Taylor Lynne: The Women of Merryton - Book Two (22 page)

I think the whole town
came out Saturday afternoon to see Jessie Belle’s Café and Riley’s Insurance
battle it out for the baseball league championship. Palmer Park’s parking lot
was overflowing, so much so people were beginning to park on the grass. I was
surprised at the amount of excitement it was generating. Even Rachel, who
despised the sport, came out. Since Riley’s Insurance was her competitor—and
Landon Riley was a world-class pig—she had a vested interest in it. She wanted
to see him lose almost as much as Jessie.

The girls and I sat with
our normal crowd of Jessie, Cheyenne, Abby, and the kids. Rachel joined us too.
I was beginning to feel less self-conscious about my age when I was around those
beautiful younger women. They had all done their best to make me feel welcome,
even Cheyenne despite being infatuated with Easton. I knew she was waiting for
the right moment to make her move, but Easton always put her off—to my relief.
Emmy needed more of a Rachel in her life. I wondered if Easton would consider
Rachel. She was fifteen to sixteen years younger than him, but definitely
mature, and I was impressed with her mothering skills. If we were being honest,
the thought made me jealous, but I knew Easton wasn’t one to be alone forever,
so if it had to be someone, I could live with Rachel.

As we waited for the game
to start I turned toward Rachel. “Where’s Drew?”

“My parents took him to
the Denver Zoo today to give me a break.”

“That’s nice.”

“I think it eases their
guilt,” she said to my surprise.

“Guilt?”

“They’ve always felt they
should have raised him, but my sister put them through the ringer and they were
worn out.”

“Ah. That makes sense.”

“They don’t need to feel
guilty. Drew is the best thing to ever happen to me. I wouldn’t have it any
other way.”

Rachel was definitely
stepmother material in my book. Maybe I should put a little bug in Easton’s ear
about her.

“Would you look at
Veronica,” Cheyenne commented to the group.

We all looked across the
aisle and down at Landon Riley’s wife. She was wearing some barely there, tight,
black shorts and five-inch heels along with a tube top that was bursting at the
seams. I was guessing she’d had her breasts enlarged. Those things looked like
they could hurt someone.

“I hope she doesn’t bend
over or we are all in for a show,” Jessie said.

Cheyenne was snapping
pictures of her with her phone. “I’m adding this to my bimbos on parade
collection of her.”

“You really should take
that album off of Facebook, Cheyenne,” Abby half-heartedly suggested.

“No way. I’ve had more
likes on that album than any other, and that’s saying a lot considering how
popular my beautiful men album is.”

We all laughed at her. I
seriously admired her straightforwardness.

“Speaking of beautiful
men.” Cheyenne looked out at Easton running onto the field.

Ashley looked at me and
rolled her eyes. She was also of the opinion that her dad needed to stay away
from Cheyenne. Thankfully, Emmy was preoccupied talking to Abby’s daughter,
Avery. I also noticed Maddie and Connor deep in discussion. I looked between
them and Jessie. Jessie tried not to grimace. I gave her a reassuring glance.

It was then my turn to be
reassured.

“Momma, I was wondering
if I could watch the game with Spencer?”

“Who’s Spencer?”

She pointed to a handsome
boy sitting on the Riley’s side. He boldly waved our way when we looked at him.

“When did you meet him?”

She bit her lip. “He
plays for the football team and I met him during volleyball practice.” She kept
looking his way like I wasn’t there.

“I suppose you can, but I
think it would hurt your dad’s feelings if you sat on that side.”

Her face lit all up. “Oh,
don’t worry, I already told him we would have to sit on this side.”

“Oh, okay.”

She didn’t hear me. She
was already off to meet Spencer. They ended up sitting several rows behind us.
I was going to have to force myself not to keep my eye on them. I put my arm
around Emmy to make myself feel better. She snuggled in close, even though it
was warm outside.

“How about you don’t date
until you’re thirty?” I kissed the top of her head.

She giggled. “My dad said
forty.”

“Even better.” I liked
that she was responding more often with full sentences and not one-word answers
or head nods and shakes.

Both teams took the field
to the sound of loud cheering from their respective fans. Emmy even mustered up
some enthusiasm and yelled, “Go, Dad!”

I looked for Easton and
there he stood at third plate. I wondered if there would ever come a time when
I would look at him and not be attracted to him, or wonder what if. Maybe if I
found someone for myself? But not here. It would have to wait until I moved
back home to Birmingham.

The first player up from
Riley’s team hit a fly ball, but Easton easily caught it, forcing the opposing
player out.

“Mmm, mmm,” Cheyenne
commented from behind. “If only he wasn’t so taken with you, Taylor.”

I craned my neck around
and stared at her in amazement.

She rolled her gorgeous
eyes. “Don’t look at me like I’m crazy. We all see it.”

The other ladies turned a
little pink and avoided eye contact with me.

I turned back around and
tried to forget that everyone in this town was talking about me. I knew I
deserved some of it for my behavior at the seminar, but the town needed a
better hobby.

The first inning was
promising for Jessie Belle’s team. It was three up and three down for Riley’s
team. Shane’s pitching was on point. Abby was showing him the love by cheering
the loudest. When Jessie’s team was up to bat they scored two points that first
inning. Blake hit a home run his first time up to the plate. From there it got
ugly, and not only on the field. People from each side began spouting
obscenities. On more than one occasion I had to cover Emmy’s ears. It got so
ugly that Jessie finally stood up and reminded everyone children were present.
That took care of most of the problem, at least off the field.

I was expecting a brawl
as we watched the forceful tags and crude hand gestures on the field. I never
understood how sports could make decent, well-behaved individuals turn into
complete Neanderthals. I will say most of Jessie’s team tried to keep it
classy, but I could tell it was hard. Even from where I sat I could see the
consternation on Easton’s face.

