Page 57 of Pitcher Us
“Because, Stevie, it’s barely forty degrees. I’m not making Callie stand outside and you just got over a cold. Why don’t we play inside?” Wyla’s using her soft mom voice and despite truly being a great kid, Stevie’s still only four.
When I make it into the living room the tears are flowing and big pleas are being made.
“Please, Mommy. I’ll wear a coat, I promise!” Stevie pulls at Wyla’s arm and before she can even respond to her daughter, Stevie continues. “Daddy says it’s springtime, why is it still cold? I want to go swing!” Stomping her foot for good measure, I can see the tantrum coming.
Scooping Stevie up I plop her down in my lap. “Okay, Bug, let’s talk about it for a second.”
Her little head turns her teary eyes to me. “Please, can we go outside?”
Ah, hell, how do Jett and Wyla ever say no to this face? I don’t want to backtrack on Wyla’s reasoning. Wyla’s the best mom; I could never undermine her. “Stev?—”
“Daddy!” Stevie interrupts as the guys make their way back in. “What season is it?”
Jett takes the seat next to Wyla. “Spring, Little Bee,” he says, and I already know what argument has started.
“It is not, it’s February. It’s winter.” Wyla tries to keep that soft mom voice but I can hear the edge starting.
“Nah, it’s spring,” Adam piles on.
“See, Mommy! It’s spring, why can’t we go play outside?”
Wyla sighs. “She’s going to start pre-k in the fall, you guys have got to tell her the truth.”
Jett just laughs and pulls Wyla to him. I’ve been around them enough to know that he just loves to get a rise out of her. “Sorry, Wy. Spring Training starts next week, so it’s spring to me.”
“Me too,” Adam adds.
“I’m not getting involved,” Will says. I try to hide my smile by planting a small kiss on Stevie's head, but I can’t help but give him a small wink when he looks my way.
“I give up,” Wyla exasperates.
“So, does that mean I can go outside?”
I squeeze Stevie and try to stifle my laugh. Wyla looks like her head might explode, so I bump Stevie on my lap, having her look back at me. “Ya know, I think I noticed a Barbie Dreamhouse in your bedroom. I would really love to play Barbies with you.”
“Okay,” she grumbles, but her little body bolts off my lap and up the stairs.
“Don’t worry, Wyla. I’ll explain the whole seasons thing to her through the people she’ll actually listen to.”
“And who’s that?”
“Ken and Barbie, duh.”
Chapter 27
Will
Pulling into the college baseball fields bright and early, Callie shivers next to me in the car the moment I open the door. It’s really quite ironic that a girl whose whole being is fire is constantly cold.
She climbs out of the car and pulls her jean jacket over her Blues crew neck. Her skintight leggings make it near impossible for me not to check out her ass, which sucks because I know every other fucker on this field is going to want to do the same.
She flashes me a quick smile before turning back around to grab her backpack off the floorboard. Her long red hair is pulled back in a low ponytail that is tucked in from when she put on her jacket.
Not even thinking about it I reach for those fiery waves and pull them out from under her coat. The action is innocent enough until my fist is wrapped around her hair, and I give it a light tug. She goes completely still and I swear she’s holding her breath. I don’t wait for her to turn around, even though I’d love to see the pink on her cheeks. I walk to the back of the car and grab some of the equipment to take to the fields.
I might not be able to stake my claim on her in front of people, but I can take every opportunity in private to remind her that she’s mine.
Throwing the last bag down by home plate, Callie shivers again. “Why did we have to do this so early? Why does it have to be so cold? I thought the south was warm?”
