Playing the Field

by C. J. Pinard

  Then she yelled, “Yes, baby, yes, I’ll marry you!”

  Stress like no other evacuated from my body as I slipped the ring on her finger and the crowd’s screams pierced my ears. Her parents’ faces were priceless, and as I planted a quick kiss on Miranda’s lips, I threw Ashlynn a quick wink, then flew back down the steps to finish the game.

  We didn’t win that game, the other team did. They won the pennant for the year, and I’m fairly sure I was the only player not wallowing in disappointment. Nothing was going to ruin my high. Nothing. I had a queen wearing my diamond on her finger and it was the happiest day of my life. Baseball be damned.

  Chapter 15

  I knew I wanted to marry her. There wasn’t any doubt about it. Baseball season was about to end, and fall was approaching. I wanted to get married soon. Why? I wasn’t sure. Miranda wanted a big wedding. Could she pull it off before the end of the year?

  I’m a guy, I really didn’t give a shit about the details. Just tell me what to wear, where to be, what time, and where to stand. Well, that’s what I thought, anyway. Turns out I had to not only pick out some groomsmen, I had to plan the entire honeymoon.

  What?

  Picking groomsmen meant I had to rally my brothers together, which usually wasn’t a problem, except that I still wasn’t speaking to the youngest Lawless. Dalton had tried to play referee for us, but I knew I had to get in there and talk to Jory.

  Admittedly, this new girlfriend of his, whose name was Felicity apparently, and whom I had met once, seemed to have mellowed him out. I had even seen Felicity on the floor playing with Addison, his daughter, engaging her conversation as they colored in coloring books or painted with watercolors. Jory had told me Felicity was a preschool teacher, and I hoped that meant she was somewhat educated and had a good head on her shoulders and would show him that life wasn’t a nonstop party. There were responsibilities to be attended to.

  Without knocking, I walked into my parents’ house. I had texted my mom to let her know I was on my way over with my gorgeous fiancée and her baby girl, but she never texted back. I hoped at least she and Jory were home on a Friday night.

  I let go of Ashlynn’s hand as she ran into the house as if she owned the place. I heard Miranda laugh as she walked fast to catch up to her. A smile found my lips at the thought of them making themselves at home in my parents’ house.

  Jory was, as always, on the couch, with ESPN on the TV. I saw Felicity in the kitchen with my mother, a glass of wine in her hand as Mom stirred something steaming over the stove. Addison was sitting on the couch next to Jory, a blonde doll in her hand, and she was brushing its hair with a plastic brush.

  “Hi.” Ashlynn smiled as she stopped short in front of Addison.

  Jory’s face registered surprise at seeing Ashlynn, at which time he craned his neck around to see Miranda and me standing there, still holding hands.

  Addison leaped off the couch and hugged Ashlynn. “Wanna play with Jennie?” she asked, thrusting the doll in Ashlynn’s face.

  Ashlynn smiled, grabbing the doll as the pair ran off and disappeared into a room in the back of the house.

  I nodded at Jory and looked in the direction of the kitchen.

  “Jace! I didn’t know you were coming for dinner!”

  I grinned. “I texted you, mom.”

  She sighed and jutted her chin at her large brown purse that was plopped on the dining room table. “I didn’t get it. I think my phone is in there somewhere.”

  I chuckled, then looked at Felicity. With my hand on the small of Miranda’s back, I introduced them. “Felicity, this is my fiancée, Miranda.”

  Felicity, a beautiful girl with waves of light brown hair that almost reached her waist and dark blue eyes, smiled. “Nice to meet you, Miranda.”

  It wasn’t any surprise that we were engaged. Everyone except Felicity had been at my big proposal at the baseball park. I just hoped Miranda got along with everyone in the family. And if she and Felicity butted heads, well, I’d see to it that Jory never brought her around again.

  Of course the opposite was true. They quickly began chatting, even offering to help my mom with the meal. I smiled at their quick amity and sat down next to Jory. A comfortable silence passed between us for a while as we watched a preseason football game between the Niners and Broncos play out on the screen. When a commercial came on, I picked up the remote that was lying on the sofa between us and hit ‘mute’. I saw Jory look curiously at me.

