Curveball: A Second Chance Romance (Double Play Series Book 1)

by Nicole Rodrigues

  “I haven't been your woman in a long time, Gabriel.”

  I plop him on one of the kitchen chairs and he slams his head down on my table with a loud, thunk!

  “Gabe!” I run to his side. “Get up!”

  I shake him and he lifts his head slowly, locking his eyes on mine. Sadness and hurt swarm in those gorgeous blues.

  “I used to do this all the time Charlie, anything to numb the pain. I see someone, a therapist. That day...I never forgot it. I never forgot the look on your face...”

  “Gabe, it's okay it was--”

  “It’s not!” he booms, “I love you, Charlie,” he slurs. “I always loved you. I was such a dumb fuck to ever think throwin’ a ball was ever better than you and those kids. I fucked it all to hell,” he says, shaking his head.

  I see a tear drip down his cheek and my heart breaks all over my kitchen floor. As much as this man broke my heart, left me to fend for myself for eighteen years, I can’t entirely put the blame on him.

  “Listen to me,” I say, slapping his cheek to keep him awake. “It is not all your fault. I never gave you a chance to be a father, Gabe. I told you I had the abortion, we broke up and you left. I never told you about the kids, you don’t know that you would have left us if you would have known, you hear me?” I say, looking in his eyes.

  More tears fill his eyes and he closes them, as I watch the tears fall down his cheeks. I brush them away and kiss his forehead.

  “Come on, screw the coffee, let’s just get you to bed.”

  I pull him up from the chair as we walk through the hall.

  “Always the perfect southern belle,” he drawls.

  We get into my bedroom and he pulls me down onto the bed, wrapping his arms around my waist. He buries his face between my breasts and sobs.

  “I missed it all, Charlie. I missed their whole life. You told me to go to hell the day I left and I did. I've been in hell. I hoped you'd get your happy endin’,” he says, in between cries.

  I run my hands through his hair to soothe him and his breathing starts to slow.

  “Shh,” I soothe. “Just sleep.”

  Soon enough, I hear his steady breathing and his quiet snores I remembered whenever he drank too much. I smile, settle myself in the bed and let sleep overtake me. We would figure out this shit storm in the morning.

  Gabriel

  I wake up with a splitting headache and a sour stomach. The only salvation is the incredibly warm and soft pillows my face is buried in between. Pillows or breasts. I smell her scent, vanilla mixed with lavender, it's still the same and I open my eyes.

  My face is buried in between her cleavage and her mouth is open slightly, as she makes cute little snoring noises. My arm is wrapped around her waist and her arm is draped around my back, with the other one covering my forearm.

  I hear a noise from down the hall and stiffen. I don't remember anything from last night, apart from the disastrous dinner, so it could be one of the twins, or it could be someone breaking into her house.

  My question is answered when I see shaggy, blonde hair, poke through the door and a look that could murder me where I lay. In between his mom's tits. Dammit. He's gone before I can sit up, but my movement wakes Charlotte.

  "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," I say, sitting up.

  "No, it's fine. The kids come home this afternoon anyway, I have to get up and moving."

  She straightens out her shirt from last night, pretending she wasn't affected by our cuddle session.

  Her hard nipples poking through the fabric says differently.

  "How are you feelin’?" she asks, breaking me out of my ogling.

  "Like shit," I grumble.

  I rub my hand down my face and try to stand from the bed

  "Do you remember anything?" she asks, looking over to me, with hope in her eyes.

  "Not much. Aside from the fact, that I owe you a very big apology...again, I don't remember much after you left.”

  Her expression shifts to disappointment for a split second but then it's gone.

  "I am sorry, Charlotte," I say, walking toward her. "I was way out of line with the things I said last night. Just...thinkin’ of you with another man, kills me. I know it's my own fault and I think that's why I got so angry. I'm angry with myself, not you. I guess I didn't grow out of that jealousy stage like I thought I did."

  I smirk but she just nods and goes towards her dresser, rummaging for clothes.

  “Are you an alcoholic Gabriel?”

  Her words stop me in my path towards her.

  “No I'm not. I may have drank a lot in my younger days, made stupid decisions, but I ain't an addict.”

  “Drugs?” she asks turning to face me.

  “Those were all the tabloids. I never touched a drug in my life,” I say forcefully.

  “You said you saw a therapist I-”

  She turns away from me not finishing her thought.

  I walk over to her and put my hand on her lower back. She jumps and I move my hand to her waist.

  “I see a therapist because I didn't know how to handle my emotions and grief. I drank and slept around and needed to deal with it, instead of run away from it.”

  She nods and I move her long hair to her shoulder, exposing her neck.

  “Can we try this again, Charlotte?”

  “Try what?”

  I kiss her neck softly and turn her around to face me, motioning between our bodies.

  “Us.”

  “I…”

  I move slow towards her and brush her lips softly, cutting off whatever protests she was going to throw my way.

