Page 29 of One-of-a-Kind Bride

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

“Ha, ha. Love ya.”

“Love ya too.”

*

A few hourslater, 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.

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