“Oh, I see.”
Jayda’s stomach clenched at the reminder that she’d let her little girl down. Cadence had made it clear how much she’d love to have a brother or sister, just like all of her friends. She was the only only-child in her class and didn’t appreciate the distinction. She’d even gone so far as to suggest Chase and Jayda have another baby even though they were no longer together. When Jayda told her that wasn’t possible, Cadence ran to her room crying about how it wasn’t fair that she didn’t have anyone to play with, like her friends.
The opening ceremony included honoring players who’d been with the home team when they won their last World Series, but Jayda couldn’t concentrate on the festivities. Her mind kept drifting back to Cadence’s comments about wanting a sibling. Had they stayed married, Jayda would have wanted that too. The realization that she’d put her father’s and brother’s needs and desires above her own family hit Jayda hard. Cadence was right. That wasn’t fair.
Jayda’s heart was still thudding as they stood for the national anthem. Chase’s eyes drifted to her, and a slight smile tugged at his lips. She was suddenly overcome with emotion as she bit her lip, fighting back tears. This could have been her life. She could have been at Chase’s games for the past five years, loving him, supporting him, with their daughter by her side. Instead she’d traded all that… for what? The chance to be her father’s nursemaid and her brother’s enabler? What the hell was wrong with her? They didn’t appreciate her sacrifice. In fact, they’d always taken her for granted. So why had she given up everything for them? Because of a long-ago promise she’d made to her dying mother? But Jayda’s mother had loved her too. She would have wanted her to be happy.
Cadence tugged on her mother’s wrist, and Jayda realized she was the only one still standing. With a blush creeping across her cheeks, she sat down, dipping her head as she reached for her drink.
“You think they’ll win, Mommy?” Cadence asked.
Jayda knew they were surrounded by hometown fans, so she said, “I don’t know, baby. It’ll be a tough game. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.”
“I hope Daddy gets a home run for me.” Cadence giggled.
“I’m sure he’ll do his best,” Jayda said, smiling as she tightened the clip holding Cadence’s thick curls off of her face.
The next several innings passed with a lot of back and forth. Chase’s team got a run in each inning, which was promptly answered by their opponents doing the same. At the bottom of the fifth, they were tied and the energy in the stadium was off the charts. Jayda imagined when Chase’s team was playing on their home turf, it would be more of the same.
They hadn’t talked about whether Jayda and Cadence would travel with the team if they had the chance to finish out the series at home, but Jayda knew if Chase invited her, she would go. Since Cadence was only in the first grade, she wouldn’t have to worry about her missing too much at school, and they hadn’t taken a real vacation in years.
“Can I have a candy bar?” Cadence asked, watching the people behind them doling out the chips and candy they’d ordered.
“I don’t think so,” Jayda said. “You’ve already had popcorn. You don’t want to overdo it.”
Cadence crossed her arms, pouting, before her eyes lit up. “Hey, I know. We can go out for ice cream with Daddy after the game.”
“Uh, I’m not so sure about that, honey. Daddy will probably be pretty busy after the game.” She knew nothing about his post-game rituals but suspected, with so much at stake, he would have to devote some time to the press, his manager, and teammates.
“But he always says he’s never too busy for me.”
That much was true. No matter how busy he was during the regular season, he always made time for their daughter, FaceTiming with her every morning before she went to school or when she got home, depending on his schedule that day. During the off-season, he spent as much time as he possibly could with her, insisting Jayda didn’t have to worry about a babysitter as long as he was around.
She wasn’t sure what his plans were for this year since he’d lost the lease on his apartment and she didn’t know of any other places for rent in their small town. She could always offer him her spare bedroom, but that might give Cadence the wrong idea. Or the right one, depending on how things progressed.
“So?” Cadence asked, eyeing her mother. “Can we ask him?”
When her daughter released an exasperated sigh, Jayda realized she’d been zoning out again. “Uh, sure, we can ask him, but don’t be disappointed if he says he can’t do it tonight. He’s here to work, baby. We have to respect that.”
