by Kaylee Ryan
Larissa: I don’t know.
Me: Please (I’m making puppy dog eyes at you).
Larissa: LOL
Me: I’d really love to see you. You name the time.
Larissa: Noon? Be back by five or so? That way we will be able to have our normal nightly routine.
Me: Noon it is.
Larissa: Where should we meet?
Me: I can come and pick you up. This is a date.
Larissa: I would rather meet you.
I always feel as though I’m crashing into a wall with her. They say nothing worth having comes easy; this is a true testament of that.
Me: How about your work? Can you park there?
Larissa: Yeah, see you then.
I hate that I’m not picking her up, but at this stage in the game, I have to pick and choose my battles. In the grand scheme of things, I’ve won because she agreed to go out with me. Doesn’t matter if it’s day or night; I still get to spend time with her.
Now, to plan what we’re going to do. I’ve not really dated much, so this is a whole new ball game for me. No pun intended. I understand she’s a widow and that she’s doing all of this on her own, I do. However, what she doesn’t understand is that I want the chance to get to know her better, to get to know them. Maybe I’m the man who can help her heal? Maybe I’m the man who can be a father figure to Paisley? I’ve been where they are. I know it’s scary as hell. I watched my mom live it. I also watched her give my now father a chance, and our lives are better because of it. Pulling up the search engine on my phone, I type in day date ideas. Desperate times and all that. I don’t know if I’ll have another chance with her. Up to this point, she’s made it difficult. I need to make this date unforgettable.
I thought about telling Mom I had to work a few hours, but decided against it. I knew as soon as I asked her to watch Paisley so I could go on a day date with none other than Tennessee’s most eligible bachelor, according to Google. I admit I’ve done some research. Her grin would be wide and permanent on her face. She’s always telling me to go out more, to date, and do things for myself. I always give her the same answer: No one has sparked my interest, and that she and Paisley, well, and Chloe are all the social life I need.
I’ve been on a few dates since Steven passed, but they’re usually double dates with Chloe that never lead to more than dinner and a few drinks.
Maybe I’m broken?
“Go, have fun. No need to rush back,” Mom says with Paisley on her hip. “P and I are going to the park, and then I thought we’d bake a cake.”
“Yay!” Paisley throws her little arms in the air and cheers.
“I’ll be here by five,” I say again.
She playfully rolls her eyes. “Well, if things change, don’t worry about us. In fact, I was hoping for a sleepover.”
“Can I Momma, please, please?” Paisley begs.
“Mom, you keep her so much.”
“Of course, I do. That’s what grandmothers are for. Go, we’ve got this. You have fun, live a little. Take all the time you need. I’ll see you tomorrow morning for breakfast.”
“I have to be at work at ten.”
“Then you better get up and get moving, lazy bones,” she laughs, and Paisley mimics her, throwing her head back in laughter. “I’ll have pancakes and bacon ready at nine.”
“Thanks, Mom.” I lean in and give them both a hug, kissing P on the cheek. “You be good for Gram.”
“Mommy, I’m always good,” she says dramatically.
My baby girl is four going on fourteen. “You girls behave,” I say with a final wave as I rush out the door. The entire drive to The Vineyard, I try not to think about today, about this date I’ve agreed to. He’s so damn hard to keep resisting.
Pulling into the lot, I see him in his truck. He hops out and rushes to my door, opening it for me. “Hey, Ris.” He leans in and kisses my cheek.
“Hi,” I say awkwardly. I feel like a giddy teenager when I’m with him. I need to get that in check. I’m a grown woman, a mother. He’s just another guy. I need to not let his job, his fame, intimidate me.
“You ready?” he asks.
“Sure, what are we doing?”
“I thought about today a lot and decided I wanted to share something that I love with you.”
“Oh,” I say, because what do you say to that? Easton Monroe is not at all what I expected. He continues to surprise me.
“Yeah, then I thought we could grab a bite to eat. I know you need to be back by five, so I hope I have it all planned out okay.”
I feel a little guilty about the deadline. When I told him five o’clock, it was so I could keep my daughter in her routine. Well, and to keep my distance from him. He’s sexy and charming, and I need all the help I can get. “That sounds good,” I finally say. What I should tell him is there is no time limit, but I can’t seem to push the words past my lips.
The ride is filled with casual conversation. Easton asks me about school and my job. “So yeah, I have just two semesters to go,” I tell him.
“That’s great. You should be proud of everything you’ve accomplished while working and raising your daughter.”
“You do what you have to do.”
He nods. “How is she, Princess Paisley?”
I smile at the sweet name he’s given her. “Right now, she’s in heaven. She’s staying with my mom. They’re going to the park and then baking a cake.”
He laughs. “Uh oh, you think she’ll be hyped up on sugar when you pick her up?”
I hesitate for just a few seconds before I answer him. “Actually, when I dropped her off, Mom insisted she keep her overnight. I hate asking her to do so because she does it so much when I work the evening shift. She was adamant that I live a little. Her words, not mine,” I confess.
He reaches over and gives my hand a gentle squeeze. “So I have you for more than a few hours?” His voice is hopeful.
