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Brodie is standing in the dugout, waiting for me. I hate that he has to see Lee acting this way. I don’t know what his problem is, but it’s time to get the hell over it. I’ve moved on, and now he needs to. Plain and simple. Why he thinks that I would ever “date” him again after the catastrophe of our previous ten years' experience is fucking astronomically naive. The fact that he is acting this way toward me in front of our daughter is going to be a problem, and our problems don’t need to leak gas onto the fire. Sherrie has enough to come to terms with right now, and I don’t need him making things worse. And if he does, I will not be the “Nessa” he has known for a decade. Mama bear will rage out and claw his ass. He better tread lightly.
“It’s been a day, but I was thinking we could go to a nice restaurant for dinner, you know, a proper second date? Or, do you already have other plans?”
My knees are aching, and my skin is on fire from being in the sun all day. Honestly, my plans were to go home, run a bath, and relax. Yet, going out with Brodie sounds tempting.
“We can go tomorrow,” he says, shrugging his shoulders.
“No, tonight’s great.”
Sherrie starts walking toward me, so he excuses himself and starts walking to his truck.
“Is Dad feeling okay? He’s been acting weird?” Sherrie asks, lugging her equipment bag on her shoulder, walking through the gravel parking lot to Lee’s car.
“Don’t worry about it, sweetie. He’ll be fine once you get back to the house. Call me if you need anything, okay? Love you.”
When we get to the car, I don’t say a word to him, but only shut the door behind Sherrie, wave, and get into my own vehicle. I don’t even want to give him the option to say anything snarky.
It surprises me how different he has been acting lately. Lee hasn’t shown this side of him for the decade I’ve known him, and I want to know how he hid it from me? If he doesn’t get his shit together, the next girl is not going to put up with it. He has another thing coming.
Brodie, though, is not cut from the same cloth as Lee. He knows exactly what he wants, and he isn’t afraid to tell me. It’s refreshing to meet a man who is as vocal about his wants and needs. I might have only met him a short while ago, but I’ve never been more sure of a man in my life. Goosebumps travel up my arms, and the hair on the back of my neck stands up. I think I’m falling in love with him.
No, I love him.
24
BRODIE
Romantic comedies don’t depict real life. Sure, people fall in love every day, and under the weirdest circumstances, but sometimes they don’t show the real struggles we go through to be happy. Why do they want us to believe that love comes so easily?
I put my truck in drive, and head home. After the blistering fire of the sun, I’m no doubt covered in sweat. Nothing a shower won’t fix.
It’s time to take Vanessa where we can enjoy some wine, and some decent conversation. She is nothing like the girls from that online dating site. Vanessa is authentic, and sure she has flaws, but don’t we all? No one is perfect, and I plan on spending the rest of my life showing her how amazing she is. That’s what she deserves.
Lee might have a problem with her seeing someone, but now I’m confident she will keep him out of our business. He almost ruined our relationship once, and I bet she won’t let him do that again.
As my truck pulls onto my street, I see my mother’s car parked in my driveway. What the heck is she doing here? I haven’t seen her in five years. She isn’t the type to call before coming for a visit; she likes to just show up on a whim. My truck barely comes to a stop before she is out of the car and at my window.
“Where have you been? I’ve been sitting here for almost two hours and you didn’t answer your phone.”
Between work and the game, I haven’t really checked my phone, and didn’t expect any company. “Work and a ball game. Next time, leave a voicemail or text me. How was I supposed to know you were here?”
My mother and I are not close. Our relationship changed after she kicked my father out. As an adult, I’m not upset with her for leaving him, but she could have let me see him more often. A parent should never use a child as an incentive and that’s what she did. If he wanted to see me, then he would have to give her money. If my father would have gone to court, he would have paid a hell of a lot less than he gave my mother.
I open the truck door, and she steps back a bit, giving me room to get out. She just stares at me, like I’m a stranger. It has been five years. “Let’s go inside.”
She follows me to the door as I unlock it and open it for her. “What hotel are you staying at?”
“I figured I’d stay here tonight. Is that a problem?” she asks, taking a seat on the couch.
She is not the type to give a warning before her arrival. Could she have shown up at a more awful time? Vanessa and I are back on good terms, and I promised her a fancy date tonight, and now this.
“I need the house to myself tonight. I can get you a hotel, though.”
Her head practically spins a 360 and then she glares at me. “You would make your mother stay in a hotel? I’m only here until tomorrow afternoon. Why don’t you cancel your plans and stay home with me?”
She just shows up and expects me to drop everything to accommodate her? It leaves a sour taste in my mouth, and reminds me of what she used to do to my father. Let’s just say, she is vindictive and manipulative. She will do anything to get her way.
“Sorry, you should have given me some heads up and then I wouldn’t have made the plans. I’ll call the hotel and get you a room booked for tonight.”
