Sam turned and started toward the stands when a sharp whistle sounded. She turned to see Kelly yell, “Where you going, Samantha? The field's this way.”
She stared back at a gaggle of young McCulloughs and some others she didn’t recognize and stammered, “I’m not real good at sports. I’d figured I’d watch.”
Kelly gave her a vagabond’s smile. “No can do, love. Since Kate’s prego we need another player. Come on over so we can pick teams.”
Never one to go against the grain, Sam joined the others by home plate. Everyone was dressed in casual clothes, many wearing kelly-green shirts that said O’Malley’s Bar and Grill. Sheilagh and a young attractive blonde girl with her O’Malley’s shirt tied in a way that showed off her pierced belly button did a quick game of rock, paper, scissors.
The blonde jumped up and down and cheered, “I get first pick! Luke!”
Luke walked over to stand beside the blonde and Sheilagh frowned. “Kelly.”
Kelly joined his sister while the blonde eyed the crowd of players. Sam had a flashback to high school and being picked last. She tried not to take the silly fear seriously.
When the blonde’s eyes landed on Braydon they lit triumphantly. “Bray.”
Braydon left Sam’s side to stand beside the leggy blonde. Everyone turned toward Sheilagh. Kelly whispered something in her ear. She smiled. “Samantha.” Sam looked around thinking surely there was someone else with the same name.
When no one stepped forward she pointed to herself. “Me?”
“Yeah, you. Come on. Welcome to the winning team,” Sheilagh said tugging her between herself and Kelly.
The choosing went back and forth until every player was placed on a team. Jen, the blonde captain, had chosen Braydon, Finn, Luke, her sisters Emily and Taylor, the McCullough’s cousin Pat, and another relative named Giovanni. Sam was confused when Kelly informed her Giovanni was in fact related. She wasn’t sure where the Italian hailed from in the big Irish family.
For their team Sheilagh chose Kelly, Sam, Katherine’s husband Anthony, who everyone called Ant, a cousin named Ryan, a married couple Gina and David, a guy named Tristan, and unfortunately, Colin.
Sam refused to make eye contact with the soon to be priest.
“All right, you picked first so we bat first.” After Sheilagh’s announcement, the other team dispersed onto the field while Sam and the rest of her team lined up in the dugout.
As Sam took the last seat on the bench, she frowned. The blonde girl, Jen, was in the field laughing and pressing her palm into Braydon’s chest.
Kelly sat down beside her and followed her gaze. “Ah,” he said, comprehending what caught her attention. “They used to date. Don’t worry. They broke up for a reason. She may look nice from afar, but she’s far from nice.”
“How sweet.”
Kelly laughed but it was a sound lacking merriment. “You say that like you think you should care, but I don’t think you really do.”
Sam turned a hard eye on Kelly. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means you know, and so do the rest of us, that you and Bray aren’t anything serious.”
“What makes you say that?” The game started. They slid down the bench in batting order.
“I don’t know. Maybe the fact you came home with my brother, but won’t share his bed. Or maybe it’s because I’ve yet to see the two of you display anything more than lukewarm affection toward each other. But I’m guessing it has more to do with the fact that Bray’s a fool who’d pick a girl like you because you fit some concocted bill in his mind rather than actually making any kind of fundamental connection.”
“Should I be insulted by what you just said?”
“Absolutely not. I like you, Sam. I like you a lot.” That wicked gleam returned to his eyes. “But don’t go getting too excited. I’m just lookin out. I’m not trying to gain a pass at your fanny.”
He leaned back on his elbow to watch the game “No matter how sweet I bet it is.”
Colin was up to bat. Sam watched as he scuffed his foot over home plate. His T-shirt clung to his tapered waist as he swung the bat back and forth in preparation for his turn. Luke was pitching. His hat was now twisted backwards.
Colin stepped up to the plate and pointed his bat toward the outfield reminiscent of the renowned Babe Ruth.
“Is he good?” she wondered aloud.
