Page 13 of One-of-a-Kind Bride (Home to Texas #1)

“Well, believe it or not, I’m going to my first baseball game.”

“You and…baseball? Well, it’s about time? What team are you going to see?”

“Have you ever heard of the Tigers?”

“The Tigers? The Detroit Tigers?”

“There’s a Detroit Tigers?” she asked.

“Are you kidding me? Haven’t you ever heard of them?”

Taylor laughed at Simone’s outrage. “No I haven’t, but there is a Last Stand Tigers team made up of seven- to ten-year-old boys. Oh, and one girl. The flower girl, Cassie. She’s got quite an arm, from what I’m told.”

“Ah so, you’ll be seeing her dad there.”

“Of course. He’s the coach.”

“Maybe he’ll teach you a thing or two about getting to first base again. He was your first kiss, wasn’t he?”

Taylor shook her head. Her friend was relentless, but yes, Coop had been her first kiss and her first love. “Oh, look, it’s almost time for me to go.”

Simone’s chuckle came across the wires. “Okay, okay. But be sure to let me know what’s up. And if you want me to take a look at your résumé once it’s done, shoot me a message. I’ll be glad to.”

“Thanks, sweetie. Will do. Stay out of trouble while I’m gone.”

“I would say the same about you, but I know you too well.”

“Ha, ha. Love ya.”

“Love ya too.”

*

A few hours later, Taylor walked toward the baseball field that sat at the edge of town, only a mile down the road from Julie’s house.

It was a good day for a walk, the sun shining overhead and marshmallow clouds dotting the spring sky.

Her lungs were in shock by the freshness in the air, each inhalation easy, with no trace of smog.

She wore a striped jersey and a Texas Rangers ball cap sat on her head, thanks to Julie.

“You have to do it up right for your first game,” she’d said. And Taylor allowed Julie to dress her for the occasion. Turnaround was fair play.

As she came up to the grass field and dirt-lined bases, Coop was the first one she spotted.

He stood out on the field, tall and broad, sporting a perpetual two-day-old beard that only highlighted his fine sharp bone structure.

He’d grown into a beautiful man, yet dangerous to her psyche.

He represented her childhood, the good times in her life, when things were simple and fun.

And like Simone reminded, he also represented her first love.

Girls didn’t often forget that. And she hadn’t.

As she approached, eyeing him on the field in a uniform that matched the team, her heart beat a bit harder, her breathing raced a little faster. She didn’t particularly like the way he affected her.

Out of the blue, Cassie came running over. She looked like anyone else on the team, except for the cute smile and her blond braids. “You came!”

Taylor wanted to hug her but she didn’t know how that would go over in a field full of boys, so she put up her hand and the girl high-fived her. “I sure did. I promised, didn’t I? Are you ready for the game?”

“Yep, Coach is just about finished with warm-ups.”

“Well, then I can’t wait to see what all the fuss is about.”

“Are Julie and Miguel coming too?”

“They’ll be coming a little later.”

Taylor looked up and found Coop approaching. Before he reached them, he gestured to his daughter. “Cassie, time to get with the team.”

“Okay, Coach. I’ll see you, Taylor.”

“Sure, Cassie. Good luck.”

Cassie ran off and Taylor stood staring at Coop.

He eyed her up and down. “Cute getup.”

Heat rose up her cheeks. It was the last thing she’d expected from him. “Julie’s doing. When in Rome.” She shrugged, holding her tongue to keep from blurting his “getup” was definitely eye candy.

“Game’s about to start. We’re the home team.” He pointed toward the bleachers. “That side.”

“Thanks.”

He stared at her just long enough to make her squirm, and then turned around and jogged back onto the field.

She squeezed her eyes closed, then sighed and made her way over to the bleachers. She was about to take a seat, when she heard her name called out from the top riser. “Taylor Preston.”

She looked up and found Joe Cooper, Coop’s dad, waving her over. “Come on up here, girl.”

She grinned immediately and climbed over three rows to get to the top. “Mr. Cooper, it’s so good to see you.”

The older man rose and wrapped his burly arms around her, hugging her tight. “Good to see you too.” He released her and patted the seat next to him and she sat. “You look the same as always, haven’t aged a bit. What’s it been, twelve years?”

“It has been that long. And you beat me to the punch. You’re the one who hasn’t aged. You look great.”

“Retirement and granddaughter-ing agrees with me, I guess. How’ve you been, girl?”

