Playing With You

by Cheyenne McCray

  “I’ll pick you up at eleven-thirty,” he said as he stuffed the change into his pocket. “Potluck is at noon and the softball game is after that.”

  She smiled. “I’ll be ready.”

  He gave her one more lingering look before he turned and headed out of the bakery. He paused at the door when he pushed it open and looked back at her. He gave her a nod before walking through the entrance.

  She put her hand to her belly, her stomach swooping as he left. Had he said without words that he wanted her like she wanted him? She couldn’t be absolutely positive, but she was sure she felt something between them. It was in the way he looked at her, the way he spoke to her.

  Old, ugly insecurities reared their heads and made her wonder how a man like him could find a woman like her interesting or appealing.

  She closed her eyes tightly for a moment before opening them again. No, she would not give in to those feelings. She couldn’t let life pass her by just because she was insecure about herself.

  Maybe she was in for heartbreak, but anything worth having was worth trying for. And as far as she was concerned, Garrett McBride was worth putting her heart out on the line.

  Chapter 14

  Easter Sunday dawned cold, dark, and cloudy, and it looked like rain on the horizon. The weather report had said there was a chance of intermittent showers throughout the day.

  Ricki frowned as she looked out the front window of her home. She wondered if the McBride family softball game would be called on account of rain. She rubbed her palms on her jeans, a jittery sensation going through her. She’d be with Garrett and a bunch of the McBride clan soon. What would they think of her being there with Garrett?

  A truck pulled up in front of the house and Ricki saw that it was Garrett. She let the curtain slide back into place and went to the kitchen to grab the small cross-body purse she used on outings so that she could keep her hands free. The doorbell rang as she picked up the big box of Easter cookies and headed for the front door.

  After she took a deep breath, she unlocked and opened the door to see him standing on her doorstep. He so looked yummy in athletic shoes, jeans, gray sweat jacket, and a red University of Arizona baseball cap. She loved the way he filled out his jeans and T-shirt beneath the open jacket, and she loved the stubble on his jaws—he was sexy as hell.

  She smiled as she met his eyes. “Hi,” she said.

  “You look great.” With the deep intensity of his voice and the look in his eyes, she was certain he meant every word. That, despite the fact that she was wearing simply a red U of A T-shirt beneath a navy blue jacket, faded jeans, and an older pair of athletic shoes—not exactly what she’d call sexy, but at least she was dressed for the occasion. He’d nodded toward her U of A T-shirt. “You have good taste.”

  He took the box of cookies from her as she stepped out onto the porch. “I attended the U of A,” she said. “Did you?”

  “Just a lifelong fan thanks to growing up with my mother who always rooted for them.” He smiled. “I guess you could say it rubbed off on me.”

  Ricki locked the door behind her and they walked down the steps together. The April morning was cool and the scent of oncoming rain was strong on the air.

  “What happens if it rains?” she asked as he helped her into his truck.

  An amused smile touched his lips. “With this rivalry, it would take an act of God or a nuclear war to stop our game,” he said and she laughed as he handed her the box of cookies.

  She clutched the box in her lap as he went around to the driver’s side and climbed in. “Are you sure no one will mind me tagging along?”

  He raised an eyebrow. “People who know you love you, Ricki,” he said, his tone direct and sincere. “And if they don’t already, they will. You’ll be more than welcome any time.”

  She clutched the box tighter. “Thank you.”

  It wasn’t far to the park that had picnic tables near the baseball field. The McBrides had reserved the field so it was all theirs.

  When the field came into sight, Ricki swallowed. “A lot of people there already,” she said as their vehicle approached the group.

  Garrett parked the truck. He glanced at her and gave her a sexy little smile. “Just wait ’til everyone else gets here.”

  After parking, he jumped out of the truck, came around to the passenger side, and took the box of cookies from her before helping her out of the vehicle. He grabbed the handle of an ice chest that was behind the passenger seat and carried it and the cookies across the grass as they walked side-by-side.