Hearing her curiosity, Kelly replied, “Who? Luke or Colin? Luke excels at all sports, but Colin,” he laughed, “I have yet to see something Colin isn’t good at. Watch…”
The crack of the bat had the rest of her team rushing to their feet. Colin rounded first as Sheilagh slid home. By the time he was passing second, Ant earned their team another homerun. It didn’t take long for Colin to get there himself.
He was glorious. The way his limbs carried him around the diamond and back to home plate was something to behold. He smiled and laughed at his brother Luke who obviously expected no less from him.
Sam swallowed a hard lump in her throat as the involuntary yearning to run to him overwhelmed her. He was a priest! Or at least he was going to be by the end of summer. She needed to get ahold of herself and knock off the impure thoughts she was having about the man.
“You’re up, love.”
Sam turned to Kelly. She quickly stood and climbed out of the dugout. As she was stepping onto the sanded part of the field Colin was stepping off.
A sheen of sweat clung to his skin, but it did nothing to detract from his appearance. Under the thin worn cotton of his shirt she could see his tight abdomen pulling with each breath from his exertion. For a priest he was in incredible shape.
“Pardon me.”
Sam jumped out of his way as if he had the plague. God, she was a moron. And the way he apologized for stepping in her way only reminded her of seeing him naked all over again.
Pardon me. I forgot to lock the door.
Maybe a ball would hit her in the head and she’d forget all about what she saw.
She plucked a bat out of a pile lined up against the fence. Unsure if there was a process to selecting a bat, she thought this one seemed fine. Stepping up to the plate she swung the bat a few times before looking at Luke.
“Helmet,” he yelled.
“What?”
“You need a helmet.”
“Oh.” Sam turned and saw the helmet right where Colin tossed it. She scooped it up and settled it on her head. It was warm from the sun and held a heady masculine scent.
“Eeeeeasy out!”
What the hell?
Sam looked toward right field and spotted Jen laughing and looking toward Braydon. He was frowning. Apparently her attempt at being funny didn’t impress him.
Sam bent at the knees and faced the pitcher again. Maybe she was good at baseball. Maybe if she kept her eye on the ball and swung real hard she could hit the ball right into right field and into the dumb blonde’s head. And it was nasty thoughts like that that were a perfect example of why she should not be around a holy man.
* * *
“Nice play.”
“Thanks.” Colin took a seat next to Kelly and watched as Samantha took the plate. “She any good?”
“I have no idea. She looks nervous,” Kelly commented watching the newest player.
Colin thought that was what she always looked like. At least that’s how she looked whenever he was around. He felt terrible for not locking the bathroom door this morning. Although it was Braydon’s bathroom too, he wasn’t used to his brother being home. And he never expected a strange woman to be sleeping in the room next to him. He’d clearly embarrassed her and that was never his intention.
“Helmet,” Luke yelled from the pitcher’s mound.
“What?” Samantha yelled back.
“Oh boy,” Kelly said out of the corner of his mouth. “This ought’a be good.”
Colin watched as Samantha fitted the helmet to her head, her freckled cheeks a shade pinker.
“Ee
eeeasy out!”
Kelly groaned and Colin frowned. “God, she is such a bitch,” his younger brother complained.
“It looks like Braydon’s saying something to her now. She has to know he isn’t going to react kindly to her disrespecting his girlfriend.”
Kelly laughed. “I think you give Jen Miller too much credit where brains are concerned. The woman’s a viper.”
Colin grunted in response. He watched as Luke threw out a slow pitch. Samantha swung with the enthusiasm and determination of a major leaguer. Unfortunately, she missed completely.
Jen Miller’s laugh echoed across the field.
“Take your time, love,” Kelly yelled encouragingly from beside him.
Luke threw another slow ball and she swung again, this time without as much zeal.
“Strike two!”
Before he realized he left his seat, Colin yelled, “Come on, Sammy. You can do it!”
She turned sharply to look back at him, a surprised expression on her face. Was she not used to encouragement? She looked back to Luke and adjusted her stance.
Luke opted for an underhand pitch this time, which wasn’t allowed, but no one seemed to complain. Colin didn’t miss the silencing look Braydon gave Jen when she noticed the exception being made.
When the bat hit the ball Samantha stared as it bounced across the field.
