Chapter 48
LUC
The day started great with Kylie agreeing to meet me after the game, and all my good fortune ended there.
I hadn’t seen Sam since the news broke, and he greeted me by slamming me against the wall and screaming at me. Honestly, I couldn’t recall what he said in its entirety, but the gist was that I was a scumbag.
I deserved an ass kicking, so I didn’t say anything to correct him.
He continued demonstrating how little he thought of me by shaking off any pitch I called. Carlos had to visit him on the mound in the first inning, and thanks to his temper tantrum, we were down two runs in the bottom of the first.
Our hitters answered the call and erased the lead. Sam moved into the second inning with the score of 2-2.
What. The. Fuck.
Fucker loaded the bases. Three walks in a row.
When Carlos looked at me for assistance, I approached the mound.
“What the hell are you doing out here?”
“Coach, I don’t even want to fucking look at you,” Sam spoke into his gloved hand while Carlos stood to the side. The infield had started approaching the mound, but Carlos shook them off.
“Are we doing this right now?”
“Yeah, I guess so. What the fuck, man. You had to fuck my sister-in-law at my goddammed wedding?”
“If that’s what you think happened, then you don’t know me at all. Kylie and I have been seeing each other since last summer.”
His eyes flashed with fury. That fact hadn’t helped at all. I’d just made it clear that we had lied to him for almost a year.
“And you didn’t think to tell me?”
“She asked me not to. I wanted to.”
“You’re the guy who left her alone and pregnant.”
It was a statement, but one that he had gleaned from several miscommunications.
“Wrong, Sam. I’m the guy who desperately wants that baby, and who loves the shit out of Kylie and is fighting for his life and both of them.
I made mistakes, and I’m gonna fucking fix them.
But I’ll be really fucking pissed if you don’t get out of this inning.
Your decisions on the mound today fucking blow.
You’re pitching like an emotional rookie twat, and if you don’t cut the shit, you’re gonna end up out of the game. Got it?”
Sam stared at me, half his face covered by his glove.
“You didn’t leave her because she was pregnant?”
“No, I would never do that. Now think quick, our time is up,” I said. The home plate umpire had begun his approach to the mound to get us back to the game. “Are you ready to play?”
“Yeah.”
I doubted Sam was ready to forgive and forget, but he’d stopped shaking off all my calls. He got out of the inning and pitched five more before we pulled him in the seventh.
Kylie came back into the family room, and her belly had become more obvious in the few days since I had seen her. I struggled to keep from pulling her into my arms, but she did it for me.
“Nice win, coach.”
Her hug was brief, but I ached when I felt the firm little bump of her belly against me.
She was there with me, but she wasn’t relaxed.
“Thanks. What’s your plan for the rest of the day?”
“Sam and Kelsey are hosting the family and some of the team. Are you coming?”
Sam had watched us and overheard Kylie. I looked at him, and he gave a short nod, giving permission. I’d been at the man’s wedding just a few short months ago, and now I questioned whether I was welcome at a barbecue.
“Yeah, I’ll go. Wait for me, we can go together.”
She caught her sister’s eye, and the two of them had some silent communication happening. Kelsey approached and pulled me in for a hug.
“It’s good to see you, Luc. Are you coming by the house later? Did I hear that correctly?” she asked, looking sternly at her husband as he walked up to join us.
“I am. Sam decided to invite me while we were having our meeting on the mound. I figured if it was that important to him to disrupt the game, I had to go.”
“Yeah, Sam. What the hell was that?” Kelsey asked.
He shook his head and looked from Kylie back to me.
“Just clearing the air and setting some expectations.”
Kylie closed the gap between us, placing her hand in mine. She’d put two and two together. And she wasn’t happy that Sam had decided to speak for her.
“I think it’s my job to set expectations here on out. I’m firing you as my over-protective security guard. Got it?”
Kelsey giggled as Sam looked downright contrite. “It’s her life, Sam. Not your battle.”
Fuck, I loved her. I loved that she could handle a room full of people, take charge at work, and get a 6’4” athlete to back the fuck down with a word and a look. If she ever wanted to give up in public health, she’d be a great coach.
Her hand in mine caused a fresh burst of hope until she dropped it when Sam and Kelsey walked away.
On the walk to the car, Kylie laid out the parameters for how things would go.
“If anyone asks, we were together, but wanted to avoid conflict because of your relationship with Sam.”
“What do we say about what we are to each other now?”
“We’re figuring that out, but no matter what, we’re going to co-parent.”
I watched the tension in her jaw, and she parroted that sentence.
“Did you practice saying that?”
“All afternoon.” She sighed heavily. “Not everyone knew about the baby, but now they do.”
She’d stopped walking and turned to face me so I could get the whole picture. She pulled the loose shirt tight so I could see just how much her body had changed.
“Do you know how hard this is, Ky? Every cell in my body is aching to touch you. I’ve always thought you were beautiful, but fuck,” my hand reached for her, and she stared at it. Not an invitation. And not how Kylie once opened for me. I dropped it, wincing at the rejection.
“Is this your way of saying you have a breeding kink?”
Kylie attempted to lighten the mood. But it just further rubbed the salt in the wound.
“No, this has nothing to do with sex and everything to do with the fact that I need you like I need air.”
“If that’s the case, Luc, how come you didn’t suffocate this winter?”
“I don’t know, Ky. I was half alive and on life support.”
She looked away from me, but slipped her hand back in mine. Small wins were wins, and I was gonna take them.