Wedding Homerun in Loveland, Ohio

by Cathy Liggett

  “Something between us? Oh Mac, there was something great between us!”

  His heart lifted with hope. He stared at her looking confused, and rightfully so.

  “But then,” she continued, “I put other things in our way. All that stuff I said about not seeing each other? I told myself it was best because I loved you too much. I told myself that it was only right to give you the freedom to let your career take you wherever you wanted to go. Not to make you compromise. But that was just a cover-up for all my fears. Fears from my past relationship. Fears of the future.

  “I’m so sorry, Mac. I am.” She bit her lip, searching her heart for more ways to explain. “I was afraid things wouldn’t work out between us before I’d even given them a chance to. I wanted to duck out before Sammy could get hurt. Before I could. And well, I went completely overboard trying to control everything.”

  “You can be quite a mother hen sometimes.” A smile tweaked at the side of his mouth. At his lips. “A cute mother hen, but still …”

  “I don’t want to be like that anymore. God brought you into my life, and I want to love you and be with you and accept all that comes along with loving you, MacNeill Hattaway. Whatever that is. I want to try. If you could only give me one more chance, Mac. Please?”

  “You? One more chance?” He curled his hand over hers and drew her into his chest, wet shirt and all. She didn’t care, it felt good and right and even warm cuddled in his arms. How had she ever dared to let him out of her life for one minute? What a fool she’d been!

  “It’ll be a tough job,” he teased, pressing her close. “But I’m thinking I’m just the man for it.” He looked down at her. “When do I start?”

  “How about now?” She inched up on tiptoes, gazing at him, not closing her eyes until he bent his head to kiss her. And at the first instant she felt his lips on hers, tears filled her eyes. Tears of thankfulness. Of joy. And of course, of love.

  Oh, what would she have done all her life, never knowing the feel of his arms … his lips again?

  His kiss was slow, thoughtful at first, sending shivers through every part of her. A kiss her once-lost soul could melt into. But little by little, the intensity grew. His demanding lips caressed hers, recapturing all the love they’d almost lost between them. And then, softer again as if realizing the preciousness of that love. Only stopping long enough for him to say, “I’ve missed you, Megan.”

  She’d missed him, too. So much. And she could’ve easily stood there kissing him until the sun came up if it hadn’t been for Sammy’s voice calling from down the hallway.

  “Mac. That you?”

  Their kiss ended, but Mac still held her tight. She glanced up at him and smiled. “Seems you have another major fan besides me.”

  “What can I say? I’m a very lucky guy.”

  Holding Mac’s hand, Megan led him down the hall. As soon as they reached Sammy’s room though, she let go. Sammy had his arms raised as far up as he could manage, waiting to hug Mac around his neck.

  “You come on my birt-day,” her son told Mac once he released Mac from his loving grip.

  Mac sat down on the bed beside him. Megan followed his line of vision as he glanced at Sammy’s clock. “Yes, I’m late. But it’s still your birthday, isn’t it? 11:58. Happy birthday, buddy.” The two went all out with their secret handshake which was becoming less of a secret nowadays, Megan mused.

  “I knew you come.” Sammy grinned, looking wide awake as if he’d never been asleep at all.

  “Yeah? How’d you know that, bud?”

  “ ’Cause you said so,” Sammy said matter-of-factly.

  Mac’s eyes shone when he looked from Sammy up to her. She thought he looked like he’d just been given the world and everything in it.

  “It’s true,” she told him. “He never doubted you. Never.” Emotion caught in her throat.

  And I never will either. I promise, God, I do. Not when You’ve given me what I’d never dared to hope for—a man I can love and a man I can trust with my heart … And as she glanced at Sammy she added, and with my son—my life.

  Chapter 24

  Did you know that Ohio’s state motto is, ‘With God, all things are possible’?”

  Mac’s eyes left the road only long enough to glance at Megan in the passenger seat of his truck. The mid-morning sun came through the windshield, lighting her face, warming the cabin. Pretty woman. Nice end-of-the-summer weather. He’d remember this day always.