  Before we can deepen the kiss, we hear a commotion in the kitchen. She jumps back, looking up at me with a panicked expression and I let out a sigh.

  "Devin kind of...walked into the room and saw us."

  "Shit, he's home? He wasn't supposed to be home until late this afternoon. Shit, shit, dammit," she says, pulling out a t shirt and pants. "Let me just change then you can use the bathroom. Advil is in the medicine cabinet, I'll meet ya in the kitchen," she says, sweeping towards the hallway.

  I sit on the bed with my head in my hands and try to recount the events of last night. I remember being so hurt and angry when Charlotte left. I went back into the pub and...tequila, lots and lots of tequila. Shit.

  I hear the bathroom door swing open and barely see Charlotte, as she dashes down the hall to the kitchen. I walk towards the bathroom but stop when I hear her and Devins conversation.

  "We come home early to surprise you and we see that! He had his face buried in your tits Mama, how could you, after what he's done!" Devin yells.

  "Devin John, you better lower your voice, I don't allow yellin’ in this house," Charlotte says, through gritted teeth.

  "I'm sorry, Mama," he grumbles.

  “For the record, I didn't see nothin’,” Bella says.

  "Not that it's any of y'alls business, but nothin’ happened. We had dinner to discuss everything, it didn't go well, and I came back to him on our porch. Whatever I do on my own time, is my business."

  "You mean, whoever you do?" Devin retorts.

  "You wanna try that again?" Charlotte snaps.

  "Mama, I get y'all had something back in the day, this epic love story, but now? Eighteen years he missed Mama, he wanted us gone. Why are you defendin’ him?"

  "Because he is your father, Devin John and whether you like it not, he’s gonna be in your life. Now it's ‘bout time you accepted that because he ain’t goin’ nowhere!”

  I smile, remembering how strong Charlotte's accent got when she was angry. Sometimes I would rile her up just to hear that strong southern drawl.

  “He left once, he can do it again,” Devin says.

  The fear in his voice slays me.

  “Just give him a chance Dev, he's a good man. If you took your head outta your ass for 5 seconds, you'd see y'all ain't so different,” Bella snaps.

  “Bella,” Charlotte warns. “He was a kid, Devin. A kid that
was told he had no responsibilities holdin’ him to this town and he left. You wanna hate him for leavin’, then fine. God knows I hated him enough for all of us. But then throw some of that hate my way for lyin’ to him and pushin’ him to go. It's ‘bout time we all got past this and started to move on as a family, no?”

  There's silence and I hold my breath for their next words.

  “I'll think about it,” Devin says quietly.

  “I'm happy y'all are home. Go and get washed up for some breakfast," she says, dismissing them.

  Devin sighs and I hear footsteps coming closer, so I shut the bathroom door quickly. I sink to the floor with my back against it and let out a breath. How the hell am I going to fix this with my son?

  Charlotte

  I huff out a breath and turn to the fridge to start on some breakfast. That could have went worse but it could have went better. Devin is going to be a hard one to crack but at least it seems like Bella is on our side. Our side. We're a team now, I guess. I hear a throat clear behind me and turn quickly.

  “How much of that did you hear?” I ask Gabriel, wincing.

  “Enough,” he says, shrugging his shoulders.

  I walk over and pat his shoulder and he grabs my wrist in his hands. I look at him questioningly.

  “Thank you, for defendin’ me,” he says softly.

  He moves my hand up to his lips and gives each knuckle a soft kiss. My breath hitches in my throat and I close my eyes.

  “You're...you're welcome,” I stutter.

  He smiles and moves his hand down my slender neck, to the chain hanging around it. He pulls the necklace out from underneath my shirt and I close my eyes, chastising myself for still wearing it.

  “You...you still kept this? You wear it, after all these years, after…”

  His voice breaks and he moves his lips to brush mine quickly. His kiss is soft but my body reaches out for more.

  “Gabe…” I moan, reaching my arms to hook around his neck.

  My body is corrupting my brain, fogging it up with lust.

  “We don't want to make him madder. Bad old dad corruptin’ his innocent mama in the middle of the kitchen will get me another bloody nose.”

  I giggle and nod, reluctantly untangling my hands from around his neck. I turn back to the stove and crack eggs, as I feel his warmth against my back. He lightly pushes his body into mine and I feel his hard ridge against my back.

  “Don't mean I don't want you though, baby cakes,” he says against my ear.

  He kisses my neck, underneath my ear, in that spot that drives me wild and I slam my hands down on the counter.

  “Gabriel John, don't tease me, dammit,” I say with frustration.

  He laughs a low rumble and the vibrations tickle my neck, making their way south.

  “Teasin’ means I don't plan on followin’ through.”

  He kisses my neck again and we hear footsteps coming towards the kitchen. He backs away from me quick and the movement makes me wobble and two eggs crack on the kitchen floor.