  Butterflies danced in her belly as they headed toward the group and the tables that were already loaded with food.

  “Hi, Ricki.” Jo, who was married to Tate McBride, flashed a beautiful smile as she approached them. The statuesque redhead gave Ricki a hug. “I was excited when Garrett said he was bringing you.”

  Ricki returned Jo’s smile. “I’ve been looking forward to it.”

  “Oooh, what did you bring?” Tess, Gage’s wife, was a petite woman with short blonde curls. She took the pink box from Garrett. “If I know you, Ricki, it’s got to be good.”

  “Easter cookies.” Ricki and Tess hugged after setting the box on the end of one of the folding tables next to trays mounded with brownies and lemon bars.

  “Hello, Ricki.” Megan came up from behind her sister, Tess. Megan was married to Ryan. “Good to see you here,” Megan added with a broad smile.

  “You do know you’re hugging the enemy,” Garrett said and winked at Ricki who laughed.

  Megan swept Ricki away to meet Danica, Creed’s wife, and Cat, who was married to Blake. Soon Ricki had been introduced to a good number of the McBrides. She’d met a lot of them at her bakery and it was great to see familiar faces. She found that after a short time she wasn’t nervous anymore and was actually having fun meeting and seeing everyone.

  Every now and then her gaze would connect with Garrett’s. She’d feel like she was being watched and she would turn to find him with his eyes on her. When she looked back she felt a longing like she’d never experienced before. She didn’t want to be walking around with her heart on her sleeve, so she did her best not to think about him and how incredibly scrumptious he looked, not to mention how she felt when she was around him. But not thinking about Garrett was like trying to chase the storm clouds away.

  The air was cool and filled with an energy that was contagious. No one seemed to mind the threat of rain and the chatter and laughter continued as more McBrides showed up. Ricki found herself smiling and comfortable enough to talk easily with everyone she met and not feel as nervous as she’d expected.

  When it was time to eat, Garrett came up behind Ricki and put his hands on her shoulders. She swore she felt the warmth of his palms through her jacket, the heat traveling straight to her belly. “Let’s sit by my mom and stepdad.” She looked at him and he gave a nod toward the end of one of the tables.

  She bit the inside of her lip. She’d known this moment would come, when she’d meet his parents, and she found she was a little nervous now.

  When they reached the end of the table, Garrett introduced her to his brother, Reese, a detective. He had intense blue eyes like Garrett’s, and was as tall as the McBride men but that was where the resemblance ended. Reese had light brown hair, square features, and an athlete’s build.

  Garrett and Reese had been legally adopted into the family when they were young and had taken on their stepdad, Hal’s, last name, when their mother, Angel, married him. Angel was tall and pretty, and Hal was on the gruff side but with a quick wit and dry humor.

  Hal’s biological sons, Garrett’s stepbrothers, were John and Mike. John, a police officer, was friendly and personable, but often he seemed to have a serious expression, almost brooding.

  Mike, the county’s newly elected sheriff, had a more relaxed personality and a humor in his eyes when he was with family and friends. It was easy to see why people liked him and why he’d been elected sheriff. When on th
e job, he was likely just as serious as his brother, John, but off the job he was personable and genuine. From what she’d been told, before Mike became sheriff, he’d been a decorated officer with the Prescott Police Department and owned a ranch near his parents’ place.

  “The cake you made for Jo’s and Tate’s wedding was amazing,” Angel said when Ricki was introduced to her. “I loved the moistness of the white cake and the raspberry filling. The frosting with the white and red roses was perfect.”

  “Thank you.” Ricki smiled. “I have to admit I love my job.”

  “Did you make the cakes for the other brothers’ weddings?” Angel asked.

  Ricki nodded. “I designed and made the cakes for all five of them.”

  Making wedding cakes was a bittersweet task for Ricki. She loved making the couple happy on their special day, and she always had a sense of satisfaction that everyone had been pleased with her creations.