  “I do know that, yes.” Taking a tube of something from her purse, she dabbed glossy stuff over her lips. “Breakfast was really good, Mac. I love First Watch, don’t you? Even if we did have to drive all the way to Montgomery, it was worth it.”

  “Uh-huh. It’s great. Great pancakes,” he answered, pausing for a moment, acting like he was studying the trees alongside the road when what he was actually doing was biding his time before feeding her more local trivia. “Oh, and do you know what they say about Ohio? They say, ‘Ohio is at the heart of it all.’ “

  “Really? That’s nice. I guess they mean the heart of the Midwest?”

  It was an effort to act nonchalant, and to ignore the nervous twitch in his left eye. In his most professorial voice, he answered, “Yes. Yes, they do.”

  “Interesting.” She nodded, even though she didn’t appear that interested at all. “Sammy loves the First Watch blueberry pancakes.” She reverted to the topic of breakfast again. “But I’m sure he’s not minding having breakfast at Allie’s after his sleepover with Justin and Carrie.”

  “I doubt it,” Mac agreed. Lucky for him after he’d talked to Allie, she’d made all the arrangements for Sammy to stay there, no problem. She’d contacted Megan, acting as if it was all her idea. “I bet he’s having fun with them.”

  “I’m sure he is.”

  She turned to look out the window, and Mac waited a moment before he cleared his throat and continued. “And by the way, Loveland, coincidentally, is called ‘the sweetheart of Ohio.’ Have you heard that before?”

  Megan turned her gaze from staring out the window and stared at him. “Actually, I’m pretty sure I have.” She tilted her head, looking at him in a curious way. “Wow, Mac.” She smiled. Teetered on a giggle actually. “I had no idea you were so ‘up’ on your slogans.”

  Well, at least now he had her attention. He may as well lay it on before she changed the subject again. Turning his sights back on the road, he rambled on. “Yeah, good old Loveland is an amazing town, for sure. A great community with great schools fingering into three counties. Lots of shops, restaurants, activities. Even has a castle, of all things,” he said referring to the locally well-known Loveland Castle. “And plenty of history,” he added, as his farm came into view. He flicked on the right blinker. “You do know how Loveland got its name, don’t you?”

  “Yes, Mac. Yes, I do.”

  But though she’d just said she knew the history, he mowed right on just the way he’d planned.

  “How Colonel Paxton came from Pennsylvania and first settled the area in 1795? But how later on, the name Paxton got replaced by Loveland because James Loveland was the area’s first postmaster and an early shopkeeper, and the mailbag always got dropped off at Loveland’s. You’ve heard that story?”

  “As I just said, yes, I have,” she answered. He tried not to notice the strain in her voice. “Now let me ask you a question.” She glanced over at him.

  “Shoot.”

  “Why all the talk about Loveland? I’m surprised you’re not giving me fun facts about California. And Sacramento.”

  “You mean you’re not fond of our little burg?”

  “Well, of course I am. I’ve lived here all my life, silly.”

  A bit relieved at her answer, he pulled the truck onto the gravel drive and slowly made his way up to the house. Knowing the imminent moment grew closer, his stomach rocked slightly.

  “I’m glad you wanted to see what I’ve done to the house. The renovations have taken forever.”


  “I’m happy you wanted to show them to me, Mac,” she replied, but there was a question in her gaze. Which he could understand. He hadn’t exactly been acting like his cool, calm self all morning. “I was never quite clear what all you were having done to the place.”

  “That’s why we’re here,” he said. “So you can see.”

  Well, one of the reasons. He cut the engine and tried not to think about the other thing he hoped to accomplish as well. Instead, he hopped out of the truck and went around to the other side to help her out. She was already slipping down from the high seat and getting her bearings in her wedged shoes. She had on the same yellow dress he’d remembered her wearing the first time she’d visited the farm, but with a jean jacket over it. Though sunny, there was a slightly cool morning breeze reminding that summer would soon be departing for another year.

