Page 75 of Double Play

Her silvery eyes widen before narrowing. “Why?”

I don’t answer her.

Instead, I turn back to Isaiah, clarify my potential prospects. “I’m only looking at the East Coast.”

The original women’s league was concentrated in the Midwest, but the new league is rumored to include primarily eastern states. I’m thinking it will include ones that match the original male-centric teams. New York. Boston. Philadelphia. Possibly Cincinnati and Chicago. Detroit even.

The decision to follow India came after a long talk with Montgomery, one in which I told my girl how things didn’t work out between me and her idol.

“But why, Dad?”

There was that dreaded word again. But.

I didn’t want to blame India, but I had to tell the truth. “It wasn’t our time.” Again.

While we’d only had a week years ago, at least this round, we had several of them. The best ones of my life, as I’d told her.

“Dad,” Montgomery groaned. “Make it your time.”

“I don’t want to leave you, bean,” I teased, tossing in a childhood nickname. I never wanted to be without her and she’s my reason for every change I’ve made to my swing. The move from Chicago to Louisville to Nashville. I wasn’t ready to part from my number one best girl. Once again, I was telling myself there was always later, but the older I got, prime or not, time wasn’t always going to be on my side. It certainly hadn’t always favored India and me.

“Dad, you wouldn’t be leaving me. You’d just be chasing your dream.”

“I did chase my dream.” I bopped her on the nose. I followed my girl.

“Chase another dream, Dad.”

“But it might take me from you.”

Her eyes filled with tears, and I knew I was making the right decision. I had to let India go.

“Then I’ll just visit you. Just promise to buy a house with a bigger bedroom for me.”

“Monty, baby.” I sighed.

“Daddy, don’t let me be the reason you stop your dreams again.”

My mouth fell open, shocked. “That’s not what happened.” My tone was defensive, stricken even. Is that what she thinks I did? I don’t fault her. Not one bit. I made a decision . . . for me. Just like India needs to make a decision for her.

“But you’ve always said love is more important than anything, and if you love India, you need to be with her. Wherever that might be.”

“I love you, too, baby,” I remind her. I am where love lives. In Nashville.

“And I love you. But Mommy made a move for Brent, and I think it’s only fair you make a move for India, if you need to.”

I chuckled. She was too keen.

“I’m good,” I lied.

“But you’d be better with India.”

I’d be the best with her, but it wasn’t going to happen.

Then Montgomery said, “You’ll never make a hit if you don’t swing. That means you’ll never get the girl if you don’t take chances.”

I laughed harder. “When did you get so wise?”

“My dad always told me to follow my dreams.”