Thank goodness for that, I think, drawing a breath of air. He’s finding success with a catcher who is not his twin, and I know how important that is for him.
I hear One Republic’s “Make a Connection” playing as walkup music and shift my gaze to the on-deck circle, where AJ is leaving so he can head up to the plate. I smile, as AJ is Katie’s fiancé, and one of the nicest guys I have ever met. He adores Katie, and she him. And if she didn’t have law school finals to finish up this week, she would be sitting here instead of me.
“Now, our boy AJ is also off to a good season,” Dominik declares. “He’s batting .380!”
I have no idea what that means but nod in agreement.
“It means he is hitting the crap out of the ball,” Barbara adds, not glancing up from her knitting.
Hayley laughs, and Dominik gives her the side-eye.
“Wife, I didn’t think you paid attention to anything out here except for how their butts look in baseball pants,” he says, adjusting his cap on his bald head.
“Well, I ask Alexa every morning for the stats on my boys,” she says, knitting away. “You aren’t the only one who knows what’s up, husband.”
I giggle loudly. I adore this couple. Talk about relationship goals. My mom and dad’s relationship is so stiff and formal, and I can’t imagine them chatting happily about baseball like this and teasing each other. They are always so proper, so polished. I have never witnessed a conversation like this between them.
I need that box ticked, I muse as AJ takes a big swing at a pitch and misses, earning himself a strike. I need someone who will laugh and joke with me and give me a nickname. With whom I will share inside jokes.
Much like the way Brady joked with me about being a rake last night.
My eyes instinctively move back to Brady again. He’s now standing against the railing, his arms folded over the top, his chin down on his forearms as he watches AJ at the plate. My pulse flutters, as I know underneath the sleeves of his jacket are the heavily inked arms that held me last night during that kiss. That amazing, beautiful, sensual first kiss. Oh, I want those arms around me again. I want his mouth to ta—
Whack! The sound of the bat crushing the ball jars me from my daydream, and I see the ball soaring toward the left pole.
The crowd leaps to their feet, cheering, waiting to see if the ball stays fair.
Dominik watches with his binoculars and then yells, “It’s good!”
We all cheer and celebrate AJ’s monster home run, which ended up high in the upper deck. The crowd goes crazy as he rounds the bases, and his home run is the first score of the game.
And as the game progresses, it turns out it would be the only run that the Soaring Eagles need to win. Chase, according to Dominik, lost his no-hitter in the bottom of the sixth, but AJ was all they needed, and finally, the game is over.
I bite my lip and watch as Dominik rises and Barbara packs away her knitting stuff. Hayley gathers her things, and I take note of the credential hanging from a lanyard around her neck.
“Oh, no,” I say. “Hayley, I don’t have a credential to get back to the clubhouse area.”
I didn’t even think about this when agreeing to meet up with Brady.
“Text Brady,” Hayley says easily. “He can get you in. We have plenty of time. Brady will have post-game stuff to do, and they will be another hour or so.”
I stare at her as I pull out my phone. “An hour? But Brady didn’t play; what could he need to do for an hour?”
Dominik shoots me a sweet smile. “You have lots to learn about athletes.”
I laugh. “If I buy you a bowl of oatmeal on a Saturday morning, will you teach me?”
He grins broadly. “You bet.” Then, to my surprise, he swings his arm and loops it about my shoulders, giving it an affectionate squeeze. “You don’t even have to buy me the oatmeal. I will be happy to help you in exchange for your company.”
To my surprise, my throat grows thick. Dominik barely knows me, yet here he is, genuinely wanting to spend time with me. The warmth I feel from him, from Barbara, is overwhelming in such a positive way, I nearly want to cry. I want to cry because I realize how differently I was raised. My parents aren’t openly affectionate like this; there was always some reserve, some barrier, against being physically affectionate.
Suddenly, some memories snap into place, and a fractured picture in my mind has now, within the blink of an eye, filled in. How I was determined to follow my boyfriend from high school to college. It was because of love, but more than that, because he gave me the physical affection I equated with being loved. I couldn’t bear the thought of being without that, so I bent to his needs, his desires. I gave up everything to make that happen because I craved his attention so much. He didn’t give up anything. He didn’t consider my needs. But I made it easy. In my desperation to get that affection, I was willing to give up everything for it.
“Addison? You okay?” Hayley asks, putting her hand on my arm.
I clear my throat. “Yes, I’m fine. Just lost in thought.”
Barbara rises with her knitting tote in hand. “I believe you were. When Dominik doesn’t respond, however, I know he’s silently wishing I would stop asking him to turn the channel to Is it Love? when it’s on. He thinks ignoring me will make me give up asking to watch it, but he’s wrong.”
“Wife, everyone knows that show is scripted. There is no way Tom went on that show for love a few seasons ago. Everyone knows he should have picked Skye. If he had been in it for love, that’s who he would have picked, I tell ya.”
Hayley bursts into a giggle. “Oh, no, you don’t pay attention to that show at all.”
“Skye did better. She married a hockey player this summer; I saw it in Dishing Weekly,” Barbara says as we make our way toward the exit. “He’s hot, that one.”
“Not baseball player hot, however,” Hayley says.
“No, but hockey hot isn’t bad,” Barbara insists.
“Wife, I’m not listening to this on the ride home,” Dominik warns.
“Don’t be jealous, I love your butt the best of all,” Barbara says.
“You like saggy? I question your judgment,” he retorts with a twinkle in his eye.
We reach the concourse level.
“Well, we’re going to catch the Metro home,” Barbara says.
Hayley shakes her head. “Nope, your ride is right outside.”
Barbara sighs. “Did Brody get us a driver again?”
Hayley nods. “You know either he or AJ always gets you a ride.”
My heart melts. AJ and Brody always make sure Dominik and Barbara have a safe escort home after every game they attend.
“Tell him to come over for coffee tomorrow,” Barbara says. “I’ll also pack up leftovers for you to have for dinner tomorrow night.”
Hugs are exchanged, and Dominik looks at me before he leaves. “Text me when you want to have breakfast.”
“No, you can’t keep her for yourself. You come over some Saturday morning for breakfast,” Barbara insists. “I know you are a working woman. Saturday would be best.”
The lump reappears in my throat again. I pause for a moment, then clear my throat so I can answer. “I would love that.”