Catch of a Lifetime: A Cricket Creek Novel

by LuAnn McLane

  Bella nodded. “Mom has had men all over her for as long as I can remember. I think she must have been burned so badly that she’s not ever going down that path again.”

  “Maybe it just takes the right man,” Aunt Myra said, and got a hug from Owen.

  Olivia smiled at her father and Aunt Myra. “Yes, indeed,” she agreed, and then winked at Jason as well.

  Jessica thought again that this would be such a perfect day if only she didn’t suddenly feel so rotten. She thought it could have been the hot dog that she ate earlier, but everyone else seemed fine, and she had eaten only a pastry and coffee earlier. She inhaled a deep breath and hoped that the Sprite would do the trick.

  “Are you feeling okay, Mom?” Madison asked. She still had an uncanny way of sensing that something was wrong, no matter how hard Jessica tried to hide it.

  “I’m fine. Just a little tummy upset. It must be the sun and the excitement.”

  “You do look a little pale,” Aunt Myra chimed in.

  “I’ll be okay as soon as I get the cold drink.” She wasn’t about to leave the game.

  When Mitch and Nicolina returned, she took a grateful sip of the soft drink. The cold fizz helped. “Thank you,” she said to Mitch. “I was parched.”

  “No problem,” he answered. Jessica tried to remember more details about him, but nothing other than his messy divorce and flamboyant daughter came to mind. At the top of the eighth inning, the Richmond Rockets’ bats suddenly got hot and Logan Lannigan started warming up in the bull pen. After only one out, the Rockets had the bases loaded, with their cleanup hitter waiting on deck.

  Ty emerged from the dugout and motioned to the umpire for time. Jessica felt her heart skip a beat at the sight of him in his baseball uniform, and suddenly wished she had seen him play back in his Triple Threat days. After a minute of chatting with the pitcher, he motioned for Logan to come in as relief.

  Jessica put down her drink and turned to Bella, and had to hide a smile when she noticed that Bella had a death grip on the arms of her seat.

  “He’s coming in to put out the fire,” Jason commented.

  “Put out the fire?” Madison asked. “Oh, you mean to stop the hitting.”

  Jason patted Madison’s arm. “You’re learning the lingo, baby.”

  “Oh, I sure hope he does,” Bella said, and inhaled a deep breath.

  “He will,” Jessica assured her, and hoped that she was right. There was no doubt in her mind that Bella and Logan were becoming more than mere roommates.

  Madison reached over and put her hand over Bella’s. “We’re pulling for Logan.”

  “I’m so nervous for him,” Bella admitted, and this drew a curious look from Nicolina.

  Jessica smiled inwardly. Madison’s matchmaking mojo was spot-on once again. She turned around and watched Logan throw a few warm-up pitches. The crowd watched with rapt attention, knowing that Logan Lannigan was a former minor-league player trying to make a comeback.

  “I’m anxious to see what the kid can do,” Owen said, and they all waited for the batter to step back into the box.

  Jessica was so intent on watching that for a moment she forgot about her unsettled stomach. But when she leaned back in her seat, she was hit with another wave of nausea. She reached for her drink and hoped that she could make it through the rest of the game. She took a deep breath, praying it would make her feel better, but the smell of hot dogs and popcorn made her stomach reel. She closed her eyes and gripped the armrest and tried to focus on the game.

  “Are you okay?” Olivia asked with a frown.

  “Just nervous,” Jessica replied.

  “I understand. This is a big day for us all in more ways than one.” Olivia patted Jessica’s hand. “Everything is finally coming together, isn’t it?”

  Jessica nodded, and knew she was referring to much more than the baseball complex. When Logan wound up and threw his first pitch, they all turned their attention back to the baseball diamond. The fastball hit the catcher’s glove with a hard smack for strike one, and the crowd cheered. When the next pitch was fouled off, Logan had the Rockets’ batter at two strikes. The crowd grumbled when he stepped out of the box and took a practice swing. Logan picked up the rosin bag and shook it in his hand, and Jessica’s heart pounded with anticipation.

  Olivia leaned over and said, “I can’t imagine what it must feel like to be in Logan’s shoes right now.”

