Single Mom's Protector - Complete Series

by Nella Tyler

  “Emmi, I have been watching you all night. You know that, I could barely keep my eyes off you during the entire game. Your daughter is a very beautiful woman, you should know that, Sir,” Bennett said. “Emmi, I saw you on the phone crying, and I couldn't understand what could possibly have happened. But I knew it had to be serious enough for you to be crying in the stands and serious enough that you would run out on my game.”

  “I'm sorry,” I whispered. “I had to be here to see him.”

  “My God, Emmi, please don't apologize for something like that.”

  “You left your game, though, why would you do something like that.”

  “I had to leave the game, Emmi. I love you.”

  “But you left, which means you also left your chance of pitching the perfect game. Bennett you were doing so awesome. You could have pitched the perfect game. Why would you do that? Why wouldn't you just wait until after the game to come and find me?”

  “Darling, if you have to ask that, then you have no idea much I love you. I couldn't possibly wait. I knew it had to be something serious and I knew you probably needed me. To be honest, I need you, too.”

  “Oh my God, Bennett.” Tears just kept falling from my eyes. I couldn't make them stop. I couldn't believe the things he was saying to me and how amazing a man he was. He had left the game that he probably shouldn't have left to be with me in my time of need. It was possible that I was falling in love with him all over again. I was completely stunned and wasn't sure what to say to him. He had shocked me once again.

  “I'm sorry, Sir. I know you're probably displeased with me that I left the game when I have not hit the major leagues quite yet. But you need to know that your daughter is the most important person in the world to me and if she's upset, I need to be there for her no matter what. And in the end it is just a game, she is the person that I love.”

  “Son, you have nothing to apologize for. It was very admirable for you to have left a game to be with my daughter. It lets me know that she is in good hands and that you can take care of her if necessary.”

  I looked back at my father and smiled, so surprised that he said those things to Bennett. Maybe you could teach old dogs new tricks after all. I wasn't sure if I should be mad at Bennett for leaving his team or whether I should just be overjoyed that he was willing to drop everything to ensure that I was all right. Wasn't that what I wanted in the first place? For him to pick me above everything else, even the game. I was thrilled that he was there with me and it made me love him that much more.

  “I love you, Bennett, so very much.” He came over and wrapped me in his arms and hugged me as tight as possible. He kissed me on top of the head had never felt more safe in my entire life.

  Chapter Ten

  My father looked over at Bennett and said, “So is all this true? You've really given up the chance of pitching a perfect game to be here with my daughter? I didn't get to see any of your game before I collapsed and was brought into the hospital. But by the sounds of it, you are doing pretty great. Really gave all that up to be here at the hospital with Emmi?”

  “Yes, Sir. And I know that I let my team down when I did so.” I knew by the look on Bennett's face that he was afraid my father was going to be disappointed in him again. He was afraid that he was going to lose his chance at being in the major leagues because he let his team down.

  “Like I said, Sir, I had to come because I'm in love with Emmi. She is the most important person in the world to me and I need her by my side or I am not going to be successful. I know you told me I could wait until I got to the major leagues to find a girl, but that's just not going to happen. Emmi is the only girl that I'm ever going to want. And I truly believe that I can love her and play baseball and make it to the major leagues with her by my side. I can do both, trust me.”

  I was overjoyed by what Bennett had to say about me and about our relationship. I was a little nervous, however, that my father would not approve. He hadn't exactly been the most supportive father during the course of our relationship. And he had a large part in almost destroying it – something that I would still one day talk to my father about. He can't always be in control of everything, especially when it came to two people falling in love and trying to make a situation work. I loved Bennett more than anything. And it was just as important to his career that I am there to support him all the way. Bennett was looking pretty nervous himself, as he looked at my father hoping for the best. But to both of our surprise, that was not how my father reacted at all. Steve smiled at Bennett and said, “You should never be ashamed of the love you have for my daughter. To be honest, I had no idea. My daughter isn’t exactly the best person to fill me in on these sorts of details. She also probably thought I wouldn’t be very supportive and that's a mistake that I made. What you did was noble and you should never apologize for doing something noble. You both have my blessing in this relationship and I know, Bennett, that if anyone can get to the big leagues with a girl on his arm it's you.”

  We both laughed and embrace one another. I hugged Bennett tighter than I've ever hugged anyone in my entire life. I was just so happy. We parted our hug and kissed each other softly on the lips. It was a perfect moment.

  Epilogue

  One Year Later...

  The day was hot and humid, but I couldn't have been happier. I was sitting in the stand at a home game for a professional baseball team called the South Carolina Stingrays. It was my father's team, and there is no better time to watch his team than now. I was focusing intently on the game; it was, after all, my job now. Instead of classes, this particular semester I was interning at the stadium of my father's team with hopes of securing a sportscaster position when I graduated from college. My father couldn’t have been happier that I wanted to intern for his team more than any other team. And of course I would, where else would I be? I wanted nothing more than to be a part of my father's team in a way that benefited my career, not necessarily as a means of taking the reins once my father retired.