“Run!” the team shouted all at once.
Samantha gave a startled yelp, dropped the bat, and hauled ass to first base. Colin actually heard himself laugh out loud. By the time she was halfway there the other team already fielded the ball and was sending it toward first base. Luckily Braydon was manning the base. When Finn threw him the ball with ridiculously obvious bad aim, Braydon ran in almost slow motion to retrieve it.
“Get the ball!” Jen shrilled.
By the time Braydon had the ball in hand Sam was safe at first. He earned a severe scowl from Jen when he gave Samantha an encouraging swat on the rump. Oddly, the act seemed to startle Samantha as if she were not used to Braydon’s touch.
Were they a couple? Had he misinterpreted their relationship? Perhaps they were just friends.
The ball went back to Luke and Kelly stepped up to bat. After Kelly’s turn Sam had moved all the way to third. It wasn’t until Kelly was actually close enough to whisper in her ear that she realized she needed to move past second, but she made it to third all the same.
She was really quite beautiful. Nothing like what Colin imagined was Braydon’s taste. His brother’s usual type was Jen Miller, but nicer. Samantha was the exact antithesis of Jen.
Samantha was soft and sweet, an obvious degree of honesty shone clear in her eyes. She appeared up for anything, quite agreeable, and was refreshingly trusting. She had that girl next-door kind of beauty, yet Colin could think of no one who remotely resembled her. The way her deep brown hair hung and swayed from her ponytail made him want to smile. He liked the way the finest dusting of freckles crested her cheeks, like cinnamon sprinkled over velvety whipped cream. Her lashes were thick and without make up, making them a unique shade of dusty brown.
The sound of the bat cracked again and Colin was distracted from his thoughts. What had he been thinking anyway?
Samantha ran home and Kelly crossed home plate moments after her, colliding with her and practically knocking her to the ground. Sam laughed and Kelly swung her around as they each jumped up and down. Samantha’s smile took over her face and Colin felt his own lips curving in happiness.
“I did it!” she shouted, holding Kelly by the shoulders, still bouncing like a child. “I did it! I got a home run!”
Colin regretted being outside of the moment. He wanted to run out of the dugout and celebrate with them. He wanted to swing Samantha around in his arms.
A small shiver of excitement knifed through his stomach, causing an unfamiliar tingle inside of him. What was he doing? Samantha was Braydon’s girlfriend and Colin was in seminary. The longing that pulled deep in his body was so unwelcome and took him so off guard he found himself in a panic. Turning his back on his teammates, he quickly said a prayer.
4
The game ended when Luke hit a home run with bases fully loaded. Sam’s team kept up well, but still lost by two points. She thoroughly enjoyed playing with the McCulloughs. The only person she didn’t enjoy was Jen Miller.
Jen Miller was one of those girls who needed to constantly be the center of attention. At first Sam was only mildly offended by the brazen way the girl touched Braydon right in front of her. It was unexpected and insulting, as if she were saying see he likes me enough to disrespect you.
Sam didn’t care if Braydon liked the other girl and wanted to rekindle an old flame. She just wasn’t going to stand there and be made to look like a fool. Oddly, the idea of Braydon with another woman didn’t bother Sam at all.
It didn’t take long to realize the way Jen was acting had nothing to do with Sam personally. By the end of the game Jen Miller had run her hands over Luke, Finn, Pat and anyone else unattached.
Sam didn’t miss the growl Sheilagh let slip when the blonde laid her hands on the guy named Tristan. She wondered if Braydon’s little sister was sweet on the older man. Not that he was old, just older than Sheilagh’s eighteen years. Tristan looked to be in his mid-twenties.
The one thing Sam was grateful for was that Jen never openly flirted with Colin. Sam shouldn’t have even been paying attention to what Colin was doing, but she couldn’t help herself. Where there were no jealous emotions connected to Braydon, she fought a sickening dread during the game every time the other woman stood anywhere near Colin.
She assumed women saw Colin as taken. Which he was. He was making the sacrament of holy orders. In other words, he was marrying God. Only an idiot would indulge a crush on such a devoted man. Clearly, Sam was Center County’s new village idiot.