  “Me neither,” Jessica agreed. “My heart feels as if it’s going to beat right out of my chest.”

  The batter stepped back into the box, tapped the dirt, and then stood there, waiting for the next pitch. Logan leaned over, nodded to the catcher, and went into his windup. The batter took the next pitch that was low and outside and then fouled the next throw off deep into left field.

  “Don’t give him anything to hit,” Jessica mumbled, and held her breath when the next pitch was again low and away.

  “Full count with the bases loaded,” Mitch said to Nicolina.

  “I’d smoke him with a fastball,” Jessica heard Owen say, but wasn’t quite sure she agreed. The crowd seemed to be collectively holding its breath when Logan stared the batter down, nodded to the catcher, and then went into his windup. The batter swung . . . and missed the ninety-five-mile-per-hour fastball that sounded like a gunshot hitting the catcher’s mitt.

  The crowd went nuts but then quieted down. The bases were still loaded. Jessica looked over at the dugout and saw Ty and Noah with their heads bent together. She would have loved to have heard their conversation. The next batter stepped into the box and took the first pitch for ball one.

  “Swing at the ball,” Jason shouted, but the batter didn’t and took the next pitch for another ball.

  “He’s got to come at him with a strike,” Olivia said, and Jessica nodded.

  Logan wound up and brought another smoking fastball, but the umpire called it a ball.

  “That caught the outside corner!” Nicolina leaned forward and shouted. Jessica looked at her in surprise, but then she remembered that she and Bella were big baseball fans and went to many Chicago Cubs games.

  “I thought so too,” Mitch agreed, and gave Nicolina a grin. “Let’s see what he comes back with.”

  “I’d challenge him with another fastball,” Nicolina told him. “A fly ball would end the inning.”

  “And we don’t want to walk a batter in,” Mitch added.

  Logan shook off the catcher and then nodded. He challenged the batter with another fastball down the middle this time. Crack! Jessica watched with wide eyes as the baseball went sailing into center field. The fielder backed up and up until he was at the warning track, but at the last second reached up and snagged the ball.

  The crowd came to its feet and roared its approval. Olivia turned and gave Jessica a high five. “Shew, that was close!”

  “It’s just a long fly ball,” Nicolina said. “No harm done.”

  “Now we need some hits!” Olivia said. “This nothing-to-nothing pitcher’s duel has been exciting, but now it’s time to score.”

  “Yes, we do!” Jessica nodded. Her stomach gave a little lurch, but she inhaled a deep breath.

  The Rockets’ pitcher was also showing some fatigue, but while the Cougars were able to get the first two batters on base, they ended up leaving them stranded.

  “I guess Ty is going to leave Logan in,” Jessica said to Olivia, and she was right. She turned around and said to Madison, “Wow. This is about to kill me.”

  Madison nodded down at her. “I am on the edge of my seat! But Logan is doing a fantastic job. Ty and Noah must have confidence in him.”

  “My fingers are crossed,” Jessica showed them her hands and then turned back around in her seat.

  When Logan stepped up onto the mound, Olivia said, “Okay, here we go!”

  Logan struck out the first two batters, much to the approval of the crowd. The Rockets brought in a pinch hitter for the pitcher, but Logan didn’t seem one bit rattled and gave him
a curve ball that the batter missed by a mile. The next ball was fouled off, and then a grounder to Reed at shortstop ended the first half of the ninth inning.

  Jessica kept her fingers crossed that the Cougars scored and ended the inning. Her stomach was still on the fritz, and she sure didn’t want to endure extra innings.

  “Well, we’re at the top of the order and have a new pitcher,” Jessica heard Aunt Myra comment.

  “Yep,” Owen said, “this should be interesting.”

  “I’d love a walk-off home run,” Jason said.

  “Oh, boy. More lingo,” Madison said. “I need a Baseball for Dummies book,” she said with a chuckle. “But I can tell you one thing: I never knew sports could be this exciting.”

  “Oh, my little nerd,” Jason chided, and Jessica would have laughed if she hadn’t been in so much discomfort. When the batter came up to the plate, the conversation ceased and all eyes were back to the baseball field.

  The lead-off batter walked.

