Better Than Perfect
Page 26
“Thank you for coming down here.” Johnny pulled her into the clubhouse. “Saved me a trip to San Francisco.”
“You were going to come back?” She was glowing, and it had nothing to do with the glitter.
“I need you in my life.” Johnny wrapped his arms around her. “I need you and Zach.”
“Even though he’s not your son?” Her voice quavered, just a little.
“He could be.” Johnny hadn’t had a chance to tell her. He’d been too upset last night, and then he’d had to prepare for today’s game. “The test was tampered with. The nurse who administered it was a fan. A fanatic. She thought she was doing me a favor.”
“So, it was a false negative?” She stepped back, looking up at him with a look of disbelief on her face.
“Maybe. But it doesn’t matter to me if he’s my biological son or my stepson.” He reached out, brushed the hair off her face. “I happen to love that kid.”
“Yeah. He’s pretty fond of you, too.” She smiled at him, a look of pure radiance on her face.
“But I’m willing to redo the test.” Johnny wanted her to know he’d go through it all again. “It could be important for Zach to know the truth.”
“I think he’ll want to know.” She closed her eyes and let out a long sigh.
“So, what about the other test?” Johnny brought her to his locker, and pulled up a chair for her to sit in. “Is there a player to be named later?”
“I haven’t taken the test yet.” She looked up at him, her face radiant with love. Hope. Hormones? “I thought you’d want to be there. I thought we could find out together.”
“I’d like that.” Johnny knelt in front of her and took her hands in his. “So when can we find out?”
“Anytime. Although, I don’t suppose there is a ladies’ room around here.” She laughed as she looked around the locker room. This was definite guy territory.
“Let’s go back to my hotel.” Johnny would like to be someplace where they could celebrate. In private. Or get working on making a baby if there wasn’t one.
“Let’s go.” She let him pull her to a standing position.
“Do you want another baby?” He hoped she did. But he’d be satisfied with Zach, if that’s the way it worked out. “Do you want to have my baby?”
“You know what? I think I do.” She slid her arms around his waist. “What about you?”
“I’d love for you to have my baby. And I want to be there.” He wrapped his arms around her. “I meant it when I said I’m quitting after this year.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. For a long time, baseball was my life.” He held her even tighter. “But now, you’re my life. You and Zach.”
“I love you, Johnny. I’ve always loved you.”
“Good. Then let’s go find out if we’re expanding our roster.” Johnny stepped back so he could change out of his uniform and into his street clothes. He made it quick. He could use a shower, but would grab one back at the hotel. Maybe he could get her to join him.
“You know, you’re going to have to work on losing the baseball talk.” She teased him as they went to his Jeep. “It’s a little cliché away from the ballpark.”
“Hey, I’ve got a year.” Johnny hit the button on his keys twice and opened her door. He helped her up into the passenger seat. “Besides, I’d like to stay involved in the game. But with a schedule that’s a lot more family friendly.”
“So what were you thinking of doing next?”
“I’d like to give a shot at coaching. Not this year, of course.” Johnny hoped he was making the right move. “But I’d like to help coach Zach’s team next year. If they can make room for me.”
“I’m sure any high school team would be happy to have you on board.”
“And if it turns out I have a knack for it…” He took a deep breath. It was one thing to come up with the idea while he stood on the mound, his comfort zone, but something else to share it. “I’d like to open up my own camp.”
“You have the knack.” She turned and smiled at him. “You most definitely have a knack for coaching and inspiring young ballplayers.”
“Would you be willing to help me run the camp? I’d like it to be more of a year-round thing. Not just one week of the year.” Johnny knew he couldn’t possibly pull it off without her.
“That sounds like a wonderful idea.” She had a slight catch in her voice. “So, where do you think you want to open this year-round baseball camp? Back in San Francisco?”
“And compete with the Harrison Foundation’s camp?” He shook his head. This was the part that had him the most worried. She seemed to love San Francisco. It suited her. “I was actually thinking about starting a camp in Reno. There’s definitely a need there. We could work with the university, and it’s close enough to San Francisco, we could bring the kids to a couple of Goliaths games a year.”
“Reno.” She leaned back into her seat. Was that a good sign? Was she considering it, or trying to figure out a way to change his mind?
“That way you could still go to school. If you’re still planning on applying.” He thought she’d be an incredible teacher.
“No. I don’t think I need to go back to school.” She reached for his hand. “I think I’ll have plenty to keep me busy. A husband. A teenager. A year-round baseball camp. And maybe even a baby.”
“Yes. Maybe even a baby. Do we need to stop at a pharmacy? For a home pregnancy test?” There were several on the way.
“I have everything I need right here.” She patted her purse.
Johnny smiled. He had everything he needed. He had Alice.
* * * *
Alice followed Johnny to his room. It was a nice suite. A very nice suite. Still, she couldn’t imagine living in a hotel for six whole weeks. But then she supposed he was used to that lifestyle.
Would he miss it? He’d lived the life of a ballplayer for so long. “The bathroom is through there.” Johnny sounded a bit nervous. Of course he was. They were about to find out if they were having a baby. Together this time. “Is there anything you need?”
“Just a moment of privacy, and then it’ll be about three minutes before we know.” She took her purse into the bathroom. She opened the package and read the instructions again. Simple. Efficient. And according to the box, 99.9% accurate.
She did what needed to be done, replaced the cap on the stick and placed a tissue on the granite counter to set the test on. She washed up and then poked her head out the bathroom door.
“Well?” Johnny practically jumped to his feet. “Is it positive?”
