Shielding You (Baytown Boys Book 13) Read online

  Smiling, Hannah shook her head. “No, not at all. It’s just such a lovely evening, I thought I’d get a little air. The only other time I was here was at Colt and Carrie’s wedding, and with so many people around it was hard to appreciate their beautiful view.”

  “I’m taking advantage of others wanting to get their hands on my daughter, giving me a little break.” Ginny glanced over toward Belle’s protruding belly and said, “You should have a seat. Take a load off while you have a chance.”

  The four women settled onto the thick, comfortable cushions of the patio furniture.

  “You know, I’ve seen you two together a lot over the years, but I could swear the look on Dylan’s face yesterday outside the courthouse made me think that he’s got it bad for you,” Ginny said.

  A denial was so close to slipping from her lips, but with the fairy lights twinkling around and the sound of laughter between good friends coming from inside the house, she felt comfortable with Ginny, Sam, and Belle. “We… well, actually, we dated when we first came to the area.” If she thought the other women would react in surprise or shock, she sighed a breath of relief when they simply turned toward her, easy smiles on their faces encouraging her to continue.

  “No one knows. I thought with our positions it was best to see where things went first.” She cast her gaze back over the dark lawn, the peace of the evening settling like a blanket. “For reasons that I can’t go into, the timing just wasn’t right. It was a little awkward at first, but we’ve remained professional colleagues and friendly—if not exactly friends—for the last couple of years.”

  Belle said, “I know that for me, it’s hard being with someone in law enforcement. Hunter has to focus on the job, be responsive and often on-call, and sometimes it’s hard for him to let go of things at the end of the day.”

  Ginny chuckled and looked over at Belle. “I’m a cop, so I get that, but since you’re a nurse, I’d say you have a lot of the same problems.”

  The three laughed as Belle nodded her agreement. “I suppose I should amend my earlier statement. I imagine it’s hard being in any relationship nowadays.”

  “Hear, hear,” Sam agreed, sweeping her hand through her hair. “Hard to find time… hard to find the right person... hard to… to… oh, just everything.”

  Hannah looked over, seeing the frustration on Sam’s face.

  “What about now?”

  The question came from the other side, and Hannah shifted her gaze toward Ginny, realizing she was asking about Dylan. She sucked in a deep breath, thinking over her answer. “To be honest, I thought that ship had sailed. I figured that Dylan would serial date until he found someone that he wanted to be with.”

  “Maybe he has decided,” Ginny added. “Maybe he’s decided it’s always been you.”

  “He flirts sometimes, but I’m not sure he’s serious.”

  Eyes bright, Sam asked, “What are you going to do if he does ask you out?”

  She thought of his offer to get drinks but wasn’t ready to share that tidbit. “I don’t know. I keep trying to look at this logically, but sometimes I think Dylan defies logic.”

  Ginny laughed. “Maybe you should give him a taste of his own medicine. Flirt back. Keep him off balance a little bit.”

  The door from the patio to the kitchen opened, and Jade called out, “Belle, they’re starting to help load the gifts into our cars.”

  As the women got to their feet, Belle offered a hug to Hannah before moving into the house. Sam hurried after her. “I’ve got to get home to feed my animals.”

  Ginny and Hannah followed more slowly, walking side-by-side.

  “You know, Dylan used to remind me a little bit of Aiden before he settled down with Lia. With him being my brother-in-law, I got to know him pretty well. He liked to have fun. Considered himself a good old boy. Even had a reputation of a Peter Pan. My Brogan was an old soul from the moment I met him.” She laughed and shook her head. “I remember Lia being very cautious around Aiden at first, especially since she had a daughter. But the time was right, and Aiden and Lia were perfect for each other.”

  Hannah shoulder-bumped Ginny and said, “I get the feeling you’re trying to tell me something in all this.”

  “Okay, I’ll just come out and say it. Whatever happened that broke you two up must’ve been over three years ago. A lot can happen in that time, and I can see changes in Dylan. Anyway, I guess I’m just saying that maybe the time is right for the two of you now.”

  As they stepped through the doorway, Ginny offered her a hug, whispering in her ear, “And I definitely think a little flirting is perfect!”

  As Ginny walked away, Hannah dropped her chin and stared at her feet for a moment, shaking her head. A grin curved her lips at the thought of Dylan taping her nose with his forefinger while winking before saying that he accepted her invitation to drinks.

  He’s interested… I can tell. But is the timing right? Sucking in a deep breath, she turned to look out the door one last time at the fairy lights twinkling in the trees. A sliver of excitement moved through her and she grinned again. She wasn’t sure of the answer, but she was ready to find out.

  Dylan had planned to arrive at the ballpark early, but a call to check on one of the elderly residents in Seaside caused him to now be searching for a parking place. Thankfully, the older resident had simply slept through hearing his caregiver’s call but was fine.