  “We’ll take it,” Nicolina said.

  “A walk is as good as a hit,” Mitch agreed.

  The next batter went down swinging, much to Jessica’s dismay. She took a swallow of her drink and crunched on some ice. A long fly ball moved the runner into scoring position, but the Cougars were down to one last out.

  “All we need is a single,” Jason said. “Reed has some speed. He would score easily.”

  After two swings and two misses, Jessica feared extra innings, and she wasn’t sure she could make it. The Sprite was no longer helping. She swallowed hard and barely refrained from putting her hands to her stomach. If it wasn’t food poisoning, she wondered if she had picked up a bug of some sort.

  And then it happened—a line drive straight up the middle scored Reed and the game was over! Fireworks went off and the crowd came to its feet to give the Cougars a standing ovation. High fives, chest bumps, and hugs were going on all over the stadium. Jessica turned to Olivia and wasn’t surprised to see tears swimming in her friend’s eyes.

  “Wow, that was nerve-racking, but fun,” Olivia said. “Noah and Ty are going to meet us for an aftergame celebration at Sully’s. You’re going, right?”

  Jessica nodded. “I want to, but my stomach seems to be upset. I’m going to head home and take something. Hopefully it’s just my body reacting to the excitement. I’ll head over there as soon as I get this under control.”

  Olivia frowned. “Do you want me to come with you?”

  “Thanks, but no. I should be fine in a little while.” She turned to tell Madison and Aunt Myra. “Honey, I seem to have a bit of indigestion. I’m going to head home and rest up a bit before heading over to Sully’s. If Ty gets there before me, let him know, okay? I don’t want to call and interrupt anything going on in the clubhouse.” When they both offered to come with her, she waved them off. “I’m sure I’ll be fine in a little bit. Just save me a seat.”

  Madison gave her a concerned frown, but nodded. “Okay, but call if you need me.”

  “Will do.”

  Once she was home, Jessica took an antacid tablet and decided to lie down on the sofa, hoping to feel better. This was odd, since she usually had a stomach of iron and rarely felt sick. “I think it’s just a twenty-four-hour bug,” she mumbled, but suddenly her heart beat double time. “Ohmigod.”

  “Wait!” Jessica sat up straight. After thinking for a minute, she shook her head slowly. “I’m late . . .” She put her hand to her stomach, and her heart thumped hard. “We used protection.” She thought for a moment but then closed her eyes. Oh . . . there was that one time. “Dear God,” Jessica whispered. She might not have a twenty-four-hour bug after all . . . but rather a nine-month pregnancy!

  She fell weakly back against the cushions. For a moment she was too stunned to even begin to process her feelings. And then hot shame mixed with cold, hard fear washed over her. Finally, a single tear leaked out of the corner of her eye, and she angrily swiped it from her cheek.

  “This can’t be happening again,” she whispered, and then burst into tears.

  24

  Why Wait?

  When Ty and Noah walked into Sully’s, they were met with a standing ovation and wild cheers. Players were also drifting in and getting a round of cheers. A beer was pressed into each of their hands as Ty and Noah made their way over to a big table near the bar. Olivia rushed forward and hugged Noah, and then gave Ty a big hug as well.

  “That was an amazing game,” Olivia gushed.

  “Thanks,” Ty said, and tipped his baseball cap to the rest of the party sitting at the table. He had showered and changed into jeans and a black Cougars-logo golf shirt, but had left his baseball cap on. “Where’s Jessica?” he asked with a frown.

  “Mom wasn’t feeling well,” Madison explained.

  Ty felt a rush of concern. “What’s wrong with her?”

  “Upset stomach,” Madison replied. “She wanted to go home and rest for a while but I hope she’ll be here soon.”

  “I should go and check on her,” Ty said, but Madison shook her head.

  “Mom wouldn’t want you to leave the celebration.”

  “I don’t care,” he said. “I want to make sure she’s okay.” The thought of Jessica being sick had Ty’s own stomach in sudden turmoil.

  “Ty, you know Mom.” Madison shook her head firmly. “That would upset her even more. I’ll go outside and call to see how she’s doing. You go ahead and enjoy the celebration.”

