Page 30 of The Yips

Me: Yeah.

Josie: I don’t think you’ll be able to avoid Dad much longer. He caved and called me.

Dad and Josie were more estranged from each other than we were. Josie looked so much like our mother that I think she reminded him too much of her. I doubted that he would make any effort with me if I hadn’t chosen to play baseball. We’d spent too many years hoping that he’d realize that we were more important than random women and alcohol and now resigned ourselves to limiting our interactions for the benefit of our mental health.

Me: I already know I need to see him while I’m in the City. Hopefully, Gramps will come, too. That will take some of the pressure off.

Josie: Well, just be careful. If you think you might want something serious with this woman, Dad could scare her off or hit on her. I wouldn’t put anything past him. You might also want to give Luna a heads-up. I know you two have a very casual relationship, but if you are pursuing Kelsey, you need to cut her loose.

Me: Luna and I have always been clear on what was going on, but point taken, I will let her know.

Luna had been a close family friend for years; she and Josie had gone to college together, and we had many mutual ties. Josie had always suspected that Luna only accepted what I was willing to give but that she’d eventually push for more. No one else knew, but Luna was in love with someone else, a mutual and very married friend. While I knew with certainty that Josie was wrong, I wasn’t at liberty to explain to her why.

When I called Luna, she’d already seen the photo online.

“She’s adorable, Sam. I’d love to meet her when I’m in town next.”

“I would love that. Plus, you can milk Josie's sympathy. She’s convinced that I’ve left you heartbroken.”

“If only she knew. There’s nothing worse than watching a trainwreck from the outside.”

“I think you give Craig far too much credit. He and Alyssa made their choices, and as a result, they are billionaires. They chose to marry each other and dominate the world’s food industry. If he realizes that there’s more to life than money, he has the means to find his way out of that situation.”

“Which we know he never will,” Luna sighed heavily. “Good luck, Sam. Watching your parent’s mistakes influenced you, but you can have a career and a relationship. You aren’t your father. If you were going to cave to the pressures, you would have done that already.”

“I don’t know how far Kelsey will let me in, but this is the first time Iwanted to try.”

We chatted for a few more minutes when I realized the time. We said goodbye and hung up the phone, promising to catch up soon. Avery had checked in to see how Crew was making out, and I shared Kelsey’s contact information with her directly. I figured it might be good for Kelsey to have a direct line with someone other than me should she choose to travel with me. I had a three-hour flight back to Boston with her and planned to do everything possible to convince her while I had the opportunity.

CHAPTER 27

Kelsey

Security in the airport was much smoother with Sam’s help. I don’t know if it was the residual stress of last night, but I wasn’t sure how I managed to get to Minneapolis on my own. I hated that my anxiety had flared so badly this morning but appreciated that Sam not only understood but also was able to help with Crew. Crew slept soundly in his stroller while we waited for our boarding time.

My Dad had been texting all morning, and there had been a photo of us online holding hands while leaving the restaurant. He’d offered to pick us up at the airport, but I suspected it was his way of trying to meet Sam.

“Hey, my dad has offered to pick us up at the airport when we land. He saw a photo of us online. He may want to grill you a little bit.”

“I have a car at the airport and can bring you both home. But if he wants to meet me, have him meet us at your place.”

“Oh, OK.” I hesitated. The hotel bedroom I stayed in this weekend was bigger than my entire apartment. I could only imagine what Sam would think of my tiny little place. I hadleft it clean, but it was a sad little home. Knowing more about his family and background, he’d probably never been in a home as shabby as mine.

“What’s wrong, Kels? I don’t know what you’re thinking, but I can feel you pulling away.” Sam asked. He’d felt the subtle shift in me as I silently attempted to process the differences between our worlds.

I sighed, “I’m not sure what you’ll think of my apartment. It’s tiny and probably the size of your closet, if not smaller.”

“And you’re not afraid of me meeting your father?” He asked with a chuckle.

“Oh God no. He’s such a Minuteman fan that he’d sell both of us for a signed baseball.”

“Huh, do you think he’d want the jersey I wore in the perfect game?”

“You have no idea. Have you ever watched the clips of the little girls getting the “22” hat placed on their heads at a Taylor Swift concert? That would be him.”

“Noted. He’s easily impressed.”

“No, he’s actually not. But for some reason, he’s not telling me to talk about his hunting prowess or competition shooting. He wasn’t a bit concerned about me flying across the country with a stranger. I mean, you’re a baseball player. He shouldn’t trust you with his daughter.”

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