  “Dammit.”

  I go to bend down to clean the mess, but Gabriel is already there. He looks up at me and winks.

  “Always tryin’ to get me on my knees, baby cakes.”

  My mouth drops, picturing this scenario a little differently. The kids aren't home and I'm wearing a little less clothing. He crawls over to me, slowly trailing his tongue up my bare leg and up to my--

  “Mama, we have any more orange juice?”

  Bella's voice interrupts my dirty thoughts and I shake my head. I look over to Gabriel and he chuckles. I stare daggers at him.

  “Uhh..I was plannin’ on goin’ food shoppin’ this mornin’, before y'all got here.”

  My voice is strained, and I clear it, looking away from Gabriel. Bella eyes me curiously and smirks, obviously noticing my blush. Curse my pale skin.

  “Okay,” she says smiling.

  She sits at the table, watching Gabriel clean the eggs by my feet, occasionally stealing a glance at me.

  I turn back to the stove to hide how flustered I am and finish making breakfast as everyone takes their seat at the table.

  “So...everyone excited for Thanksgiving tomorrow?” Gabriel asks, breaking the silence.

  “Do you love Mama or not? I ain't in the mood for this back and forth crap, so you either love her or you don't. Are we expectin’ you at all family holidays from now on or only when you wanna warm her bed?” Devin seethes.

  “Devin!” I snap.

  “What? I may not live here at the moment, but I still consider myself the man of this house and no one is gonna disrespect you like that, even him,” he says, pointing his fork at Gabriel.

  “Devin, you are my son. I love you with all my heart, but my private life is none of your business,” I say sternly.

  “Well I got a right to know if he's gonna be stickin around or not,” he says, slamming his fork down.

  I look over at Gabriel and his eyebrows are drawn together.

  “Devin, I'm gonna have to earn your trust, I get it, but you don't need to be buttin’ into your mama's life like that. I'm sure she don't grill you about all the girls warmin’ your bed, does she?”

  “Oh, so it is like that, huh?” Devin laughs bitterly.

  “Shut up Devin, it's Mama's business!” Bella snaps.

  All of the sudden everyone starts talking at once and voices grow louder. My face heats up and I ball my fists and grit my teeth. I am so sick of this damn fighting, it ends here.

  “Enough!” I yell, standing from the table.

  All eyes snap to me and the yelling stops. Everyone's mouth hangs open, waiting on my next move.

  “Devin...Bella...I'm a grown woman and what I do on my own time is my business. You are both old enough to know when to butt out. That man over there ain't a stranger, that's your father. If he and I wanna spend some time together, that is what we're gonna do. Now I am done with the fightin’ and y'all are too. The past is in the past and let's just all move forward. Gabriel wants to be a part of this family, so let him,” I say, slamming my napkin down on my plate. “Now finish your breakfast and Devin, you're on clean up duty.”

  I hear Devin start to protest and I hold up my hand.

  “I don't wanna hear it.”

  I see Gabriel smirk out of the corner of my eye.

  “Gabe, you can help him. Bells and I are goin’ to the supermarket, then I gotta run into the office for a couple hours. Y'all decide how this is gonna go, but so help me God, if there is blood on my carpet when I get home, I'm carvin’ up you boys for Thanksgiving tomorrow.”

  I walk towards my bedroom to change but I hear whisper yelling in the kitchen, so I stop to listen.

  “Stop hittin’ on her in front of us, it's disgustin’,” Devin whispers.

  “I'm not.”

  “Just stop. Bells and I are goin’ out in town tonight, just save it for later. Mama never had a man, it's weird okay? Just...save it.”

  “I'm your father. A father can't kiss the mother of his children?”

  “No, it's nasty. Just don't.”

  I smile and shake my head and walk into my room to change.

  I come out a few minutes later and walk into the kitchen. Devin and Gabriel are still sitting at the table, just playing around with their food.

  “Be good, boys,” I say, patting Devin’s head.

  Gabriel smiles and reaches for me, wrapping an arm around my waist. He kisses me hard on the lips and I gasp, gripping his shoulders for balance. He breaks the kiss and I see him wink over my shoulder. I slap his chest.

  “You ball buster,” I whisper.

  I walk out the kitchen, towards the front door and hear the arguments start up again in the kitchen. I swear if arguing was a profession, those two...like father, like son

  Chapter 12

  Gabriel

  I pull my car into the parking spot next to Charlotte's truck and smile. I only see one other car in the lot. I walk into the building and climb the stairs t
o the second floor. I see my sister's name on the door, underneath the sign that says Double Play Sports. A wave of pride flows through me as I open the door and glance around, walking inside.

  The carpet is a deep green and the walls are a sandy beige. There is memorabilia hanging on the walls, signed by different athletes and there are two open doors towards the back of the waiting room. I walk down the hall, bypassing the empty reception desk and towards the door with my sister's name on it. I glance inside but it's empty.