Jayda held her breath when Chase stepped up to bat. She had to sit on her hands to keep from clapping and cheering along with her daughter, who was blissfully unaware that they were in enemy territory. She knew a cute little girl could get away with that without being heckled by the raucous crowd, but Jayda wasn’t willing to risk it.
“Come on, Daddy!” Cadence squealed. “Hit it out of here!”
Jayda bit her lip to keep her grin from spreading as she questioned whether Chase could hear their daughter cheering him on.
He took one ball low and inside, the other high and outside, before he finally found one to hit. It went deep against the wall, giving him a leadoff, stand up double that had Jayda and Cadence clapping and whistling. They were both wearing Chase’s jerseys, so Jayda decided it was no secret they didn’t support the home team. And who the hell cared whether the people surrounding them liked it? She was going to scream her head off for the rest of the game!
Chase did a couple of side steps off the base as the pitcher glanced at him over his shoulder.
“Why’s he doing that?” Cadence asked.
“The pitcher thinks he’s going to steal.”
“Daddy doesn’t steal!” Cadence cried, sounding indignant.
Jayda laughed. “He thinks he’s going to steal the base, honey.” When Cadence frowned, still looking confused, she said, “He can try to get to third base when the pitcher’s not looking.”
“Is that allowed?” Cadence asked, frowning.
“It sure is. Daddy has a bunch of stolen bases this year. He’s really fast.”
Jayda had Chase’s record memorized. She knew how many home runs and RBIs he had, his batting average, OPS… the only thing she didn’t know was how he felt about her and why he’d asked her to come here. Was it because he wanted his daughter to see him play in the most important series of his career? Or was it because he needed his family’s support? As he kept reminding her, Cadence made them a family, like it or not.
The rest of the game passed with nonstop excited chatter from Cadence while Chase’s team walked away with the one-run victory.
“Can we see Daddy now?” Cadence asked, shouldering the small pink-and-purple backpack she’d insisted on bringing for all of her souvenirs.
“Um, sure. I’ll just have to find out where to go.”
She looked around, hoping to spot a uniformed guard or stadium personnel, when her phone buzzed. She pulled it out of her purse and sat down so people filing out of her row could squeeze past her. It was a text from her father. But there was also an email from Chase that she’d somehow missed, asking her to bring Cadence to the locker room after the game, with directions on how to get there. She checked the time and smiled when she noted he must have sent it just before he hit the field to warm up, which meant he’d been thinking about them before the game. The Chase she knew had been so focused before a game he wouldn’t have noticed if she’d strutted in front of him naked. Maybe he had changed…
“Come on, sweetie,” Jayda said, grabbing Cadence’s hand. “Your daddy is anxious to see you.”
***
Chase watched his teammates filter out of the locker room. Some were accosted by the press, but others bypassed the reporters and made their way to wives, girlfriends, and kids who’d made the trip to support them. It was the first time in years Chase actually looked for
ward to walking out of the locker room. Someone would be there to meet him, to give him a big hug and congratulate him on a game well-played.
“Hey,” he said, grinning when he spotted them.
Cadence ran toward him, and he scooped her up, holding her tight as he realized how close he’d come to losing her. Her uncle may have been the one to take her, but that didn’t mean she hadn’t been in danger, given Dillon’s nefarious contacts.
“I missed you so much,” Chase said into her curls. “I’m so glad you could come and watch me play.”
“Me too!” she squealed, squeezing his neck so hard he had to chuckle.
His eyes met Jayda’s, and he knew that chemistry between them would never die, no matter how many years had passed. Age had only intensified her beauty, instead of dulling it, and that meant he was in serious trouble. He hadn’t been able to get her off his mind since that kiss they’d shared.
