Page 57 of Love's Home Run

As she walked, she thought of Ross, the man, not the neighbor, and liked what she’d seen so far. It was obvious that he loved his family, and they loved him. He was unlike most of the other men she’d dated. Being away from Lilac Lake, she understood better why she’d been drawn to Dirk and how loneliness had played a part. They both deserved better than that.

Now, Ross’s attention, his kisses, and the excitement she’d never felt with another man all played a part in helping her to believe their relationship was real. Though she’d thought she knew Ross, she now realized he was so much more.

A round, red ball hit her ankle, and a little brown-haired boy shuffled up to her.

She stooped and picked up the ball. “Are you looking for this?” she asked, handing it to him.

The boy’s mother, just two steps behind, prompted, “Say thank you, Tim.”

“Thank you,” the boy said, smiling at her, and Melissa resisted an urge to sweep him up in her arms. Melissa stopped in surprise. Where in the world had that thought come from? She liked children, butshe’d never fallen for one so quickly.Was that female hormones talking?

Melissa stopped and stared out at the moving waves racing to shore and retreating in a pattern as old as time. She had always been so practical and independent that she wondered if she should slow down her relationship with Ross. Sometimes he was all she thought of. Still, she was learning how to share love, and the intimate, supportive conversations after making love benefited them both. Especially now with family trauma going on.

She felt the sun's heat and removed her light cover-up, allowing the sun to embrace her body. The tension of the last few days eased. She stepped into the cool water, watching as the sand at her feet was pulled away by the receding waves before shifting again.

The rhythmic pattern was calming, and she reminded herself to let things unfold naturally and enjoy her time with Ross.

She heard a man call her name and turned to find Mike walking toward her.

“Hi! Ross told me I’d find you here. He’s on his way. He needed to call his family first.”

“Isn’t this delightful?” she said and twirled in a circle.

He grinned. “It’s beautiful.” He studied her. “I had no idea you and Ross were dating. From what Ross has said, it seems pretty serious.”

“We’re just starting to date,” Melissa said. “But he makes me very happy, and I think we’re both hoping it’ll last.”

“Are you okay with him going into business with me, traveling back and forth to Florida from Lilac Lake?”

His steady gaze unnerved her. “I know it’s what he wants,” she replied, “and I understand.”

“What about you? What are you going to do now that the restaurant is gone? Do you want to set up something at the sports center?”

“I’m not sure,” she said.

“I think there’s room for a real restaurant on the property. We’ve got a lot of land.”

“I don’t want to own and run a restaurant,” Melissa said. “That’s one thing I know for certain. I want to find something that allows me to cook on occasion. I’m trying to come up with some ideas and will let you know when I do.” She looked up and saw Ross making his way toward them, and she was relieved. The truth was, she couldn’t imagine what the future held for her. There were too many things left unsettled with her life in Lilac Lake.

“Hey, you two, how about going back and having something cool to drink and some food? I haven’t eaten much today.” Ross approached her and put an arm around her as if to make clear to Mike that they were a couple.

The three of them walked together to the Beach Bar and settled in chairs at the bar. The men ordered beers, and she ordered a margarita before looking at the menu.

“I’ve been here for a couple of days and highly recommend the grouper sandwich,” said Mike. “They do a tasty one.”

“That’s perfect for me,” said Melissa, and Ross quickly agreed.

They ordered their food, and Melissa settled back, feeling very relaxed. She turned to Ross. “How are things at home?”

“Holding steady at the moment, but I’d like to head back right after the business meeting tomorrow morning. Is that okay with you? I promise you another trip to St. Augustine and some of the islands we missed on our way down. We can stop in Savannah on our way home.”

“Okay,” said Melissa. They could visit St. Augustine another time. She knew how anxious Ross was to see his father again.

“If our sports center goes through, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to come to Florida and travel along the east coast,” said Mike, trying to be helpful.

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After dinner, Ross was ready to retire. Melissa noted his limp and realized he’d overdone it. His new knee was protesting.

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