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In fact, if not for the added details of what my mother did to me, I’d be expecting to wake up anytime now to find out that I was only dreaming. Because, yes, I’ve run that same version of us reuniting through my head more than a few times — minor details differing here or there.
But whatever the reason for her hands being on my body one more time didn’t matter much to me. I just didn’t want it to stop.
Sensing us approaching them, Carolyn peeked over her shoulder, cocking her head to make sure Faith really had her arm around me.
Still a touch on the shy side, Faith pulled her hand away from me as soon as Carolyn leaned over to whisper to Jason. But I didn’t give a damn about what anyone watching us might think about us rushing back into this.
I made a million wishes for this one thing to come true. So, now that I had what I wanted, I planned to show her off every chance I got so the universe understood how thankful I was.
Before she tucked her hands back into her pockets, I reached over and stole one back. “I don’t think so, baby.”
I wanted the whole world to know we were back on, so I bent my arm to bring her wrist to my mouth when Jason turned back to see us, too.
Pulling Faith’s chair another inch closer to mine before I let her sit down, I rocked my chin to Jason. “Did we miss anything?”
Playing a song on the tab of his beer can, he motioned to Carolyn with his head. “We were just talking about having a cookout-pool party thing at my house when we all have a free weekend.”
The moment Faith sat down, I threw my arm around the back of her chair. “Shouldn’t be a problem for us.”
Sweeping her hair to the other side of her, Faith fell back into me more. “How many kids do you have?”
Counting them off with her fingers, Carolyn bounced her head back and forth with each name. “Carson is twelve, Gentry is ten, and Sean is eight.”
I lifted my finger off Faith’s shoulder and pointed at her. “How is Carson doing? You guys had already checked out by the time I came in the next shift.”
Flapping air through her lips, she rolled her eyes up. “Ugh.” Beating the side of her fist into her head, Carolyn tucked her feet underneath her, rocking closer to Jason this time. “Dom took care of him when he got knocked clean out with a concussion the first game.”
Standing about six foot five and built like a lineman, Jason still about fell over when Carolyn whacked his arm with her elbow. “Can you believe their coach quit out of the blue this week, though? I’m not sure if he’ll even be finishing this season.”
Still sporting his childhood baseball trophies in his basement sports bar, Jason snapped to life the instant she mentioned it. “Well, that sucks. They don’t have anyone who can replace his coach?”
Picking at the curled-up bits of plastic on the arm of the chair, she shook her head. “I guess not. We only had the one as it is. They barely had enough to cover all the teams.”
“I mean,” — his hand flipped over as he shrugged — “I can help out if they need someone. I mostly work early in the morning, and their games are always in the evenings and on weekends.” The empty red cup by his boot tumbled toward Faith when he kicked it. “What about you, Ace? How’s that arm of yours holding up?”
“Oh.” Faith cringed a little. “I mean, I don’t mind at all. But I haven’t played since high school, so I’m not sure if I’d be much of a help.”
Slapping his hand through the air, he groaned back at her. “Come on. It’s not like you have to suit up or anything. All you have to do is tell them where to run and when to swing.”
Carolyn nodded frantically as she grabbed his arm to back him up. “There’s only the rest of this month left in the season.” Three fingers turned up at her. “So, it’s like a three-week commitment, tops.”
Tugging at her hair, I gave Faith an eyebrow when she looked at me. “Consider it your penance for all those times we ran the concession stands at your games when your dad had to work.”
The only time Faith didn’t mind having a bunch of eyes on her was when she was striking out batters. So, it didn’t take much pushing to make her say, “Fine. I’ll do it.” She pointed at Jason. “But whatever house I pick out better have top-of-the-line stainless steel appliances or a big jacuzzi tub or something.”
He reached across the half circle we made to shake her hand. “Deal.” Pushing himself back into his seat, he tapped my foot with his. “We got her locked down now. Don’t we?”
Tugging her back to me, I kissed the side of Faith’s head. “You better believe it.”
The dream house she described was the same one I’d been tossing around buying for a year now, not that it wouldn’t have taken much to strengthen the idea that Faith and I belonged together. But now, I knew exactly what I had to do to make her believe that, too.
26
Count of That
Faith
Bogged down by the responsibilities of their adult lives, a hundred or so people approaching their forties reluctantly left the party a little after three in the morning.