The game was tight, but
Jessie’s team always had a slight edge of one or two points. Jessie was a
wreck. She took to holding Abby’s and Cheyenne’s hands. I probably squeezed
Emmy a little too much as well.

“And they say football is
rough,” Rachel commented during the sixth inning. “I’ve decided Drew is never
playing baseball. At least he can wear pads and a helmet during football.”

By the time the ninth
inning rolled around, I was tired from just watching the game. It looked like
all the players were, too, except for Landon Riley who looked to be out for
blood. My first thought was it better not be any of Easton’s. I remembered the
bruises he left on him last time and it kind of made my blood boil.

Riley’s Insurance was up
by one point when Jessie’s team took their last turn up to bat at the bottom of
the ninth inning. Larry was up first and struck out. Our side of the stands
groaned loudly, except for Cheyenne, who used some not-so-pretty four-letter
words. Her friends smacked her. Blake was up next. He hit a powerful line drive
and made it to second base.

“That’s my man,” Jessie
shouted.

My man, I mean my ex-man,
was up next. Thoughts like those needed to stop. I looked over at Rachel to
help my thought process. It reminded me Easton would never be mine again.

I turned my attention
back to the game. That jerk Landon’s first pitch was a little too close to
hitting Easton. We had good umps this game and they called ball. After two
balls, Easton connected, but it went foul. I could see Landon getting
frustrated and I was afraid of what he might do next. Easton must have noticed,
as he seemed ready for the fast pitch that came zooming his way. Easton hit the
ball and it went sailing out to right field. Easton took off for first while
Blake rounded third and brazenly headed home. The guy playing right field
attempted to throw the ball to first, but the ball fell short, allowing Easton
to head to second. By this time, Blake was almost home. The first baseman went
for the ball and tried to get it to home plate, but in a comedy of errors,
overthrew it. Blake crossed home plate, tying up the game, while Easton headed
to third. I think Riley’s had lost it at that point. Landon was screaming that
the catcher needed to throw the ball to third base, but I think he didn’t hear
right and threw it to Landon himself. Landon wasn’t expecting it, so it hit him
in the head. Everyone in the stands gasped.

Landon didn’t go down,
but he was more ticked off than ever. Both he and the catcher were diving for
the ball. In the meantime, Easton went for home. It was a tight race to see who
would make it first, Easton or Landon. We all stood up and it was like no one
was breathing in the stands as we watched the two men race against each other.
Easton’s foot made contact with the base as he slid into home plate, and Landon
tagged him a millisecond after. The ump shouted, “Safe!”

The roar on our side was
almost deafening. Sweet Emmy was even screaming and jumping up and down. I
ended up in a Jessie, Abby, Cheyenne, and Rachel group hug. It was nice they
included me. I think Jessie was crying she was so happy.

The guys on Jessie
Belle’s team had stormed the field and Easton had been hoisted up. He was
filthy, but I could see his grin from a mile away. Landon on the other hand was
arguing with the ump, throwing his hat down, and kicking dirt around like
nobody’s business. He was putting a three-year-old’s temper tantrum to shame.

I found myself in the
large herd of people making their way to the field. I hadn’t really planned on
it—I wasn’t a girlfriend or wife—but Emmy and Ashley were insistent. I watched
as Abby and Shane embraced and as Blake picked up Jessie and kissed her
thoroughly. I caught a glimpse of their daughter, Maddie, who was disgusted by
her parents’ show of affection. But I thought it was good to see that married
people were still passionate, and I always thought it was a good thing for
children to see that their parents still loved each other.

Easton made his way to the
girls and wrapped them both up. He looked like he was on top of the world. In
his exuberance, he released the girls and before I knew it, I was in his arms
being spun around. It was as if all of the celebration suddenly ceased and we
became the focus. As quiet as it had become, all I had eyes for was Easton when
we came to a stop. We locked eyes, our faces only inches apart, and for a brief
moment I reveled in the closeness. Then I came to my senses. “Congratulations,”
I whispered before I resisted his touch.

He slowly released me.
His brown eyes were full of desire. I knew the look well, but now it stung. It
reminded me of all I had lost, all we had lost, and I wasn’t sure where it was
coming from. I think Easton was lonely and I knew we had unresolved feelings
for each other, both good and bad. We didn’t get to work out all our feelings
for each other when we split up, and now it was manifesting itself in weird
ways. But we both needed to resist these kinds of reactions—they weren’t in
anyone’s best interest.

We were brought to our
senses when we realized we were being watched by the girls. When I saw their
happy faces I began to worry that we were confusing them right along with
ourselves.

As soon as I distanced
myself from Easton, it was like someone hit the play button and the celebration
continued. I wasn’t sure what to do with myself after that little interaction,
and Easton looked as befuddled as me. I took it he hadn’t planned on being so
hands on.

“Celebratory barbecue at
our house tonight, 7:00 p.m.!” Jessie called out. She took me aside. “I want
you to come, too.”

I began to shake my head.

“I’m not taking no for an
answer. Blake is a total health nut, so there will be plenty of things for you
to eat.”

Food was the least of my
concern. “Okay. Text me your address,” I reluctantly agreed.

She grinned impishly.
“Will do. See you then.” She rushed back to Blake’s open arms.

I needed to get out of
there. “Ash, lets go, honey,” I called out to her before looking down at Emmy.
“See you later, sweetie.”

Emmy hugged me tight.
That was something new I enjoyed. Much less complicated than the one her dad
gave me.

“Do you want to drive
over together tonight?” Easton asked to my chagrin.

I did my best not to look
at the girls because I knew I wouldn’t be able to say no. “I’ll meet you
there.”