  I reveled in being around baseball. I was having so much more fun now than I did in any classroom atmosphere had a college. That was the best part of being an intern; you got to be part of the action finally. It is not so much about what you learned in the textbook, it was more about having a hands-on experience doing the one thing you loved. And I truly loved every moment of it.

  I was talented enough myself that I had no doubt that I would be able to secure a position with the team after I graduated college. I knew exactly what I was doing and I was really good at it. I was there on that particular day to cover the game. I sketched out the play by play as I sat in the stadium with a beer in my hand. Did I happen to mention that I loved my job? But it was more than that, so much more. It wasn't just about this particular game with this particular team. I had a lot more invested in the team's wellbeing that extended far beyond my sportscaster duties.

  I loved baseball, there was no denying that, and as a sportscaster, I would probably try to remain as close to baseball as possibly could because it held a special place in my heart. I love so many things about it, and I couldn't really see myself loving any other sport more.

  Watching the game, I could tell it was a close one, and the Stingrays were going to go up to bat next. But I was hopeful they could pull out a win, they had some extraordinary talent.

  There was my father, standing off to the side overseeing the game as he always did. As I watch the batters get up, I took in the sight of my father enjoying every bit of it. Being at the hospital had been scary, but he had recovered fully and was healthier than ever.

  I love to watch my father work; he poured his heart and soul into the game as he always did. That was why he was a legend, after all. He was watching the game just as intently, maybe more, as I was. He loved it just as much as I did. And we had an excellent team that year; we couldn’t have asked for better players. They were going to take our team as far this it had ever been. My father beamed with pride as he watched his players come cl
oser and closer to winning the game.

  It was hard to believe how different things had been a year ago. My father being in the hospital after a heart attack and the relationship between Bennett and I almost ending before we realized we would do just about anything not to lose each other. We were so close to losing each other, until we both came to our senses and realized that love really was more important than anything else. I couldn't imagine where my life would have been right now I'd I lost Bennett. Would I have met somebody else? Would I have always missed him? Would I be dating yet another baseball player? Life had been basically hanging in the balance back then, when my father suffered his heart attack. It had come so very close to being a bad situation for him, and I was oh so glad that he pulled through it. He had changed his diet and some of his bad habits so that he could live a healthier lifestyle and be a part of all of our lives. Considering everything that had happened since his heart attack, it was scary to think how close he had come to not being part of any of it. The very thought of it brought tears to my eyes and I was overcome with a feeling of thankfulness, thankfulness for my father being in my life. To experience all the joy that has been brought into my life and this past year. I had never been happier and I was glad my father was there to see it all come around.

  Just then, my attention was torn away from my father and brought back to the field. A new batter was coming up to the plate almost out of nowhere. He stood there strong and ready, waiting for that ball to be thrown his way. He hit a fantastic home run. It's actually the first home run this player has hit in his entire major league career. I beamed with pride as I stared down at him as he ran from plate to plate. There are two other players on plates ahead of him and both my father and I stand up excitedly with the rest of the fans. I could even see the excitement on my player’s face. He knew he had done really, really well. And that was what a professional career was all about – making sure that you did your best at every game to take your team to the top. I looked over at my father and grinned, reading the look on his face. We were both very proud of our players and of the team in general. As we watched the play ensue before us, the batter and the other two players made it home, pulling out into a solid lead against the other team.

  That wasn't just the only great play of the game. After the home run, the team went ahead and scored a couple more good runs. Things were getting close, and it was starting get hard to tell who was going to win.

  When the third batter struck out, I knew that the team was going to have to fight to keep their win and not plunge the game into overtime. Overtime was always a tricky place to be in, if you took your team there, there was a chance you could lose everything. My father and I did not want an overtime game. We wanted our team to win and win fast. I smiled as I saw Bennett Thomas take the field. He looked strong and sexy as he walked out. I beamed with pride as I saw him. Just the sight of him made me get to my feet once again and cheer excitedly for him. That was my man, after all. I had all the faith in the world that he was going to turn this game around for us. The crowd cheered loudly, roaring with excitement.

  Just as he had done his AAA team, Bennett had become very comfortable with the major leagues quickly and it was no big surprise that he had learned how to ensure a win for his team. And that was exactly what my father and I were counting on. It didn’t take Bennett long to strike out the first three batters that come out onto the field, winning the game for the Stingrays. The crowd jumped to their feet, going wild all around me, and I could not stop smiling as I watched it all go down. I couldn’t have been prouder as I watched Bennett being cheered on by everyone around us. My father was clapping loudly as he stared out onto the field at Bennett. My man had made it to the major leagues and having him on the Stingrays made it just that much better. Now I could spend most days with him and still do my job.

  I wasn't about to wait another moment to see Bennett. I got out of my seat and made my way down to the field. I could see Bennett standing there amongst his teammates, getting all the congratulations he deserved. I ran across the field towards him and just as he turned around to face me I jumped right into his arms. I was grinning like an idiot and there was a smile on his face, as well.