I bite on my bottom lip and take a deep breath. “I think we should just see how things go.”
With a quick glance in my direction, he gives me his crooked grin. I’m glad I’m sitting because the effects would have surely made my knees weak. “Challenge accepted.”
Shaking my head, I fight my smile. Like I said, charming.
“We’re here,” he says, pulling into a parking lot.
“Where is here?” I ask him. The building is unmarked.
“You’ll see.” He grins. Grabbing his keys, he hops out of the truck and rushes around to open my door. As soon as I’m on solid ground, he laces his fingers through mine and places his phone to his ear with his free hand. “Hey, Larry, yeah, just pulled up. Great, thanks,” he says, ending the call.
“A hint?” I ask. He’s obviously planned this out since he’s let someone know we’ve arrived.
“You’ll see soon enough.” He walks us to a side entrance door and knocks three times. Not a minute later, an older gentleman wearing a uniform, the name Larry on the chest, is opening the door and ushering us in. “Good to see you,” Easton says, holding out his hand for the older man to shake.
“You too, E. Everything’s all set up. Take your time. I’m working on the floors in the locker room,” he tells him.
“Thanks,” Easton replies. “You ready?”
“For?” I ask again.
“Batting cages.” He grins. Again. I swear his grin is so wide and so bright, I could see it from my front porch.
“I’ve never been to the batting cages.”
“Perfect. I can show you.” With my hand still encased in his, he leads us down a hall and through a set of double doors.
“Batting cages?” I ask when I see what’s in front of us.
“Yeah.” He gives my hand a gentle squeeze. “I wanted to share a part of who I am with you. Not Easton the major leaguer, but Easton the guy who grew up loving the sport. The guy who spent more time at the batting cages than he did anywhere else. I also thought that if Paisley ended up coming with us, she would have fun too.”
“You were serious?” I ask. I thought he was just being nice saying that P could tag along.
“Of course I was. She’s a part of you, Larissa.”
“I just thought—”
He cuts me off. “You just thought what? That I wanted to sleep with you and this was my way of getting that? I’ve already told you that’s not what this is about. What do I have to do to make you believe me?”
“I’m sorry,” I say immediately. “I shouldn’t have assumed or judged you.” I look around the room and see we’re the only ones here. “Is this place closed?”
“It is. I called in a favor. I didn’t want people pointing their cell phones at us all night. I’m used to it, but I know you aren’t and if Paisley were here, I didn’t want them to get shots of her and for her to end up in the papers too.”
“Thank you.” I’m grateful he put so much thought into this. For me and my daughter. “So, this is a first for me, Monroe. You’re going to have to show me how it’s done.” I bat my eyelashes at him like a damn fool. I can feel my face heat from embarrassment. I’m terrible at flirting, at dating.
His eyes darken. “I got you,” he says, pulling me into him. My back is aligned with his front. His lips are next to my ear when he whispers, “I’ve got moves,” he says huskily.
I shiver, not quite sure if it’s from his hot breath or the words, and the meaning behind them. His hands land on my hips and he turns me slightly to the right. Apparently, my prior embarrassment, although felt foolish, did the trick.
“Now, stand like this,” he instructs.
“Oh, those kinds of moves,” I say once I find my voice.
“Larissa!” he mock scolds. “You have a dirty mind. I would never.” He smirks when I look at him.
“Uh-huh, let’s get on with the shot, Mr. I’ve-got-moves.”
“What?” he asks innocently. “I do. I’d be happy to show them to you. All of them.”
I can’t help but laugh when he winks at me. “Show me what to do.” His eyes darken, and I have to admit I’m turned on. It’s been a long time since I’ve actually enjoyed a man’s company, and felt any kind of attraction.
“Okay, let’s start like this.” For the next two hours, we hit ball after ball. Easton positions me, stands behind me, and even hits a few with me. My body is… alive and already craves his touch. I might have even pretended I forgot what he told me a time or two, just so he would stand behind me and wrap his arms around me again.
I’m hitting round after round, and I have to admit now that I’m making contact, I’m enjoying this more than I thought I would. P would have loved it.
Easton steps back and tells me it’s my turn again. I step up to the plate and get into my stance. Holding up my bat, I give him a nod that I’m ready to go. I feel more confident this round. When the ball is released, I remember what he’s shown me. I wait until what I feel like is the right moment and swing the bat. Not only does it connect, but it also flies through the air to the back of the net. It’s my best hit yet. I drop the bat and jump up and down. “Yes!” I cheer.
Easton rushes to me and picks me up, swinging me around. Then he starts to sing “Girl on Fire” by Alicia Keys, causing me to burst out laughing.
“Don’t quit your day job,” I tease.
“It’s true. The more you hit, the better you’re getting. I’m impressed,” he says, setting me back on my feet.
I pretend to brush something off my shoulder. “You know, all in a day’s work.”
“You had enough?” he asks, laughing.
“Yeah,” I say, even though I’m not ready for our time to end.
He grins. “On to the next adventure.”
“What might that be?” I try to hide my smile but fail. I’m having a great time and am glad I didn’t let my worries or fear keep me from our day date.