“I thought we’d see together.” She flashed him a nervous smile. “It should take a minute or two for the results to show up.”
“Okay.” He stepped closer. Took her hand and gave a squeeze. “If it’s not… I mean, if you’re not pregnant, do you want to? Try, that is?”
Did she want to try for a baby? At her age? She’d done the whole baby-toddler-preschooler thing. Now she was barely getting used to having a teenager. If she was pregnant, she was more than willing to do it all again. But to start over on purpose?
She looked up at Johnny. He had a look of such hope and eager anticipation that the answer couldn’t have been any clearer if it had been broadcast on the giant scoreboard.
“Yes. Yes, I would want to try.” She pulled him into the spacious bathroom and they stared down at the test.
Positive.
“Well, I guess that answers that.” Johnny’s voice was thick with emotion. “We’re going to have a baby.”
“Congratulations, Daddy.” She placed a kiss on his cheek.
“We’re going to have a baby.” Stunned, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.
“That doesn’t mean we can’t…practice for the next one.” She suggested in a low seductive voice.
“Yes. Practice. Practice makes perfect.”
Epilogue
“Introducing your San Francisco Goliaths…” It was O
pening Day, and Johnny stood with his teammates, each of them tipping their caps as their name was called.
Johnny stood between Bryce Baxter and rookie outfielder, Austin Davis. Baxter had been cracking jokes in the clubhouse, trying to keep everyone loose. Davis was so nervous, Johnny thought he was going to pass out. He’d given the kid advice. Advice he was doing his best to take.
Focus. Pick a spot on the field. For Johnny, it had always been the point where the grass meets the dirt in front of the mound.
Breathe. Slowly, inhaling through the nose and out his mouth. Concentrating on the grass and the dirt. Shutting out all distractions until he couldn’t hear the crowd.
Let it go. Remember what he was there for. To play baseball. It was a simple game. Not an easy game, but a simple one.
A good thing to remember, whether it was a guy’s first Opening Day or his last.
“Can you feel it? I just know this is going to be the year.” Bryce clapped Johnny on the back as he headed into the dugout to retrieve his glove. “We’re going all the way, man. All. The. Way.”
“We’ve got a hundred and sixty-two games. Let’s make them count.” And he planned on enjoying every last one of them.
Johnny Scottsdale had come to San Francisco hoping to earn a World Series ring.
He glanced down at his left hand. He’d gotten something better than he’d ever dreamed of. He had a wife. A son. And a baby on the way. Alice’s due date was shortly after Game Seven of the World Series. If they made it that far.
If not, that was okay too. He had so much to look forward to. They’d had a good spring down in Arizona. The Goliaths finished in first place in the Cactus League and everyone was healthy to start the season. More importantly, they’d come together as a team. Learned to rely on one another, to trust one another and pick each other up if someone had an off day.
Johnny had an even more supportive home team. Alice was waiting for him when he got off work each night. And she sent him off to the ballpark with more than just a smile. He was no longer a monk, at least not off the field.
Zach was doing well in school and was getting ready to start his last Little League season. He was going to have a great year. He couldn’t help it; it was in his blood. The second DNA test came back positive. And they were in the process of legally changing Zach’s name and birth certificate.
Alice gave her notice at the foundation. Mel Sr. would take over as director and she’d be there to provide a smooth transition. The old man seemed to enjoy his new role, but he couldn’t quite give up his need to offer financial advice to Johnny. For most of his career, money had been the furthest thing from his mind. He hadn’t squandered it, but he hadn’t made the most of it, either. It just sat there, collecting more dust than interest.
Mel had helped him set up college funds for Zach and the new baby, life insurance and a retirement plan. Then he’d helped Johnny figure out how he was going to pay for this baseball camp he and Alice had their hearts set on.
Alice had already started looking for property in Reno. He told her what he wanted and she was determined to make it happen. She’d narrowed it down to three possibilities, all with room for indoor and outdoor facilities. He wanted to put in a regulation size field, with room for stands. There would be batting cages open to the public as well as camp participants. He also planned on having plenty of bullpen space, so pitchers could hone their skills. They just needed to decide and then make an offer.
She’d also been looking for a house in the Reno area. That search might take a bit longer. They needed a big enough place to meet the needs of a growing family. One with a teenager and a newborn. They’d need a place with room for a swing set and a batting cage. It had to be in the right school district. Close enough to town, yet with enough space for them to enjoy the peace and quiet.
But to Johnny, it didn’t really matter where they lived. Because wherever Alice was, he was safe at home.
Kristina Mathews
A perfect date for Kristina Mathews is a weekend in the city, catching a ballgame, listening to the saxophone player outside her hotel room and splitting just one more Anchor Steam with her husband before calling it a night.
Although she doesn’t remember a time when she didn’t have a book in her hand or in her head, it wasn’t until 2010 that she confessed the reason the laundry never made it out of the dryer was because she was writing romance. Her beloved Giants won the World Series that same year.
Besides her family, she is most passionate about books and baseball. So it’s only natural her first books are about ballplayers.
Lyrical Press books are published by
Kensington Publishing Corp. 119 West 40th Street New York, NY 10018
Copyright © 2013 Kristina Mathews
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.
Lyrical Press and the L logo are trademarks of Kensington Publishing Corp.
First Electronic Edition: April 2014
ISBN-13: 9781616505288
Table of Contents
Better Than Perfect
Dedication
Acknowledgments
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
19
20
21
Epilogue
Meet the Author
Copyright