  “Look. I’m sorry for how I acted. You didn’t deserve that.”

  He feigned confusion. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

  I sighed. “I hope you and Felicity are happy. She seems like a great girl.”

  He tried to continue with his hard-edged dick attitude, but I saw right through it. “We are.”

  “Look, man. I’m getting married in a couple months, and –”

  He looked at me in disbelief, then snorted. “A couple months? Is she pregnant?”

  I sighed. “No, she’s not. Just shut up for a minute, will you?”

  He said nothing, just stared at me.

  “Will you be in my wedding?” I just came out with it.

  His aqua eyes lit up with amusement. “Of course, you dick. Why wouldn’t I be? I will score major points with Felicity if I dress up in a monkey suit for that shit.”

  I frowned. “That’s the only reason?”

  He tried to keep his player mask in place, but I began to see through it. He replied, “No, of course not. You’re my brother. And I don’t think hipster Dalton over there is ever gonna find anyone.” He jerked a thumb toward the backyard. I didn’t know Dalton was here, but I was glad, I needed to talk to him next.

  “I don’t think he’s a hipster…” was my only reply.

  “Whatever, dude. Yes, just tell me where to rent the fuckin’ tux. Can I unmute this now? I have money on this game.” He had the remote pointed at the TV.

  I chuckled. “Yes, you can. And thanks, man.” I laid a hand on his arm.

  His aqua eyes gazed down to my hand then back up to me. “Whatever. Don’t touch me.”

  I jerked my hand away.

  “You gonna watch this shit or what? Manning’s supposed to break a record at this game.”

  As if I cared about football.

  “Sure,” I said, staring without seeing at the TV.

  I heard Dalt’s voice in the backyard and got up from the couch. Jory didn’t even look up. Aside from his parenting, I now had to worry he had a gambling problem. Problems for another day. I had pretty much given up that he would change from being this family’s black sheep. I could only hope he’d mature up and Felicity and my mother would keep his ass in line.

  I threw Miranda a wink and lip lick as I passed the kitchen to get to the back sliding glass door. The kiss she blew back to me didn’t go unnoticed.

  God, we were so disgusting.

  Dalton was in the backyard talking to another guy who didn’t look too dissimilar to him and another girl who was rocking his same lock. The built-in grill was encased in rock my father had put in himself and Dalton and his friends were sitting on the bench in front of it. Dalt’s black Avenged Sevenfold tee and skinny jeans were a harsh contrast against the light colored rock. I’d noticed the tips of his Mohawk were dyed blue today. The two titanium rings on his right hand glinted under the fall sunlight as he raised his hand to wave at me.

  “What’s up, preppie?”

  I suppressed an eye roll. “Preppie? Okay, hipster.”

  He frowned. “I’m not a hipster. You need to get out more.”

  I snorted, jerking a thumb over my shoulder. “That’s what Jory called you.”

  His brows furrowed together. “I’ll kick his ass.”

  “You’ll have to get him off the couch for that,” I replied dryly.

  He laughed and pulled me into a hug. “So, where’s the little missus?”

  I shoved my hands into my loose-fitting jeans. “She’s not my missus yet.�
�

  He looked to his friends, who were staring at me, then back at me as I stared at the piercing in his lip. That was new, I thought.

  “Coulda fooled me,” he snapped back.

  “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about,” I replied.

  Before I could continue, he pointed to his friends. “Oh, Jace, these are my friends Arch and Tabitha. I met them at Club Inx last month.”

  I shook both of their hands. Tabitha was dressed similar to Dalton, but instead of jeans, a ruffled black skirt and black stockings with holes in them that I wasn’t sure were supposed to be there. The big black boots that reached her knees covered most of her tatty stockings. Her piercings were in the same place as Dalton’s. Arch looked very similar to Dalt, except his head was completely shaved bald and he had a tattoo on the side of his head of some symbol I couldn’t decipher – and didn’t want to.

  “Nice to meet you both,” I said politely.

  Arch quickly replied, “You’re a kick-ass baseball player, man. I’ve seen all your games.”

  This both shocked and pleased me. “Thank you, Arch.”