  “Oh, baby, what are you trying to do, kill me?” he asked as he hugged me tightly. We pulled apart briefly so that we could kiss. The thing I loved about Bennett and his kisses was that he knew how to kiss me so very passionately. The guy knew what he was doing when it came to kissing. When we finally pulled apart, I turned around and noticed my father standing close by and clapping loudly.

  “Thatta boy! That's one way to celebrate a win. Good job, son, I couldn't be more proud of you.”

  I ran over to my father and embraced him, hugging him tightly. Bennett came over and I grabbed both my father and my boyfriend and gave a large hug. The three of us hugged so tightly, we were all just bound together like family. No matter what happened in my life, there was nothing that would be able to take away the feeling of completeness that I had in that very moment. The feeling that I had having both my father and Bennett in my life and knowing everything had just worked out just as it was supposed to. In that moment, all was right in the world.

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  RIDE – THE COMPLETE SERIES

  By Nella Tyler

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2015 Nella Tyler

  CHAPTER ONE

  SUMMER

  “It’s ten thousand dollars, Ben! Do you know how long we can live off of ten grand?”

  “Yeah, the rest of us can all live great off of it while you’re getting your cavities searched in the county lock-up on a daily basis.”

  I rolled my eyes at my friend. Ben is the worrier of our group. He’s older…twenty-six, I think, and he’s been on the streets longer than any of us. I have a lot of respect for him and the things that he’s been through, but this is one thing I’m not going to let him talk me out of. I came across a flyer for a surfing contest that’s happening in two weeks, and I plan on winning it. “I have a plan, Ben. I’m not going to get caught.” I bent down to pick up a can out of the gutter and dropped it into the bag Bennie carried. So far this morning, we’d almost filled a thirty gallon bag – not bad for a Tuesday.

  “You don’t think the guy who owns the shop will be at the competition? I’m sure he has a brand name or something on those boards that make them recognizable in case they’re stolen. I’m sure if he doesn’t notice it gone right away, he will sometime in the next two weeks.” When I didn’t say anything, he continued, “Besides, Summer, babe…” I hate it when he calls me that. “There’s no guarantee you’ll win.”

  “That back room is filled with boards. He probably won’t ever notice it missing, but just in case, we’ll sand anything off that identifies it. Don’t call me babe and have some faith. I’ll win.”

  He sighed like the weight of the world was on his shoulders. “So let’s go over this ‘brilliant’ plan one more time. I don’t want to be responsible for screwing it up.”

  “Okay, so Phoebe and I are going to go in the shop. While we’re browsing, she is gonna strike up a conversation with that old guy at the counter who pervs on her every time he sees her.”

  “That ‘old guy’ is about thirty.”

  “Yeah, like I said, the old guy. Now pay attention. I’m going to wait until he’s lost in her deep brown eyes and then I’ll ask to use the bathroom. He’ll let me because he’ll want to keep Phoebe’s attention as long as he can. While I’m in the back, I’ll grab one of the boards and shove it out the door to you. You’ll be waiting in the alley, by the way.”

  “And, I just saunter away holding this brand
new surfboard?”

  Frustrated with him now, I said, “There is a whole beach less than one block over. Do you think anyone is going to notice a guy carrying a surfboard around here?”

  “What about an alarm on the back door?”

  “He’s a hippie; he’s too laid back for alarms.”

  “You know this for a fact?”

  “No, but I’m convinced he’s not the alarm type. He’s more inclined to leave it to fate and karma. I’ll look closer while I’m in there, though, I promise.”

  “Summer…”

  “Come on, Bennie, give me some credit. I’ll be fine.”

  “You better be.”

  “I will, now listen. Once you have the board, you keep walking until you get to the cave. Phoebe and I will hang out a while longer so he doesn’t get suspicious. It’ll work, I promise.”I wasn’t usually one for manipulation, but I really wanted him off my back. I kissed his cheek and smiled at him the way it made him blush. Bennie and I had a short fling when I first hooked up with this band of vagabonds. Once he found out I was only seventeen, we never sealed the deal, it was just a lot of kissing and heavy petting. Eventually, I realized I thought of him more like a big brother and the kissing and touching started to kind of gross me out. Bennie understood, or at least he said he did, but, he still acts like a kid with a crush. “Come on; let’s go see what Ace cooked us up for lunch.”

  Bennie looked like he had more to say about my plan, but he kept it to himself, thankfully. I might only be four months away from my nineteenth birthday, but I’m no kid. I’ve been on the streets for almost five years. I crossed the country by myself when I was only fourteen. I’ve fought off more than one would-be attacker, and I’ve begged, borrowed, and stolen when I had to. I’ve moved from one encampment to the next. I’ve slept in parks and caves, on the beach and behind dumpsters. I’ve learned not to trust anyone completely…and no one easily. I’m not dead and I haven’t been in jail yet.