Kevin, which was difficult to do as his daughter was sitting in her apartment. She wasn’t sure if Kirby was aware of her father’s relationship and talking to his daughter felt awkward. Not because Kirby was difficult to talk to, Gwen mused, remembering spending time with the teen at the barbecue. No, it was the fact that Kirby might be hurt by the fact that her father was seeing someone else—someone who wasn’t her mother.
Gwen swallowed nervously. “His name’s Chip. And I’m sorry about your father’s dog. I’ve never had a puppy before, but Chip’s great. And, look, he likes you already,” she added as the pup leapt up to lick Kirby’s face, causing her to giggle.
“Are they hard to take care of? Because maybe I could convince my dad to let me get one if I take care of it and he doesn’t have to spend time with it. That way, he won’t get attached, right?” Kirby watched her with hopeful eyes, and Gwen sighed.
“You can certainly try,” she agreed.
Kirby grinned. “Cool! And if Dad still doesn’t agree, maybe you could talk him into it because you guys are dating, right? And if you’re dating, Dad’s going to listen to you more than he’ll listen to me.”
“Ex-excuse me?” Gwen was sure her jaw was on the ground. “How…why do you think your father and I are dating?”
Kirby shrugged. “Reena said you were, and that’s sort of why I’m here. I mean, I could tell that Dad likes you when we were at Uncle Bri’s house because he kept kissing your fingers, but, after Reena told me you’re dating, well, that just makes it official. And I just wanted to ask, um, I-I don’t know,” she finished lamely.
Not sure of her footing, Gwen decided to step cautiously. “Why don’t we have a seat, Kirby? Would you like anything to eat? I made cookies yesterday,” she offered, guiding the young girl into the living room.
“I had breakfast an hour ago, so no thank you.” She studied the pictures scattered across the room along with the art and little decorative figurines. “I like this. It’s cute.” Kirby picked up a green frog wearing a crown on its head. “I guess it’s like kissing a frog to find your prince, huh?” She smiled up at Gwen.
“That’s what Reena and I keep it for. Sort of a reminder that we do have to kiss plenty of frogs before we’ll find our princes,” Gwen explained.
Kirby smiled down at the frog before setting it down. “Do you think my dad could be your prince?”
Gwen’s stomach flip-flopped. Kirby wasted no time, did she? “I don’t know. I mean, we’ve only known each other a few days, so it’s hard to tell, but…Well, jeez.” She sighed. “Kirby, can I tell you something that you will promise to keep a secret until I’m ready for other people to know about it?”
“Sure!” Kirby leaned forward, eager to share in adult secrets.
Gwen took a deep breath before looking up into green eyes. So much like her father’s, she thought. Trusting the father implicitly, she decided to trust his daughter, too. “I don’t know how your father feels about me, but I think I’m falling in love with Kevin.” She blew out a breath and sat back. “Wow. I can’t believe I said that out loud. It’s…a relief, actually,” she said with a half laugh. “So, what do you think?”
Kirby’s face was solemn. “If you love my dad, and he ends up loving you back, will the two of you get married?”
“Uh, well, I-um. Honestly?” Kirby nodded. “Honestly, Kirby, I don’t know. All of this is really sudden, you know? Right now, I’m just wallowing in the fact that someone as amazing as your father is interested in me.”
“He’s pretty cool, isn’t he?” Kirby agreed. The smile she gave Gwen was brilliant. “I think it’s awesome that you love Dad. I think he might love you, too.”
“Really?” Gwen’s heart leapt. “How do you know?”
Kirby shrugged. “He’s always humming now, and he never used to do that before. At least, not since Mom died. He smiles a lot more, too, and, this morning, I heard him singing a really bad version of ‘There She Goes’.” She shook her head. “Don’t tell him I told you, but he sounds like a frog when he sings in the shower.”
Gwen stifled a chuckle. “I promise I won’t tell him.” But she smiled at Kirby. “I’m glad you’re okay with all of this. I wasn’t sure if you would be hurt that your dad is dating someone, and I don’t want you to think that I’m stealing him away from you.”
“Stealing him away?” Kirby frowned. “I didn’t even think of that one. I know you won’t because Dad and I are a team. We’re always going to stick together. You couldn’t steal him away.”
“Oh. Well, that’s good.” But her smile had disappeared. If Kevin and Kirby were so close, was there room for her in their little equation?
Kirby seemed to sense something was off. “Gwen? Just because Dad and I are a team, it doesn’t mean that we wouldn’t make room for one more.”
“Really?”
“Really.” Kirby held out a hand. “I’d like to welcome you to Team Richardson if Dad hasn’t done it yet.”
“Ah, no. He hasn’t.” She grinned. “Team Richardson? I’d be honored.” She shook Kirby’s hand then enveloped her in a hug. “Thanks, Kirby.”
“No problem. Now that you’re a part of Team Richardson, I was wondering if maybe you and me could spend some time together. Like bonding?” Kirby tried not to let her voice waver with the nerves she felt. She’d wanted a mother for so long, and now she had a chance for one. She was afraid, though, that Gwen might reject her still.
Gwen blinked in surprise, then pleasure. A smile spread across her face. “Absolutely! How about we start today?”
“Really?” Kirby was stunned. “I mean, yeah! Sure! What are we going to do?”
“Anything you want.”