  “Right this way, ma’am.” He splayed out his hands, directing Megan to the new wide walkway that led to the back of the house. He couldn’t have been more pleased when she readily noticed the change, oohing and aahing her approval.

  “And a wheelchair ramp leading up to the back door?” Her eyes grew wide. “Mac, how wonderful.”

  “Yes, but that’s not all.” Trying not to wince at his own game-show host tone, he led her inside. For the next twenty minutes or more, he showed her all of the improvements that had been made, including widened hallways, lowered sinks to wheelchair level and so on—everything that had been done to make the house more wheelchair accessible.

  “I can’t believe all the changes. It’s awesome,” she complimented him. “It’s a shame though, isn’t it? After all this money and work, and now you’ll be selling the place once you start playing in Sacramento, won’t you?”

  They hadn’t gotten around to talking about the logistics of their relationship yet. They’d just agreed they wanted to be in each others’ lives and somehow they’d make that work. But the more he had thought about it …

  “I mean, a person has to go where life leads,” she added matter-of-factly. “And California, here you come!” Her eyes shone and he knew without a doubt she was behind him all the way. “Sammy’s going to love when we come to visit. He can watch you pitch. And after the games, we can take him to Disneyland. And Sea World in San Diego. He’ll love it, don’t you think?”

  “Yeah, I …” He ruffled his fingers through his hair. And scratched at his chin.

  “Mac, are you okay? You’ve been acting all jittery ever since we got here.”

  “Must’ve had too much coffee at breakfast.”

  “You only had orange juice.”

  “Oh yeah. Right.”

  He did wish he could calm down. His palms were sweating badly. Even worse than the night he first kissed her.

  He sucked in a deep breath. “Can you come here a minute?” Taking her hand, he led her from the living room into the kitchen, over by the window. “See over there?” He pointed. “To the left of the baseball diamond? Where there’s an open space in front of that grove of trees?”

  Megan squinted. “Yeah. There’s a lot of land. It’s a very pretty setting.”

  “A nice place for a house, don’t you think?”

  “Well, sure. If a person wanted to build another home on this property. But it’s hard to imagine a person would need another house. Especially when you’ve made this house so nice and cozy.”

  None of this was going anywhere. Not his chatter about Ohio and Loveland. Or talk of building a new house. She wasn’t taking any of his hints. He had to spit it out, plain and simple.

  “Okay, I can do this. I can do this,” he murmured under his breath. But obviously not quietly enough.

  “Do what?”

  “Do you mind sitting down? In the chair there?” He pointed to the kitchen chair.

  “Are you sure you don’t need to sit down, Mac? You look kind of pale all of a sudden.”

  “No, I’m fine.” Which wasn’t true at all. He was sweating worse than ever. Like he was on the mound, bases loaded, and he was about to pitch to the best hitter in the league.

  But he had to man up. He wanted to man up. For sure, Megan was the one. The only woman he ever wanted. He’d known it since the beginning.

  “Megan, I know we’ve been saying we’re in for the long haul. But I—I want to make it official. I don’t want you to go off and do something silly, like try to kick me out of your life again.”

  Megan laughed out loud. He smiled at the sound. “Are you going to be bringing that up to me for the rest of my life?” she asked.

  “Uh, I hope so. Yeah. I hope forever.”

  It was the perfect cue. Dipping his hand into the pocket of his jeans, he retrieved a small jewelry box, and then dropped to one knee in front of her.

  “Oh Mac!” Her eyes brightened with surprise.

  He opened the box, feeling good that he’d spent the time to shop around to find the perfect ring at an antique store in Hyde Park. “Megan.” He gazed up at her sweet face. “Will you do me the honor of marrying me?”

  “Mac! Yes. Of course yes!” she said, no hesitation in her voice.

  Relieved and thrilled, he started to take the ring from the box and place it on her finger, but then he stopped.

  There were just a few more questions he needed to ask.

  “And, Megan, will you build a house with me over in the field—that field I showed you?”

  “A house for us in the field?”

  “And also not mind if I never play pro ball again?”

