Page 32 of The Yips

CHAPTER 28

Sam

Iliked Kelsey’s dad almost immediately, and while Kelsey thought that he was ready to auction her off for a set of season tickets, he pulled me aside to let me know he was an expert marksman. He was thrilled to have the jersey, but I think his visit was less about me and more because he had missed Kelsey and Crew. He was a fantastic father and grandfather.

Kelsey’s apartment was tinier than I imagined, and it took all I had not to rush in and take over. How would she raise Crew in this one-bedroom apartment? Her neighborhood was safe, but her apartment wouldn’t be a long-term solution. It was fine while Crew was an infant, but I couldn’t imagine a toddler running around in this space. I knew that bringing her to my place would overwhelm her. She was already uncomfortable with wealth, and I didn’t want my thoughts on her home to minimize her efforts or for her to think I thought less of her. The more I knew her, the more I respected her.

“Are you working tonight?” I asked, already missing her even before I’d left her.

“I am, until close, both tonight and tomorrow.” I bit my tongue as I suppressed the urge to tell her to quit her job. I hated the idea of her working late at night and then walking through the city to her car alone afterward.

“Are you off Sunday and Monday? I’m not sure yet which day I’m in the rotation. It could be either.”

“I’m off both nights. When will you know what day you’re pitching in New York?”

“Probably not until Tuesday. I realize that might not be enough time to request the days off from work.”

“I’ll try to pick up weekday shifts to make up for it, maybe trade with someone. It’s quieter when you guys are out of town. If I pick up more days during the week, it might not be an issue this week.” What went unsaid was that when Kelsey traded a busy shift for a quieter night, she’d make less money.

“Will you text me when you get home safe from work tonight?”

She smiled, “Are you worried about me?”

“I know you can handle yourself, but I’m not a fan of you closing up a bar at 2:00 am. So, if you don’t mind, please text me when you get home.”

She nodded in agreement, “OK, I will.”

Kelsey walked me out of the apartment, and we stood in the hallway outside. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed me quickly on the lips before trying to rush away. I grabbed her arm and gently turned her back into me, leaned down, and brushed my lips against hers. Her mouth opened to mine, and she placed one hand on my chest to steady herself. When I sucked her plump bottom lip, she let out a gasp and crushed her body to mine, our tongues battled, and her fingers tangled in my hair. I tore myself away from her breathlessly, resting my forehead on hers.

“Have a good night, beautiful. Don’t forget to text me.” I said reluctantly.

“I won’t,” she promised.

I walked away, knowing that if I looked back, I wouldn’t leave. I returned to my place and took it in as if it were the first time. Kelsey’s home was small, yet she made it feel homey. I lived in over four thousand square feet of cold marble and open space. Three of my four bedrooms were staged and ready to greet guests who rarely ever came. My private gym rivaled what I had in our training facility. I looked at my home through new eyes and, for the first time, felt a profound sense of loneliness.

Kelsey had been surprised that I did my laundry, but to be fair, my house was kept clean by hired staff. I cooked rarely, and when I did, my meals were basic and focused on nutrition. I had a kitchen that could host family holidays and be the central focus of family life, but it was just me prepping sad little protein shakes. I had purchased a family home purely as an investment, and because I could, I did not expect to want my bachelor status to be interrupted. But now that I’d met Kelsey, it was all I could think about.

I imagined Crew learning to crawl and toddle through the family room. I could see a highchair perched next to the island counter with the three of us eating dinner together. I pictured relaxing on the rooftop patio with Kelsey while Crew slept. Was it normal to envision a future with someone so clearly after such a short time?

I distracted myself with physical training as best I could, but my eyes kept drifting to my watch. I wondered what Kelsey was up to at work. Would she remember to text me when she was home?

I texted Monica and Avery to let them know Kelsey planned to reach out and that she had some great ideas for a non-profit. After giving Avery a few highlights, she was also excited, and Monica agreed to help with any necessary research. As much as I wanted to go to my financial planner and have a check cut for Kelsey, I knew she would never accept it. I would have to wait for her to establish it before she took a penny from me, and even then, it would take some convincing. But even with the short history with her, I had faith that she could turn almost anything into gold.

Knowing she suffered from anxiety, I realized coming on too strong would make it even worse for her. Josie and Jake had chosen to delay their own family specifically because of concerns about her medications during pregnancy. Kelsey had gone through pregnancy, birth, and the trials of being a single mother without the benefit of her medication. She was only successful because she’d gained tools to help her manage her anxiety. The last thing I wanted to do was to create more chaos for her.

I now understood that when Kelsey became quiet and turned inward, she needed time to process and was overwhelmed by too much stimulation. My chest ached with the knowledge that she was on the verge of a panic attack while we were in Minnesota and that I hadn’t recognized it. Seeing how clearheaded she was after her run was a prime example of how important it was to give her the space she needed to process her thoughts.

I felt a rush of excitement when I saw Kelsey’s name on my phone midway through her shift.

Kelsey: This has to be the longest shift ever.

Me: Is it busy?

Kelsey: No, the stupid baseball team has a day off today, so everyone stayed home.

I smiled, loving her frustration with our team’s days off.

Me: Oh shush, those baseball players are home recovering from a week on the road.

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