“It’s a surprise.” He kisses the tip of my nose. After lacing his fingers through mine, we say goodbye to Larry before we’re back on the road.
Planning dates is not my thing. Planning dates that an adorable four-year-old might be tagging along with is challenging. I wanted to spend time with Larissa, and Paisley if she had been with us, but I wanted them both to have fun and feel comfortable. So I planned a picnic. At first I was going to go to the park, but not wanting them to end up on the front page of the tabloids, I decided to call in a favor. Tank Thomas played with my dad, and to this day, they remain good friends. He owns a large farm not far from here. Thankfully, he said we could stay as long as we liked. He and his wife are out of town. It’s the perfect spot with lots of privacy. I ordered food from a local deli, packed up a couple of old blankets, a cooler for water, and I threw in a couple of juice boxes for Paisley just in case.
Kids drink juice, right?
I also picked up a Frisbee, and I found a new pink glove, the smallest I could find. I got Larissa one too so the three of us could play catch. Not sure Larissa will want to play catch, but lying back on the blanket with her, just talking sounds pretty damn good to me. She’s unlike anyone I’ve ever met. So far, today has been perfect.
“I just need to make a quick stop,” I tell her. I want to reach over and hold her hand or set mine on her warm thigh, but I keep both hands on the wheel. The last thing I need is to scare her away because I can’t keep my hands off her.
“That’s fine. I’m with you.” She smiles. As the day goes on, those smiles seem to come easier for her. I have to fight the urge to puff my chest out, pretty sure I’m the reason behind her smiles. I’m doing that. Making her smile. She has a lot on her plate with working, school, and Paisley. I’m glad today I could give her a day of fun. A day to maybe not think about all her responsibilities. Larissa takes care of everyone, that much is already obvious, and dammit if I don’t want to be the one to take care of her. This connection we have is real. I feel it with every touch, every look. I’m out of my element with her, but I’ll be damned if I let that scare me away.
The stop at the deli is quick. Everything packed up in a wicker picnic basket like I requested. I didn’t care what it cost; I wanted today to be special.
“Look at you,” Larissa says when I place the basket in the back seat.
“What?” I feign innocence.
“Let me guess, boy scout?” she teases.
I throw my head back and laugh. “Just like to be prepared.” The place we’re going to is about twenty minutes outside of town.
“Where are you taking me, Monroe?” she asks.
“Take a guess?”
“By the looks of things, a picnic?”
“Yep. You good with that?”
“No complaints.” Her mouth tilts into a warm smile as she settles back in her seat. We make idle chitchat. She teases me about my planning, and I take every bit of it. I love seeing her carefree and smiling. “Who lives here?” she asks when I pull into the driveway.
“A good friend of the family.”
“Do they care that we’re here? Going to jail is not on my to-do list,” she says with a hint of a smile in her voice.
“No jail, at least not today,” I say, causing her mouth to drop open. I throw my head back and laugh. “Relax, Ris. I’m trying to get you to want to spend time with me, that’s a sure-fire way to make sure that never happens.”
“As long as we’re on the same page.” She winks and climbs out of the truck. “What can I carry?” she asks.
“Grab that bag,” I say, pointing to the backpack I brought with the gloves, balls, and Frisbee. I gather the basket, throw the small cooler strap over my shoulder, and grab both blankets. “This way, madam.” I bow my head to her, causing her laughter to flow freely once again. That’s a sound I would love to hear every day. I lead us behind the house and to the garage. Tank gave me the security code so we could use the golf cart to get back to the pond and gazebo.
“Seriously, Easton. You do know these people, right?” she asks, worrying her bottom lip.
Leaning in, I press a kiss to her che
ek then whisper in her ear, “Yes, I know these people. No way would I risk losing you when I finally have your attention.” Pulling away, I load the blankets, basket, cooler, and bag of supplies onto the golf cart. “Hop on,” I tell her. She doesn’t hesitate, and the smile on her face tells me she’s excited for what’s to come.
I drive us down to the pond and stop just at the edge of the dock. Quickly, we unload, and I begin to make a spot for us. Once I have the blankets spread out, the basket and the cooler all set up, we settle in for lunch.
“This is really nice,” she says, popping a grape in her mouth.
“It’s quiet here, and I wasn’t sure if Paisley was coming. I thought she could run and play. I also brought two blankets in case she wanted to nap.”
“She’s opposed to those these days. Even when she does take them, they’re short.” A blush touches her cheeks. “Sorry.”
“For what?” I ask, reaching out and tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
“I’m sure you don’t want to hear me babble on about my daughter’s napping habits.”
“Is she a part of you?”
She looks over at me, her expression confused. “She’s the best part of me.”
“Then I want to hear you talk about her. She’s your life, Larissa. I get that. All I’m asking is a chance to be a part of that as well.”
She’s quiet for several long minutes staring off in the distance. “You don’t make it easy on a girl, do you?”
“Nothing worth having comes easy,” I say.
“What’s in the bag?” she asks, changing the subject.
“This is me trying to be prepared.” Reaching for the bag, I unzip it and pull out the Frisbee. “You can’t come to a place like this with wide-open spaces without a Frisbee.”
“I think it’s a law,” she teases.