Brynn slid down the wall and sank to the floor.
"Brynn, don't say that I can't stand you! You're too important to me," Chandler told her, kneeling down so that he could look into her eyes. "I was so scared when I heard you scream. I was terrified that something had happened to you. I don't want to lose you Brynn."
"Hard to lose me if you don't actually have me," she pouted.
"I want to have you. I want to be your boyfriend."
She blinked up at him. "You do?"
"I'm sorry for running out on you the other night. I just needed to sort some things out. I'm still not sure about everything, but I want to see where this thing between us leads," Chandler told her.
Brynn gave him a shaky smile. "Well, I guess we could give it a shot."
"I hope so...I finally feel like a knight in shining armor," he teased.
"You are," she said in all seriousness, and then burst into tears.
Chandler wrapped his arms around her as she shook and sobbed in the aftermath of what her ex-husband had tried to do. He simply held her until the tears ran out, not sure what to say, not sure that he needed to say anything at all.
When the tears were over, Chandler stood up and pulled her up with him. She finally realized that he was wearing his Yankees hat. She wiped her tears and gave him a brave smile. "Hey, you better get going. The game starts soon."
"Well, I can't go yet. You haven't put your jersey on," Chandler told her.
Brynn just looked at him, confused.
"Brynn, did you think I would leave you here? You and Barrett are coming with us. Grab his jersey, and put yours on, and let's go!"
"Are you sure?" Brynn asked, her eyes wide.
"Yes, now hurry up or we'll miss the beginning. We still have an hour's drive ahead of us!"
Brynn gave him a tentative smile. "So we're okay...?"
"We are more than okay," he said, stepping close to her and kissing her lips. Nico might have repulsed her, but this kiss - ah, this one made her head swim and her heart pound.
It was over far too soon as Chandler pulled away, grinned and turned her toward the stairs. "Jerseys," he reminded her.
Brynn ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time. She threw hers over her head, and tossed Barrett's on her shoulder. She raced downstairs where Chandler was waiting for her.
Chandler was waiting for her!
She charged down the steps, feeling entirely renewed, all the insanity of Nico forgotten. When she got to the last two steps, she leaped off and jumped into Chandler's arms.
Chandler twirled her around as their lips met in another steamy kiss. "We better go before the kids come looking for us."
Brynn nodded. "Thank you."
"Huh?"
"Thanks. For giving me another chance with my knight in shining armor."
"You mean, your knight in a Yankees cap?"
She gave him a dazzling smile.
"It was my pleasure. Now let's go!" Chandler said, as he grabbed her hand and took her out the door.
Chapter 12
The group managed to get to the baseball game with plenty of time to spare before the first pitch was thrown. Barrett and Willow were both so excited to be at their first major league baseball game. Their little eyes took in everything that the stadium had to offer as they looked around in awe.
Brynn led them to their seats, in the first section on the third base line, only about 15 rows up from the field. Chandler was impressed with how great the seats were. Barrett and Willow acted like it was Christmas for them. As they sat down, they chattered on excitedly about all the players they saw on the field warming up.
"Well, I think you are Willow's new hero. She'll never forget this birthday," Chandler said with a smile. "How did you manage to get such great seats? They must have cost a fortune!"
"Well, one of my clients owns these seats, and he gave them to me for a really great deal. I'm glad Willow is enjoying herself. I just wanted to do something special for her. She has been a Godsend to Barrett. I thought he was going to take our move hard, but Willow sort of cushioned the blow for him," Brynn shrugged, smiling down at the excited little girl. "Their friendship has made it a lot easier on both of us. Besides, Willow is such a sweet girl, and I just love her. You have done a good job raising her. You know that, don't you?"
"Yeah, she did turn out pretty well," Chandler laughed. He was proud of his daughter, even though she was only eight. She came through a tough time in life with so few scars. He wished he could say the same for himself. "Well, I know I appreciate the tickets, and Willow does too. So, thank you."
