Page 108 of The Moment They Can Never Forgive
“I’m all right, Sawyer,” he said to his big brother. “Sit or move. I can’t see Leah.”
“You need to take it easy.”
Dan knew it was worry talking, but it still annoyed him.
“I know that, and I’m sitting down, wearing a fucking sling, in case you didn’t notice.”
His brother gave him a hard look and then sat.
Dan watched Leah swing her bat a few times, and then she was ready. The Keller fastball nearly took her head off.
“Bastard,” Dan hissed.
Before he could yell some abuse, Leah grinned. “Is that all you’ve got, Beau?”
“Relax, she’s got this,” Zoe said from Dan’s left.
And she did have it. So Dan relaxed and watched the game.
The Leaders were all power, with deep hits that had the Levelers scrambling, while the Levelers were quick and ruthless on the bases.
By the fourth inning, the insults were as much a part of the game as the scoreboard.
“Hey, Duke, nice swing. My grandma hits harder!” Caleb called.
“Is your grandma single?” Brody yelled back.
Dan sipped his water, the corner of his mouth twitching. He hated not being in the middle of it, but it was hard to stay in a bad mood with this much noise and sunshine. Plus, Leah. She was the catalyst for his happiness.
By the seventh inning stretch, the score was tied. Someone started the wave in the bleachers; it died halfway through theLeaders’ section when Larry Limpet and Miriam Sutton refused to stand. The crowd booed.
Then JD connected with a line drive to center field, sending the crowd into a frenzy. Two runs later, the Leaders were in front. The last Keller batter went down swinging, the lavender bleachers exploding in cheers.
The handshake line at the end was stiff, and there were lots of muttered words and forced smiles, but it was tradition.
Dan watched Hudson run to his aunt, with Ally on his heels. Dan’s mom and Callum were close behind.
“You were amazing, Aunt Leah!”
“Thanks, Hudson.” She hugged her nephew as he ran into her arms.
Dan watched the boy whisper something to his aunt.
“Okay, so, how about I do that now. It won’t take long.”
“Really?” Hudson asked, and she nodded.
“If you take Hudson to Circle Left, Uncle Callum, I’ll just go home and feed Benny for him.”
“No problem at all,” Callum said, putting a hand on the boy’s shoulder.
“I’ll be back soon.” Leah started to walk away, but Dan stopped her.
“Leah.”
She turned, and they just looked at each other for long seconds. It was Leah who moved first, rising onto her toes and kissing him right there in front of the town of Lyntacky.
“I’ll be back soon, okay?”