***
The pitch was thrown, bat connected to ball, and the play was made. First out and bases were empty. The next batter came up to the plate and squinted into the mid-September sun before watching for the pitch. Brian hardly noticed when the thwack of the ball against the bat sounded again.
“I look at her, she looks at me, she’s got me thinking about her constantly,” he sang quietly, gazing out absently at the baseball field. “But she don’t know how I feel. Yeah, she carries on without a doubt, I wonder if she’s figured out, I’m crazy for this girl. Yeah, I’m crazy for this girl.”
“Coach?”
Brian continued to sing away.
“Coach!”
Brian looked down at the big, brown eyes watching him. Amusement glinted in them. “What’s up, Conrad?”
The ten-year-old fought back the giggle. “You were singing kinda loud, Coach. Are you okay?”
“I was singing, huh?” Brian ruffled the boy’s hair. “You’ve got big ears, Conrad. I don’t think anyone else heard.”
Conrad shook his head. “No, Coach. We all heard, but I’m the only one who wanted to say anything.”
“Really?” Brian grinned before turning towards his kids out on the field. “Jamie! Get back on the bench! Conrad’s gonna pitch the next inning!” Hearing the groan next to him, he lifted a brow. “Now, Conrad. Let this be a lesson that you don’t bring up my mistakes unless you want to suffer right next to me. Got it?”
“Got it.” But the laugh was back in his eyes. “My mom said you sang good. I guess she was right.”
“Yeah?” He was pleased, remembering that Conrad’s mother had been in his graduating class in high school. “Well, that’s great, but it’s not getting you out of pitching. Go on.” He tugged on the young boy’s cap before sending him out. “And the rest of you out there!” Brian raised his voice so the players could hear him. “I know this is just a practice, but we’ve got Regionals coming up in a few weeks, and y’all are playing like you’re fifty years old! Let’s see some real action, huh? Jones, watch the ball when you’re running backwards to catch it! Andy, bend your knees a little when you bat!” When he was satisfied, he nodded. “All right, team! Show me what we’re made of!”
Brian sat on the bench next to his twelve-year-old assistant and watched them play. The in-service day had been the perfect opportunity to get another practice in, he thought. They weren’t a bad team, but extra practices would only help improve their skills in time for the Little League Regionals competition. Last year, this team had taken Brian to States, and he was determined to do just as well this year.
Of course, baseball couldn’t prevent his mind from veering right back to Reena. To say the time he’d spent with her the night before was amazing would be an understatement. Last night had been beyond phenomenal and edging into something more than he’d ever dreamed. He’d fallen in love with Reena, and he couldn’t be happier. The grass really did seem greener, the sky bluer now that he knew his heart no longer beat only for himself. Now, he had Reena.
Of course, it helped that her macaroni and cheese was as phenomenal as her, but he couldn’t help it that the way to his heart was through his stomach—sort of. Nevertheless, he really was happy he’d found the one he was sure he was meant to be with. They’d done nothing but talk and hold each other, but, in that time, he’d realized that those moments could last him the rest of his life if things somehow didn’t work out between them. Not that that was even a remote possibility, Brian told himself. He loved her, and he was sure that she had equally strong feelings for him.
Twenty minutes later, he announced the end of practice for the day and watched as his team cheered good-naturedly. When one or two of them commented on his singing corny love songs, he grinned easily and told them they’d soon see what it felt like, too. At the cringes and gasps, Brian cracked up and sent them home.
As he collected his own things, his phone began to ring. Brian tugged it out of his pocket and grinned at the number. “Hey!”
On the other end, Reena smiled at the enthusiasm in his voice. “Hey, I hope it’s not too early to call you.”
“Too early?” His watch read eleven-thirty. “Nope. Not early at all. What’s up, baby?”
“Not too much,” she replied. “I was working on the school portraits and kept thinking about you, so I decided to stop wasting my time and call you. So, hi.”
“Hi back. I was thinking about you, too. My team thought it was hysterical that Coach was singing love songs.” He grinned when he heard her chuckle.
“Thinking about me makes you sing love songs?” She wished she’d heard him. “I feel special.”
“You should. Not everyone is worthy of the honor.” He popped open his trunk and stowed away the mitts, bats, and extra balls. “Wanna do something later on?”
“Sure. When?”
Brian calculated what he had left to do for the day. “How about in an hour and a half or so? Are you busy then?”
Reena, too, looked at the clock and over at her work. “I can take a break. What are we doing?”
“You made dinner last night. I’ll do lunch today. How’s that sound?” He opened his car door and leaned against it.
“You’re going to cook for me?” She felt ridiculously pleased. “It sounds great!”
He grinned. “Good. Do you want me to pick you up or do you want to meet up somewhere?”
“Hmm. Can you meet me at the Falls again? I mean, I know we’ve been there an awful lot lately, but I need to get a few more shots for Howie, and this would be the perfect opportunity.”
He shrugged, though she couldn’t see it. “The Falls sounds good. I’ll see you there at one-thirty?”
“Yeah. I’ll see you then.”
“I can’t wait!” Grinning foolishly, he hung up. “If this is love,” he told himself, “I don’t want it to end.”
Author's Chapter Notes:
so, it's been a couple weeks since i updated this, but here's the next batch of chapters! i hope you like them and, as always, please review!