"Trust me, it's the least I could do," Brynn said, with a smile. "Speaking of heroes, I may be Willow's, but you're definitely mine." Brynn looked down at her hands. She didn't want to think about what had happened in her house earlier. She was still completely confused and a little scared. "Thank you again for getting Nico away from me. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't come in when you did." She shook her head, feeling cold even in the warmth of the hot sun. "What if Barrett had walked in, and saw what his father was doing?"
"Well, I'm glad I got there when I did." He picked up her hand and kissed it, then entwined their fingers, resting both hands on the arm rest between their seats. They sat there silently, just enjoying the time they were all spending together. The parents listened to Barrett and Willow talking about how when they got older, they were going to be out on that field too.
Soon after, a voice came through the loud speaker, asking everyone to rise for the National Anthem. Everybody stood and removed their baseball caps. Willow and Barrett sang along loudly as the 'Star Spangled Banner' played throughout the stadium. After that, the first pitch was thrown, signifying the start of the game.
By the seventh inning stretch, the Yanks were ties with their opponents 4-4. It was a great game all around, and even Chandler had started rooting for the Yankees. 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame' began playing, and Barrett and Willow got up from their seats and started dancing around, singing the song.
Once it was done, Brynn grabbed Willow and told her to look up at the Jumbo-tron.
Willow looked up and saw her picture on the screen for the whole crowd to see. 'Happy 8th Birthday, Willow!' flashed across the screen. She waved shyly at the camera that was displaying her picture. Barrett noticed that when she waved, it showed her waving on the screen. So, he jumped in front of her, hoping to get his picture up there too. As soon as he got in front of her, his picture flashed up there and was gone a second later.
"That's what you get for hot-doggin'!" Brynn told a disappointed Barrett, laughing hard.
"Dad, that was so cool! Did you see me up on that big TV screen? How did they know it was my birthday? Do you think any of the kids from school saw me?" Willow asked excitedly, rapidly shooting one question after the other.
"I saw you up there, Willow. Brynn told them it was your birthday and asked them to help you celebrate it. I'm sure if any of your friends are watching, they saw it," Chandler told her.
"Thank you so much, Brynn!" Willow shouted, as she threw her arms around Brynn's neck to give her a big hug. "This has been the coolest birthday ever!"
"You're welcome, sweetie. I hope you enjoyed your day," Brynn told her.
"It's not over yet, kiddo. I have a little surprise up my sleeve for after the game," Chandler told Willow. He looked over at Brynn and winked.
The game resumed, and the Yankees ended up winning 6-4. The kids were so excited that their favorite team won, and they immediately started chattering about coming back for another game. Chandler led them out of the stands, but instead of taking them out to the parking lot, he brought them to one of the security centers. He spoke to one of the guys there, and waited for a few minutes while the guy made some calls.
"What are we waiting for, Mom?" Barrett asked Brynn.
"I'm not sure, Barrett. I have no idea," she said.
Chandler turned around with a big smile on his face. "Come on," he said to the
m, as he followed a security officer through a hallway and some doors.
"Chandler, are you going to tell us where we're going?" Brynn asked, getting a little nervous.
"You'll all see when we get there. You aren't the only one with surprises today," he said with a smirk.
After walking through a few underground tunnels, they reached their destination. The security officer went into a room, leaving the four of them outside to wait. The door that the officer went through opened again, but instead of it being the guy who went in just a few minutes ago, it was someone else.
"Oh my God! It's Mike Mussina!" Barrett yelled.
Brynn stood there in shock. Chandler shook the pitcher's hand. "Great game tonight, Moose!"
"Thanks, Chandler. It's been a while. How've you been?" Mike asked Chandler.
"I've been doing pretty well actually. Not as good as you obviously," Chandler said with a smile. He looked down to Willow and said, "Hey Willow, you remember Uncle Mikey?"
Willow nodded shyly.
"Uncle Mikey?" Brynn gasped.
"Oh, sorry. Mike, this is Brynn, my..." Chandler looked unsure of what to say. "...Friend and neighbor. Brynn, this is Mike "Moose" Mussina."