A loud smack sounded and a stinging sensation radiated from her behind all the way to her shoulders. She turned and Kelly was grinning at her. “Way to go, slugger. Come on. We’re going to O’Malley’s.”
Sam had a moment of displacement as Kelly jogged off to the parking lot. The older McCulloughs were all gathering their items off the bleachers. Katherine yelled for Ant, who was carrying their youngest daughter Hannah out to the car.
Sam scanned the people surrounding the dugout in search of Braydon. For once he didn’t have a blonde hanging from his side. She began to head in that direction.
Sheilagh was laughing with her cousin Patrick and when Sam passed them Sheilagh yelled, “Hey Sam, you guys brought the truck, right?”
Sam stopped. “Yes.”
“Can you drive a truck? We’re trying to figure out drivers for later.”
“Drivers?”
“Yeah. Big Irish family going to a pub… My brothers like to drink themselves fuller than a gypsy’s bra after a good game. Pat and I can’t drink so we’ll drive. My mum and dad will likely leave before the others are ready to go. Kate probably won’t stay late. Colin won’t drink so he can drive, but other than that we’ll probably be leaving some cars behind.”
“I guess I could drive.”
Sheilagh grinned with elfin grace. “Great! We’ll see you there.” The two teenagers trotted off.
When Sam turned, Braydon was gone. Colin was gathering the bats and other equipment from the empty batting area when he spotted her.
“They all went out to the lot. Luke has a cooler of drinks out there.”
“Oh.” Why wouldn’t Braydon have told her where he was going? She was getting tired of constantly hunting him down.
Colin zipped an equipment bag and slung it over his shoulder.
He didn’t look like a priest. He looked like an average guy, an average drop dead gorgeous guy. He cleared his throat.
“Listen, Sammy,” he said.
When had he started calling her Sammy? No one had called her that in ten years.
“I wanted to apologize for this morning. If I had known you and Braydon were
staying in his room I would’ve been sure to lock the other door.”
“Braydon slept with Kelly. I slept alone.”
Why had she blurted that out? For some reason she didn’t want Colin to think she was sleeping with anyone. She didn’t want him to think of her as a sinner, but deep down she knew it was because she didn’t want him to assume she and his brother shared more than they actually did.
“Ah, okay. Still, my apologies. I’ll be sure to lock the door next time I shower.”
Or not.
She immediately chastised her evil mind. “It’s okay. I should’ve knocked.”
“Well, still, I didn’t mean to embarrass you. Surely when you came here you didn’t expect to be caught in your unmentionables on the first morning.”
Sam’s face heated and she wanted the earth to open up and swallow her whole. How had she not considered that while she was seeing Colin he was also seeing her? She had stood there, in front of an almost priest, in nothing but a short cotton tank top and a pair of see-through panties. They were probably writing her name in Satan’s registration log right that very second.
“I can see I just made things worse. I’ll stop talking before I put my foot any deeper in my mouth. I promise it won’t happen again. Let’s forget about it and start fresh.”
He shifted the cumbersome bag and held out his hand. “Hello, I’m Colin McCullough.”
She looked at his large waiting hand. His fingers were clean, his nails trimmed neatly. There was nothing sloppy about this man. He appeared deceptively unthreatening, yet Sam had seen the hard muscle and indisputable ruggedness he kept hidden under his plain clothing. She swallowed a dry lump in her throat and took his extended hand.
“Samantha Dougherty.”
He smiled. “A pleasure to meet you, Sammy. What do you say we go grab a drink?”
* * *
O’Malley’s Bar and Grill was only a short drive from the ball field. It was a brick faced building with a nondescript wooden door. Inside, the floor was a black and white vinyl checkerboard and the walls were paneled in honey colored wood. The bar was simple, about twenty feet long with brass handrails and footrest. The countertop was worn so smooth, scrapes and grooves were swirled beneath the flat surface like fossils tattooed over time. The walls were covered with everything from pictures of family and the bar league, to taxidermic game donated by locals.
Take Me to Bed: A Collection of Naughty Bedtime Stories Page 19