  She shot up out of the chair. He came up off the floor to face her.

  She plunged her hands onto her hips. He snapped the ring box shut.

  What now?

  Her flushed expression had gone from ecstatic to concerned to totally confused and even slightly angry in all but a few seconds. “Never play ball again? Mac, what are you talking about?”

  “Well, except for with Sammy. I’ll always play whatever he wants with him. And with our own kids, if we have them. And with special-needs kids, too,” he tried to explain. “Megan, you just said a person has to go where life leads them. And I prayed about it, and this is where I’ve been led. I want to build a new house for us—for you and Sammy and me in the field where I showed you. And I’d like to make Uncle Jake’s house and property a place where special-needs kids can come all year long for sports. Not just one day a year.”

  He thought she’d melt into him at that. But she didn’t. He tried to pull her close, but she stood her ground, holding up her hands to halt him.

  “Mac, we’ve been over this before. You don’t have to do that for me. You don’t have to pick between what you love. Or quit something you love. Sammy and I will be there, wherever you go. I’ve already told you that. I’ll love you no matter what you do, I will,” she promised. “My home is with you, Mac.” She corrected herself. “Sammy and I, our home is with you.”

  He’d been in the limelight for many years of his life. But it never could compare to all the wonder and blessings he’d witnessed by following God’s light. Like the blessing of Megan, whose presence in his life dazzled him each and every day.

  “Then if it’s okay with you …” He took the ring from the box and gently lifted her hand into his. “I say we stay right where we are, here in Loveland. Our home sweet home.”

  Chapter 25

  Thanks for dropping me off.” Megan leaned against Mac’s truck and peeked inside, talking to him and Sammy over the running engine. “You two guys stay out of trouble, you hear?”

  “Trouble? What trouble can we get into?” Mac grinned in his signature way. All irresistible man with a hint of mischievous boy blended in. “We’re only going to the hardware store to buy a border fence for the bulbs you’re planting. Right, Sammy?”

  “Right,” her son affirmed from the rear bench seat. “Me and Mac be good, Maw-mee. No worry.”

  “Oh!” Mac leaned across the seat, as close to the passenger window as he could. “Tell your mom to tell your dad that we’re a go for
watching the OSU game tonight.”

  “Okay, will do.”

  “Oh—and there’s something else.” He crooked his finger. She inched her head into the cab again, closer to his. “I love you,” he said.

  She smiled. “I love you, too.” Their lips brushed in a gentle, knowing kiss. “And I love you, Samster.” She blew a kiss to her son.

  The first part of their mission accomplished—dropping her off—Mac and Sammy pulled away, leaving her standing on the sidewalk in downtown Loveland. The same part of the walk where her feet had stepped hundreds of times before. Right in front of We Do! Wedding Planners.

  Only this time felt different. Because it was. Quite different. She’d never had an appointment with one of the wedding planners inside. And today she did. With her mom.

  “Hi, Mom.” The door chimed with sweet familiarity as she stepped inside. Even though it was only her mother she was meeting with, the fact that she was meeting with her mother “the wedding planner” caused her stomach to twitter a bit.

  “I hope you found a parking space. Lots going on downtown today with the beautiful weather. Plus, people are getting ready for the Bikes, Bands, and Bites festivities next weekend.”

  “It wasn’t a problem. Mac and Sammy dropped me off.”

  “Oh, that’s nice. What are those two up to?” Her mom smiled, her eyes gleaming the way they always did at the mention of her grandson and son-in-law-to-be.

  “They’re on a mission to buy a border fence for me. I bought some tulip and daffodil bulbs, hoping to get them into the ground in the next week or so.”

  “You’re growing a green thumb?”

  “We’ll see. I didn’t feel like I ever had time before to even think about a garden.” But now with Mac jumping at every chance to spend some “guy time” with Sammy, she did. She realized she must have the same disease her mom did because the thought of the two of them made her smile, too. “Mac’s made so many wonderful changes inside his Uncle Jake’s house, I thought I’d pretty-up the flowerbeds outside.”