Brynn was still stunned. "Nice to meet you," she said, as she shook his hand.
"The pleasure is all mine," he said, flashing a thousand-watt smile. "So, what's a beautiful woman like you doing associating with a chump like Chandler?"
Brynn giggled like a school girl.
"This is Brynn's son, Barrett," Chandler told Mike, as he pointed to the little boy who had been in awe since he first saw Moose standing in front of him.
"Nice to meet you, little man," Mike said, after he finally tore his eyes from Brynn. He shook the little boy's hand, and looked back to Brynn.
"So, you're married?" he asked her directly.
"No, divorced," Brynn told him.
"Interesting..." Mike said, nodding his head. He grinned at Brynn. Caught up in the moment, she grinned right back.
"So, anyway, didn't you have something for Willow?" Chandler asked, getting a little impatient with his friend.
"Oh, right," Mike said, snapping out of his dream-like fog. He opened up his gym bag. "Willow, I heard you're a big Yankees fan. So, your dad asked me to get you some stuff. Here is a jersey signed by all the players, my jersey that I wore tonight, autographed by yours truly, and the winning ball signed by me and the rest of the pitchers from tonight."
He handed all the stuff to Willow. She began jumping up and down with excitement.
"And, I have a ball signed by all the players for Barrett over here," he said, and threw the ball to Barrett. Barrett's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. Mike smiled at the kids, completely satisfied with their reactions.
"Now, how would you all like to meet some of the other players?" he asked.
"Mike, you don't have to do that. I don't want to bother anyone. I think Willow is happy enough to have this stuff," Chandler told Mike.
"Oh, it's no trouble at all. The guys love meeting their biggest fans," he reassured Chandler. He looked at Brynn. "So, are you a fan?"
"Um, that's an understatement. I have loved the Yankees since I was old enough to follow the game. Why do you think Barrett is such a big fan?" Brynn told him.
"Yeah, you should see how she painted my bedroom! It has the Yankee pinstripes down it, with a big Yankee symbol on the wall over my bed. It's so cool, you should see it!" Barrett said excitedly.
"I'd love to see it sometime," he smiled. "How about we go into the locker room now? Maybe you can get some more autographs too, if you want them."
"Are you sure we aren't imposing?" Chandler asked.
"Not at all," Mike said, as he led them into the locker room.
Barrett and Willow took off to talk to all their favorites. Willow cornered Jason Giambi, and Barrett cornered Derek Jeter. Brynn watched as the kids were excitedly talking to their favorite players. The players looked entirely comfortable with the kids there, and made a point of making them feel special. She could hear Barrett talking about his dog and how he named him Jeter. Jeter threw his head back and laughed. Barrett looked like he was in heaven.
"So, how cheesy would it be if I asked you for your autograph?" Brynn asked Mike.
"I'd be honored. Where would you like it?"
"How about my shirt? It's my favorite and I wear it all the time."
"I have a better idea. Why don't I give you one of mine, and I'll get all the guys to sign it. That way, you don't have to ruin your favorite one," Mike told her. "Besides, I notice it's a Giambi jersey...that hurts. I was hoping I would be your favorite."
"Well, you are now," Brynn laughed.
Chandler rolled his eyes. He couldn't believe they were flirting with each other, right in front of him.
Mike went to get another jersey out of his locker for the guys to sign, leaving Brynn and Chandler alone. Chandler moved closer to Brynn and put his arm around her shoulder. "Having fun?"
"Yeah, this is so cool. How come you never told me you were friends with Mike Mussina?"
Chandler shrugged. "I don't know. It's not like I use it as a bargaining piece, like 'Be my friend since I'm friends with Mike Mussina.' We go way back, but we don't see each other very often."
"I understand. He seems like a nice guy."
"He is. He seems pretty taken with you, and it looks like you're enjoying him just as much," Chandler said, with a little edge to his voice.
"Well, I didn't think you'd mind. I mean after all, I'm just a 'friend and neighbor', right?" Brynn gave him her edgy voice right back.