  I turned my attention to my brother. “D, can we talk in private for a sec?”

  He nodded, his Mohawk moving stiffly. “Sure.” Excusing himself, he walked toward the white wooden gazebo that was sitting a few feet from the edge of the swimming pool in my parents’ backyard. His arms were folded over his chest as he said, “What’s up, man?”

  I flicked my gaze to his friends, who were watching us, then back at my brother. “Look. I’m getting married in November. Be my best man?”

  His pale face lit up in a grin I hadn’t seen since we were kids. This made me extremely happy. “Of course!”

  I eyed his clothes from his black Converse Chucks to the tip of his Mohawk. “You’ll have to wear a suit. But don’t worry, it’s black.”

  He threw his head back and laughed. “I don’t care what I wear. I’m here for you, brother.” He clapped a hand on my shoulder.

  Glancing at the kitchen window, I could see Miranda’s pretty face peering out, a slight smile lighting up her pretty lips. I flicked my gaze back to Dalton’s.

  “Thanks, Dalt. It means a lot.”

  “Of course. Does Jory know?”

  “Yes, he’s a groomsman. He’s not my best man, he’d be stupid to think I would ask him. I hate that we look so much alike but have nothing in common.”

  Dalton looked down at himself, then back at me. “Yeah, well, you know me. I’ll always be here for you. I hope you’ll return the favor someday.”

  I raised an eyebrow. “Really? You and Tabitha got something going?”

  I grinned, the same dimple in his cheek as mine popping out. “No. Yes. Maybe. I don’t know. She’s hot though, right?”

  No.

  “Totally,” I grinned,

  In the end, it made me happy – freaks in love. I could only imagine that wedding. And I wouldn’t miss it.

  ***

  Miranda and her mother with their mad party planning skills had pulled off a big wedding in the backyard of her parents’ house. We had considered my parents’ house, but I think Miranda’s mother had some sort of issue with this. I didn’t know Carol very well, but something told me she liked to control the situation. Miranda didn’t seem to have a very close relationship with her, but I didn’t question it. I was glad I wasn’t marrying a mama’s girl, as I’m sure she was happy she wasn’t marrying a mama’s boy. I loved my mom, Peggy very much – but I’d been on my own a lot and didn’t necessarily need my parents. I loved them, and loved visiting, but I wasn’t Jory; I didn’t need my mother to help me out – with anything.

  I was happy to hear that Cara, her best friend, would be attending the wedding. Cara’s son, Aiden, was to be our ring bearer, and when I met the little guy, I could see why Miranda spoke so fondly of her friend and her little boy. What a cute little guy. Shy, quiet, but cute as a button.

  “Cara, this is my fiancé, Jace,” Miranda smiled.

  I shook Cara’s hand, staring into her deep green eyes that seemed to be hiding some sort of intensity or pain. “Nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

  She used her fingers to slide her blonde hair behind her ear. “Likewise, Jace,” she remarked, looking up at me.

  Cara was a bit on the short side. While my fiancée slightly towered over her, I could see that they could probably pass as sisters with their freckled coloring and blonde hair. They even spoke similarly.

  I knew that Miranda wasn’t particularly close with her sister, Vanessa, which I hadn’t quite understood until the day I met her and saw that Vanessa was pretty vapid and shallow. But Cara – she had a real, raw characteristic about her that I adored. I could see why Miranda loved her. And I wondered why that Army guy hadn’t held onto her. But such was the way with Army guys. Unreliable, players… that’s what I’d heard anyway. Not tried and true like us Marines.

  But hadn’t Miranda told me she’d been burned by a Marine down in San Diego? Well, nobody’s perfect, I suppose. I knew that men from all walks of life – military, college guys, bar-hoppers – few were angels. And as I looked at Cara, I hoped she’d find someone. She was pretty and sweet, with a beautiful little boy, and seemed like a great catch.

  “Make sure you’re at my parents’ by noon, okay?” Miranda was speaking, breaking me out of whatever I was thinking about.

  “Of course, whatever you say, my queen.” I lifted her hand to my lips and kissed it.

  She almost jerked it away. “I’m serious, Jason Andrew Lawless!”