“I was thinking we could head back to the hotel and grab a bite to eat,” Chase said, shifting Cadence to his hip instead of setting her down. “I know you haven’t had a chance to check in yet, but instead of staying with my teammates, I talked the Skip into letting me get my own room.” He gave Cadence a lingering look he was sure she didn’t understand before he added, “We have adjoining suites. I hope that’s okay?”
Jayda looked flustered as she blushed, her eyes on the floor as she bit her lip. “Um, sure, whatever.” She cleared her throat before she forced herself to look at him. “But we’re not really hungry. We had a bite to eat here.”
“I want ice cream!” Cadence squealed.
“Ice cream, huh? Well, I want real food,” he teased, tickling Cadence’s tummy as she giggled. “So why don’t you girls grab a taxi back to the hotel and maybe order me a loaded burger with fries?” He winked at Jayda, who made the best burgers he’d ever tasted. “And I’ll be back there in time to tuck this little munchkin in?”
“Oh, um… sure,” Jayda said, seeming surprised he wasn’t coming with them.
He turned his back to the throng of reporters and lowered his voice as he said, “You don’t know how much I’d love to get out of here right now, but I promised these guys a little face time before I head out.”
“Of course,” Jayda said, giving him a tight smile.
He raised a hand to one of the attendants hired to see to the players’ needs as he set Cadence down next to her mom. “Hey, Johnny, can you do me a favor and get these ladies a cab for me?” He handed him a twenty for his trouble.
“Sure, Mr. Miller.” His smile lit up his face when he said, “Great game, by the way.”
“Thanks, kid.” Unlike most players, Chase never took the praise for granted. He reminded himself every day how lucky he was to be doing what he loved and how many younger players were praying for a chance to be where he was. Before they walked away, Chase grabbed Jayda’s hand and brushed his lips across her cheek. “Thanks for coming. You have no idea how much it means to me, having you guys here.”
“It’s our pleasure,” she whispered, her eyes trailing over his lips.
He’d give anything to kiss her, but he didn’t want to confuse Cadence or prompt a bunch of questions Jayda couldn’t answer. “I’ll book out of here just as soon as I can, okay?”
“Take your time,” she said, patting his chest with a smile. “This is your moment. You’ve waited a long time for this. Soak it all in.”
Only she knew how long he’d waited. They’d been high school kids, lying in the bed of his pickup truck and staring up at the stars, when he took her hand and vowed that one day he’d be competing for that World Series title. Instead of laughing at how far-fetched his plan was, she rolled onto her side and whispered how much she hoped she was there to witness it.
That was when he knew he was in love with her. She was the first person who ever really believed in him.
“Can you believe this is really happening?” he whispered so she was the only one who could hear him. “I mean, I’m really here… doing this. It’s crazy, isn’t it?”
She smiled, shaking her head. “It’s not crazy at all. This was meant to be.”
He wondered if she felt they were meant to be too because he couldn’t imagine experiencing this moment without her by his side. “We still have a long way to go, but I’m soaking up every second of this, trying not to get too far ahead of myself.”
“What is it you used to tell me?” she asked with a coy smile. “You guys just focus on winning ball games, one good at-bat at a time?”
“You got it.” Having Jayda here kept him grounded, reminded him of how far he’d come from that kid with big dreams and no plan for making them come true. He pulled her into his arms, needing to hold her. He knew Cadence was watching them, but he hoped she would see two old friends sharing an exciting moment. “I’ve missed this,” he whispered in her ear. “Having you here on nights like this… just holding you.”
“I’ve missed it too,” she said, tipping her head back to look at him. “I almost forgot how much.” She glanced at the crowd of reporters staring at them, obviously waiting for their turn to talk to him about the team’s chances of going all the way for the first time in more than twenty years. “But I’m willing to share you for now. Give them what they want, then come home to us.”
His heart felt as if it was expanding when she said the two little words he’d missed more than all others combined: home and us. “I’ll be quick.” He kissed her forehead. “I promise. Think our little angel will be able to stay awake long enough for me to read her a bedtime story?”