Chandler sighed. "I didn't know what to say in front of the kids. I'm sorry. I hope you're more than my friend and neighbor, but what do you want me to tell people?"
"I'm sorry, you're right." Brynn shook her head. "I don't really know what to say either."
Chandler pulled Brynn into a hug, and after glancing at Barrett and Willow to make sure they weren't looking, he gave Brynn a soft kiss on the lips. "Do you forgive me now?"
"Hmm. I might need a few more kisses to convince me."
"Well, twist my arm and all, but I think I can make it up to you later," Chandler smiled at her. He squeezed her tight in another hug, just as Mike was walking back over to them.
"Sorry, am I interrupting something?"
Brynn and Chandler broke apart. "No you're not interrupting anything. At least, nothing that we can't hold off until later," Chandler said with a smirk.
"Oh, I see," Mike said, disappointed when he realized that Brynn and Chandler might be more than friends. "Well, here's your new jersey, signed by all the guys." Mike handed her his jersey, touching her hand as he did so.
"Thanks, this is the coolest thing I've ever gotten!" Brynn said, sounding like a school girl again.
"I bet I could give you something cooler," Mike said, under his breath.
"Huh?" Brynn asked. "I'm sorry, I didn't hear what you said. It's pretty loud in here."
"Oh, sorry. I just said it was my pleasure," Mike lied.
"Well, we should probably get going. Mike, I expect you'll be over to the house sometime soon for dinner?"
"How can I turn down a free, homecooked meal?" Mike laughed. "I'll give you a call, and we'll make plans for it. Will the lovely Brynn be attending this fine dinner?"
"I'm sure I can persuade her to come. I may even persuade her to cook, since she is so much better at it than I am." Chandler looked at Brynn, and they smiled at each other. "I'll get the old gang all together and we'll make a night out of it. Will you be in town next weekend?"
"Yeah, next weekend will work for me. I'll see you both then. Call me and let me know what time."
"You got it. Thanks for everything Mike. We all appreciate it!"
Brynn rounded up Willow and Barrett, then came back and thanked Mike again. "I can't tell you how much we appreciate this today. Thank you so much for everything!" Brynn said, and gave him a hug. "See you next weekend!"
"See
you then. Bye everyone!" Mike replied, as the four people left the locker room. He couldn't help but admire Brynn's rear as she walked away.
By the time the SUV pulled into the driveway, both kids were asleep in the back. They had had such an exciting day that it finally took a toll on them and knocked them out. Brynn smiled when she saw both kids asleep, with Willow's head resting on Barrett's shoulder and Barrett's head resting on Willow's head. They looked so cute sleeping like that, and Brynn hated to break them apart to put them to bed. She also didn't want to wake them up and have them be so rested from the nap that it would take them hours to settle back down.
In the end, Brynn and Chandler decided to try to carry the kids, and not wake them up. They carried them up to Barrett's bedroom, so that Chandler and Brynn could spend a little more time together, alone.
The kids were so worn out they didn't wake up. Brynn put Barrett in his bed, then set up the spare bed for Willow.
Brynn and Chandler went downstairs to sit in the living room and watch TV. Brynn stopped in the kitchen and got them both a couple of Pepsis. When she got to the living room, she found Chandler on the couch, waiting for her.
"Come here, I think I have something to make up to you," he teased, as he pulled Brynn down on the couch and into his arms.
"I believe you are right. You might want to start now. It may take you a while," Brynn smiled.
"I thought you'd never ask," he told her, then captured her lips with his own.
Brynn moaned as he kissed her. She had missed this so much since their argument; now she was more than ready to make up for lost time. Their tongues dueled with each other as their passion increased.
Chandler hadn't intended to go too far, but he couldn't help himself - he had to touch her. His hand went from Brynn's waist to cup one of her breasts through her jersey. She broke the kiss as she threw her head back and moaned, pushing harder into his hand. . Chandler began trailing kisses down her jaw, heading toward her soft and silky neck. Once he got there, he found that he wanted more. Again throwing common sense to the wind, Chandler started to unbutton her jersey.
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