  Uh oh, she was using my full name. Although I’m sure I caught her cringe a little, which made me bite back a grin.

  I saluted her. “Of course. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” I picked her up and gave her a kiss that showed I meant what I said.

  Chapter 16

  The wedding was downright ridiculous in a good way. Miranda’s parents’ backyard wasn’t too dissimilar to my parents’ but of course, seemed to be a better place to have the wedding.

  My brothers showed up without incident, Dalton even looking halfway normal in a black tux and tie, his Mohawk gone, just slicked, black hair. Jory looking more handsome than should be allowed with a fresh haircut and a perfectly pressed suit, his blonde five o’clock shadow shaved clean off. Miranda requested only two groomsmen to match her two bridesmaids – Cara, of course, and her sister, Vanessa. She had another friend, Shayla, who I’d met the night I first met Miranda, helping her out, lighting candles or something. I just stood there and waited for the ceremony to start, trying to not get lost in the details. And it had paid off. The only thing I saw that day was my gorgeous fiancée coming down the aisle on her father’s arm, looking radiant and regal, and the whole world around her disappeared.

  She became my wife today. She was beautiful, and perfect, and she was mine. I also inherited a pretty little daughter, and I felt like the luckiest guy in the whole damn world.

  ***

  I blinked my eyes opened and heaved a sigh of relief as I was greeted with warm yellow walls and white wicker, a tropical ceiling fan spinning lazily above me. I smiled when I realized I was in Jamaica on my honeymoon with the queen of my life, and not in Iraq, where the dream I’d been having was set. I rolled over to see warm amber eyes gazing at me.

  “Good morning, Mrs. Lawless.”

  A grin twisted on Miranda’s lips. “Good morning, husband.”

  “I love you, your majesty,” I said back, never getting enough of staring at her, she was so beautiful.

  “I love you, too, player.”

  Just then, her cell buzzed from the nightstand and she reached over and picked it up. She clicked on an incoming photo from Cara, who had gone home back to Colorado the day after the wedding. I leaned over and looked. It was a selfie taken of Cara and a guy with some seriously bad burn scars on the side of his face and head. I was confused by this, but hoped maybe Cara had finally found herself someone. Her story had been so sad to me ev
ery time Miranda would tell me about she’d felt her one true love had slipped through her fingers.

  “What in the hell?” I heard Miranda say, as she bolted up, holding up the sheet to cover her bare chest. She pulled the phone closer to her face and her fingers danced across the screen to make the photo bigger.

  “What’s wrong, I asked, sitting up myself and yawning a little bit.

  She looked at me, something between fear and excitement blazing in her eyes. Pointing at the screen, she squealed, “That is Riley!”

  My brows furrowed together. “The guy she was with last summer? You didn’t tell me had burn scars.”

  “He doesn’t!” she squealed, dramatically pushing buttons to dial Cara’s phone.

  “What in the hell is going on?!” I heard her squeak out.

  She nodded with large eyes as Cara spoke, and I wished I could hear what was going on. Normally I’d be annoyed she was chatting with her friend on our honeymoon, but obviously this was something big between the two of them, so I just kept quiet.

  After a long silence while she listened to her friend, Miranda’s hand flew to her mouth, tears springing to her eyes. “Oh, my God,” she breathed.

  I watched helplessly as her face crumpled and a tear leaked down her cheek. I reached over and plucked a Kleenex from the nightstand and handed it to her, feeling totally helpless as I listened to one side of the conversation.

  “And that’s why he dumped you? What about his new girlfriend?” I heard Miranda ask.

  She listened some more, and her eyes grew wide. “Get the hell outta here. So that’s why he lied to you?” She was shaking her head, her hand still to her mouth. “Oh, God, Cara. I feel like such a jerk.”

  Then I watched her laugh. “You didn’t know. How could you? Are the burns everywhere?”

  More silence, her eyes staring unseeing at the patterned bedspread.

  “His whole body?”

  Damn, I thought.

  “Yes, I know I’m on my honeymoon, but I love you and want to be here for you.” More listening. “Okay, but when I get home, we’re gonna have a serious talk. I’m just glad you’re happy and Riley’s okay. My God, what a nightmare he’s been through.”