Jayda laughed. “I’ll tell her you’ll read her that princess story you sent her last month. It’s her favorite.”
“Oh yeah?” He’d picked it up on a whim as he passed a bookstore on an off day, knowing she was going through a princess phase right now.
“Yeah.” Jayda’s smile slipped as she said, “She said maybe I could be like the princess in the story and get her prince to come back to her.”
“Jay, I didn’t mean to—”
“Don’t apologize,” she said, shaking her head. “That silly little book always puts a smile on my face when I read it to her. It may be a fairy tale, but who says dreams can’t come true, right?”
Chase was too stunned to respond as he watched her walk away. Was she saying that she wanted him back, that she wanted another shot at being a family?
Chapter Ten
Chase slipped into his hotel room an hour later and smiled at the sight waiting for him—his two favorite girls cuddled up on his big bed, sound asleep. He tried to be quiet, but Jayda opened one eye to watch him kick off his dress shoes.
“Hey,” he whispered. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“You didn’t,” she whispered back. “I was just resting my eyes while I waited up for you.”
He winced when he checked the time on his phone as he set it on the nightstand. “I didn’t mean to take so long. I swear I must have talked to every reporter there before I left.” He rolled his eyes. “I must have been asked the same questions twenty times.”
She smiled, propping her head in her hand as she watched him slip off his suit jacket and hang it on the back of the chair tucked against the writing desk in the foyer. “Yeah, but you loved it. Admit it, this is what you signed on for.”
He could live without the press, but she was right about him being so close to his dream he could practically taste it. If only that dream hadn’t cost him so much…
“Did you eat?” he asked, picking up the room service menu. “It’s late, but I really could go for that burger.”
“I would have ordered it for you, but I wasn’t sure what time you’d get in,” she said, sitting up and scooting to the bottom of the bed. “I didn’t want it to get cold.”
“No worries.”
“Um, I’m not that hungry, but if you feel like ordering something, I could nibble.”
Chase weighed his options before pointing at an appetizer platter that consisted of fruit
, cheese, crackers, and smoked salmon. “Sound good?”
“Perfect.” She hid a yawn behind her hand. “You mind if I go slip into my jammies and get ready for bed while we wait though? It’s been a long day.”
“Sure, take your time. The food will probably take fifteen or twenty minutes anyhow.” As he watched her walk into her adjoining room, he couldn’t help but wonder whether she’d return in one of those sexy T-shirts she loved to sleep in. “Hey,” he said before she could make it through the door. He looked over his shoulder to make sure Cadence was still asleep. “Before you go, I have something for you.”
“Oh yeah?” She smirked as she watched him dig through his suitcase. “What’s that?”
He pulled out two team shirts, one in Cadence’s size and one in his size, then passed them to Jayda.
She held the larger one up against her chest. “Uh, are you sure this is for me and not you?”
He winked. “I thought you might like to think of me before you went to bed.”
She laughed quietly, shaking her head. “I already do, Miller. But thanks for the shirts. That was sweet.”
Jayda had always appreciated the smallest gestures most when they were married. She preferred a hand-picked bouquet of wildflowers to a big fancy arrangement from some florist. Their anniversaries weren’t celebrated with five-star dinners and dancing. Nope. Her idea of a good time was a ball game, a loaded hot dog, a cold beer, and a voice raw from cheering on her favorite team.
After he’d placed their food order, Chase thought about that—how different his ex was from most of the women he’d known. Since his divorce, his dates had consisted of single moms looking for stability, recent college graduates hoping to make connections, and groupies who just wanted to score with a pro athlete. Not a single one had been interested in getting to know him.
Jayda slipped back into the room and closed the door separating their rooms with a soft click. “We all set?”
His gaze trailed up her tanned legs, his smile spreading as he noted she was wearing the T-shirt he’d just given her. A little pair of spandex biker shorts peeked out from the beneath the hem, but that did nothing to negate his pleasure. “You look great in that. Just like I knew you would.”
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