She spent a few minutes catching him up to speed on her life in New York.

And then the game began.

Joe Cooper took it upon himself to lay out the basic rules of the game, but when he started to speak about game strategies, she got a bit confused. There were two men on base already and two outs. “So you mean the pitcher is deliberately trying to walk this batter, so he can get the next boy out?”

“That’s right. The batter is a slugger. If they give him the chance to hit, he could score all the runs. So, Coop is loading up the bases, and then the last out can happen at any base.”

“I see,” she replied, though she really didn’t. Why take the risk? What if the other batter hit a good ball?

The batter was walked, and the next batter up at base took a swing and missed. That was what Mr. Cooper called it. “A swing and a miss.”

Cheers coming from the Tigers fans went up, feet stomping the aluminum risers vibrated through the entire bleachers and deafened the ears.

Parents and siblings made up the gist of the boisterous fans on both sides of the field.

And an announcer over a microphone called the game. Baseball in Last Stand was a big deal.

The pitched ball was hit, rolling at a swift clip toward first base.

Cassie was there, blocking the ball with her knees and scooping it up from the ground.

She rose quickly to throw the ball to the pitcher who’d run to first base to make the final out.

It all happened so quickly, each one of the players doing their part.

The inning was over. Cassie and the pitcher fist pumped and there were smiles all around as the Tigers headed to the dugout.

Coop waited for them, giving each player a high five as they took their places on the bench.

The whole thing smacked of community and family and a sense of belonging that Taylor hadn’t felt before.

Not like this. There was more to baseball than just the game.

Was it like this everywhere? Or was it just small-town camaraderie?

Whatever it was, she felt great to be included.

She could cheer for Cassie and Coop and the Tigers, even though some of the game was still a mystery to her.

“Don’t worry, you’ll get the hang of it,” Joe said to her.

“I think I will, Mr. Cooper. I learn pretty fast on my feet. Especially with you as my baseball mentor.”

“Taylor, call me Joe or Grandpa Joe. I answer to either these days. Okay?”

“Oh, okay. Sure,” she said, giving him a smile.

He was the most down-to-earth man she knew. That hadn’t changed. Joe Cooper set a high standard and was a good role model for his son.

And just as that thought crossed her mind, Coop, standing beside the dugout, turned his head and their eyes met.

There was something different in his stare this time.

He glanced at his dad sitting next to her and then looked into her eyes again.

The connection sizzled down to her toes, a powerful force pulling her in.

Her heart beat faster again, stirring up emotions that were just under the surface.

Emotions she’d tamped down for years. Hidden. Buried. Locked away.

And then he smiled.

A killer.

One that stole her breath.

She smiled back, gave him a little wave.

He turned back to the game.

Cassie was up. That little girl held her own against a field of boys, standing at the plate, facing down her opponents.

She was the epitome of girl power and pride, braids and all.

Coop’s body language said it too. He held himself a bit taller, puffing out his chest as he watched Cassie stand her ground.

And then there was a sharp crack of her bat and Cassie was off, running to first base, running to second base, the crowd in the stands standing up and cheering.

Joe was up on his feet, and she joined him, cheering for Cassie, who’d beat out the throw at third base.

Everyone in the stands high-fived each other.

Joe turned to her and they too did the five-finger hand slap.

“Cassie’s a natural,” Taylor said.

“She is. She loves the game. Her first triple of the season,” Joe announced.

Once Cassie caught her breath, she looked over at her dad and gave him a big, unabashed grin.

There was a moment of pure joy on Coop’s expression, something just between him and his daughter that was sweet and genuine. Taylor melted a little bit, witnessing their bond.

“They’re a pair,” Joe said.

Taylor had to agree. “I can see that. They’re lucky to have each other. And you,” she added. The trio of Coopers was a three-generation family. They worked. The love between them was almost tangible and a sight to behold.

Coop swiveled his head just in time to find her staring at him. Her nerves rattled a bit, her insides jumbling all up and she bounded out of her seat. “I, uh, I smell buttered popcorn. I’ll grab us a bag,” she said. “Can I get you anything else from the snack shack?”

“You’re going now? We’re about to score,” he said.

“I won’t be but a minute,” she said, glancing at the wooden hut serving as a snack bar where a popcorn machine was busy churning out puffed corn. “There’s no line right now. I’ll be back in a sec.”

“Well, all right. But come back soon. You don’t want to miss Cassie scoring a run at home base.”

“I’ll be quick.”