  Ty reluctantly nodded. “Okay, but I want to know what’s going on with her. Let me know.”

  Madison patted his arm. “I will. Mom is one of those people who rarely gets sick, so I’m sure it was either something she ate or the excitement of the game, or perhaps a little of both.”

  Ty nodded again, but his gut was telling him that something just wasn’t right. It wasn’t like Jessica not to contact him, but then again, perhaps she was resting or even asleep. He decided to let Madison call and then go from there. He took a long swallow of beer and went about socializing.

  Ty talked baseball and put on a good show of laughing, but in the back of his mind he was worried about Jessica. He kept looking at the doorway, hoping she’d come in, but after a good thirty minutes, Madison still hadn’t returned and he was about ready to pull his hair out. When he noticed that Aunt Myra was gone as well, he knew that something had to be really wrong.

  He could just feel it.

  After excusing himself from the party, he went outside and dialed Madison’s number. “Come on, Madison . . . answer.” When she didn’t pick up, he sent her a text message and then waited. Finally, just when he was ready to head over to Jessica’s apartment, his phone beeped. With a hammering heart he opened up the text message. It read: Mom is still having some stomach troubles, but she said for you to have a good time and not to worry.

  “Right . . . not to worry.” Ty shook his head and read the message three times, looking for some hidden message. Something didn’t feel right about the whole situation. He looked over at his car and then back at Sully’s, trying to decide just what to do. After a couple of minutes, Owen came outside. “Hey, Owen. Have you heard from Myra? Is Jessica really okay? I’m worried.”

  “Myra just called and told me she was going to stay with Jessica for a while, so I’m going to head on home.”

  “Do you have a bead on what’s wrong? I’m really concerned and I don’t know what to do.”

  Owen clamped a hand onto Ty’s shoulder. “Jessica is in good hands, so you don’t need to worry on that score.”

  Ty took off his cap and scratched his head. “Yeah, but I want to be with her.”

  “Son, believe me, I understand.”

  “So what should I do?”

  “It’s not my call, but I know how strong-headed those three are, so my advice is to do as they’re askin’.”

  Ty inhaled a deep breath and blew it out. “Okay, but do me a favor. If you hear anything, would you give me a call?”

  Owen squeezed T
y’s shoulder. “Sure I will. Look, I do know this—if it was something serious, Myra would have let me know.” He smiled. “I know you’re worried about your woman. But this is your night and I know she wants you to enjoy it. So get back in there and whoop it up a bit. Maybe Jessica will show up here in a little while anyway.”

  “I hope you’re right.”

  “Me too,” he said. “I’m plumb tuckered out. But that sure was a helluva game. I’m looking forward to the rest of the season.”

  “Thanks, Owen.” Ty watched him walk over to his truck, but was reluctant to go back inside. He didn’t know how much longer he could wait before calling Jessica’s number and hearing her voice for reassurance. After another moment of hesitation, Ty decided to go back to the party. He was greeted once again with high fives and slaps on the back, but the beer suddenly didn’t taste so great and he no longer had an appetite when just a little while ago he had felt famished. Celebrating without Jessica by his side just didn’t feel the way it should, and it only reiterated what he already knew: He loved her deeply.

  He wanted to marry her.

  The thought slammed into his brain and made his hands shake. The thought had randomly crossed his mind in a pleasant what if kind of way before, and he had paused more than once to look at engagement rings, but he now knew without a doubt that he wanted Jessica Robinson to be his wife. A win didn’t feel so great without her with him. He was forty years old and had waited a lifetime for this to happen. . . . Didn’t ever really think it would. But, damn, he didn’t like being on the outside, waiting to hear if she felt okay. He didn’t want Madison or Aunt Myra taking care of her. Ty wanted to be the man in her life in every sense of the word. He smiled. Tomorrow he was going to buy an engagement ring. He loved Jessica Robinson and wanted her by his side not as his girlfriend, but as his wife.

  Why wait?

  “Madison, go on back to Sully’s,” Jessica pleaded. “I’ll be fine in a little while.”

  Madison shook her head firmly. “Do you think I believe that for one minute, Mom? My God, you’ve been crying!”