  The bittersweet part was the fact that she was helping make someone else’s day special when she yearned for a special day of her own. All the planning that went into making and decorating the cake and then it was gone… Just like her hopes for a happy future with someone she loved.

  She couldn’t help but wish for a man she could love with all her heart and who would love her equally. A man who would treat her like his queen and care for her in every way a man could care for a woman.

  She looked at Garrett from beneath her lashes and wondered if he could be that man. She let out an inward sigh. Mentally she was pushing things a little too far, a little too fast.

  It wasn’t long before she found herself sitting at one of the tables in between Angel and Garrett. She was unbelievably aware of Garrett as his upper arm brushed hers or his knee bumped into her knee.

  Angel continued to talk with Ricki. She was a pleasant woman with a sense of humor that was easy to see. Angel had continued to ask Ricki about her bakery.

  “I imagine you have to get up pretty early in the morning,” Angel said, “to get all of that baking done.”

  Ricki nodded. “Usually I have help, but tomorrow morning Poncho is off so I’ll be baking alone. I need to get there around midnight.”

  “That’s pretty damned early,” Garrett said. “We’d better make sure you don’t get home too late so that you can get some sleep before you have to go in.”

  Frankly, Ricki wasn’t too worried about sleep at all if Garrett was going to be around. The thought of spending the night with him sent flutters through her belly. She could feel the sexual tension in him that was as intense as hers.

  The food was great. It was a potluck with main courses ranging from barbeque riblets to Swedish meatballs to sour cream enchiladas to hot wings and more. Baked beans, potato and macaroni salads were some of the side dishes. Appetizers included a spinach dip, mini quiches, tortilla chips and guacamole, and deviled eggs. In addition to the cookies, lemon bars, Jell-O salad, and brownies, there were also two rum Bundt cakes and a huge Texas sheet cake.

  Ricki took a little bit of everything and ended up with a plate piled with goodies, which she was certain she wouldn’t be able to finish. Surprisingly, she ate most of it and enjoyed every bite.

  “Here it comes,” Garrett said close to her, his warm breath tickling her ear.

  She felt a tingling sensation race through her as she glanced at him. “Here what comes?”

  He nodded to the end of the table. “One of our Easter traditions is like Thanksgiving for a lot of people.”

  Curious, Ricki looked toward Hal who stood and raised his beer can. “You all know what time it is.”

  Good-natured groans and laughs went around the tables. Curious, Ricki glanced around before looking back at Hal.

  “For those of you new to our get-together, every Easter we all share what we’re grateful for.” He looked around at everyone who had quieted to listen to him. “Every single one of us.”

  Ricki sure hoped he didn’t mean her.

  “I’ll start us off.” Hal was a tall and trim man without a hint of a beer gut or a belly. He cleared his throat and rested his hand on Angel’s shoulder. “I’m grateful for Angel, the love of my life and for each of my four sons.” He looked at each one of his sons. “Now if you’ll just get busy and get me and Angel some grandkids, we’ll be doing just fine.”

  The other brothers groaned, but Garrett just glanced at Ricki. She felt her cheeks warm as some of the family members grinned at her. Part of her protested that it was much too soon to think about children or anything else when she and Garrett had just started dating. And part of her wished she were having Garrett’s child.

  “Enough of that.” Angel stood and waved her husband to sit down as applause followed his short speech. “Although I do agree with your father. You boys need to make us some proud grandparents.” She brushed hair from her eyes as everyone laughed again. “I’d like to say I’m grateful for our health and for Hal.” She glanced at him with fondness in her gaze. “Best husband a gal could ask for.”

  The way Hal and Angel looked at each other caused something to twist inside of Ricki. She would love for a man to look at her the way Hal was looking at Angel. To have a man who clearly loved her just as much as Garrett’s parents loved each other.

  After Angel sat back down, one by one their sons said what they were grateful for. Reese made everyone laugh by saying he was most grateful for his Aunt Del’s rum cake and the opportunity to kick ass in today’s game.

  And then it came time for Garrett to stand. By his expression, it looked like it was one of the most painful things he’d ever done and she had the most absurd desire to giggle.

  He took off his ball cap and pushed his fingers through his hair before he settled his cap back on his head, tugged down on the brim. “I’m thankful for potential opportunities,” he said before sitting down again.

  Family members clapped and some of them looked at Ricki and she blinked. He hadn’t been talking about her.

  Had he?

  “You’re next, Ricki.” Angel brought Ricki out of her thoughts as Garrett sat down.

  Garrett leaned close. “Sorry, honey. Should have warned you.”

  She nodded, her throat constricting as she stood. Her skin tingled and her smile felt tacked on. “I’m grateful for my store and the opportunity to get to do something I love and meet so many of Prescott’s residents.” She took a little breath. “And I appreciate you all letting me come to your family celebration.”

  “We love having you here, Ricki,” one of the guys called out, but she wasn’t sure who’d said it. Applause followed like it did for everyone else who’d spoken.

  When she sat down, Garrett’s hand found hers beneath the table, giving her a warm feeling that traveled straight through her. She looked at him and he gave her a little smile. “You did great,” he said.

  The sharing continued on. Almost thirty family members were present so everyone kept it pretty short. When it came time for Creed to say what he was thankful for, he brought Danica up to stand with him.

  “Now that I’ve retired from the bull riding circuit…” Creed met Danica’s gaze before looking at those gathered round, “we’ve decided to start a family.” A grin split his face as he put his hand on Danica’s belly. “We’re pregnant.”

  Cheers and exclamations rose up from the tables, congratulations all the way around. The soon-to-be mom and dad beamed, and his parents, Del and Bull, stood to hug them.

  When the crowd quieted, Creed’s brothers and their wives finished up with the things that they were grateful for. Ryan and Megan were last to go out of the bunch gathered in the park.

  After they stood, Ryan said with a broad grin, “Not to upstage Creed and Danica, but Megan and I are having twins.”

  The group erupted again and this time, now that each person was finished, everyone stood and gathered around the two expectant couples, hugs and kisses all the way around.

  Pressure built at the backs of Ricki’s eyes as she felt the desire to cry wi
th happiness for the couples. With Garrett at her side she went to congratulate Danica and Creed, and then Megan and Ryan.

  When the crowd settled, Hal said above the crowd, “Now let’s get down to business.”

  Chapter 15

  A sprinkle plopped on Ricki’s nose followed by another on her cheek. She glanced up at the cloudy gray sky and a droplet landed on her eyelid. She breathed in the clean scent of rain and looked around her to see family members continuing to laugh and chat and carry on, ignoring the sprinkles.

  Leftover food was covered and carried back to the cars and trucks and Ricki was gratified to see that almost all of the Easter cookies had been devoured.

  Softballs, gloves, bats, and bases were fetched from the vehicles and carried to the field. Umbrellas were retrieved, too, for those who would be sitting on the bleachers. By the time everything was settled, there were nine players on each team with everyone else on the bleachers.

  Hal, Bull, Hart, Henry, and Gus McBride were brothers and apparently they’d had the rivalry going from the time their sons were little. They’d had smaller teams that had gradually grown as more and more McBride sons grew to be old enough to play. The McBrides had mostly boys, but there were a couple of girls mixed in.

  Hal’s team had his four sons plus Gus’s three sons and Henry’s two. Bull’s team had his five sons plus Hart’s four.

  Ricki sat on the “home” team bleachers since this year Garrett’s family was designated the home team. Angel sat beside Ricki and held a red umbrella over the two of them.

  Angel laughed as she pushed damp hair out of her eyes. “There’s so much testosterone raging around here during the Easter game.”

  “Do the women ever play?” Ricki asked.

  Angel shook her head. “Early on there hadn’t been any women around save Del, a couple of other sister-in-laws, and me, and we hadn’t wanted to get in the middle of this male-bonding thing. Now that Del and Bull’s sons have all married, the number of women has changed, but the game hasn’t.”