  Finally squeezing his truck between two vehicles that barely left enough room between them, he climbed down and hustled past the concession stand and area where food trucks were setting up. Jillian was already under a tent selling coffee and sea glass jewelry from some of the local artists that she normally showcased in her business, Jillian’s Coffeeshop and Galleria. The AL Auxiliary had set up tents and were busy selling baked goods. And Lizzie Weston was selling her goat milk lotion and soaps, percentages of proceeds going to the American Legion to be used for the many projects they offered for the community.

  He continued past the stands that were filled with many of the young people that normally he and the other Legionnaires coached as well as their parents. The townspeople also packed the stands. The ballgame was a fundraiser, and children were allowed in free and for adults, it was donation only.

  He made his way to the dugout just in time to hear Aiden shouting to the others. A quick look around showed members ranging in age from their twenties to their fifties. Most were men, but several were women from the area that had also served in the military. His gaze immediately cast over the gathering, landing on Hannah’s head as she stood next to Ginny.

  “Okay, listen up!” Aiden shouted. “Everyone is going to come forward and pull a piece of paper out of this basket. It’ll either have a one or two, obviously determining which team you’re going to be on. It’s totally random and no trading once you’ve gotten your assignment. Team One will be batting first with Team Two in the field. Once you’ve got your number, you can go to your area and start warming up.”

  Dylan made his way through the crowd toward the back of the line, inching forward as they each reached in to grab a piece of paper. Opening his, he spied the number two. He had lost sight of Hannah in the crowd but jogged toward the outfield, seeing half the players included his friends Colt, Zac, Hunter, Scott, Callan, Joseph, and Ginny.

  Looking toward the group that was practicing their batting, he found Hannah, along with Lance, Mitch, Aiden, Jason, Gareth, Grant, and Brogan. He watched as Hannah looked around with her ball cap shading her eyes as she appeared to be searching. When her gaze landed on him, he grinned and tossed his hand up in a wave. Now he just had to make sure his team won so she’d get drinks with him.

  The fall day could not be more perfect, with mild temperatures, the sun shining, the scent of grilled hot dogs wafting past, and the sound of laughter and friends greeting each other filling the air. Fucking perfect.

  Two hours later, the ballgame was coming to a head. The cheering crowds had been delighted as the competi
tion had the teams joking almost more than they were playing baseball. Except for Dylan. He was growling at his teammates, scowling at the umpires, and generally pissed off at everyone. So far, he’d barely seen Hannah and hadn’t had a chance to speak to her. The teams were large, and in an attempt to give everyone a chance at bat or in the outfield, their paths had not crossed.

  Now, at the bottom of the ninth inning, the score was only separated by one run… his team behind but at-bat. Next up, Colt hit a line drive and made it to first base, where Dylan could see that Hannah was now playing the first baseman. As though the sun beamed down brighter, he realized that he’d be able to get onto first and have a moment to stand there with her. It might only be a moment, but after the disappointment of not speaking to her all morning, he couldn’t wait.

  The next two batters struck out, but now he was up and with ease managed to get to first base, allowing Colt to reach second. As soon as he landed on the base, he turned and grinned at her. “Well, fancy seeing you here.” Tossing the batter’s helmet to the side, he slapped his baseball cap onto his head, shading his eyes so that he could focus on her face.

  “Took you long enough,” she laughed, her gaze bright as she stared up at him. Inclining her head toward the next batter, she said, “You know, as soon as this batter strikes out, the game is over.”

  He was so focused on Hannah, he hadn’t realized which of his teammates came up behind him. Swinging his head back around, he smirked. “You might not realize this, but Callan is a powerhouse. Besides Mitch, he was one of the best baseball players Baytown High School ever had.” Reaching out and tapping the end of her nose again, he added, “You and your team are going down, and then you have to go out for drinks with me!”

  She glanced toward the batter’s box, watching Callan take a few practice swings before shifting her intense gaze up to him. “I don’t suppose you’d want to up the ante on our wager, would you?”

  He knew he should be watching to see if Colt was stealing to third but barely watched as Callan swung and hit a foul. He blinked, his brows lowered, not wanting to give up his chance to have a drink with her. “Change it?” Hearing the crowd cheering in the stands, his head swiveled as he tried to keep an eye on Colt and Callan but mostly focused on Hannah.

  “How about if your team wins, I’ll take you to dinner?”

  His chin jerked back, and he stared at her in surprise. He knew Callan could hit a home run in the end for a dramatic finish, making his team the winner. His grin widened. “I think you’re gonna be taking me to dinner.”

  A smile spread across her face. “My team won’t lose.”

  He barked out a laugh. “Seriously?”

  She leaned forward with her eyes pinned directly on him. Her whispered reply sent her sweet breath across his face. “Absolutely.”

  Her voice low, the sultry word curled around him, drowning out all the sounds from the players and the crowd. He stared, slack-jawed, and with her lips so close was tempted to bend and claim them. Somewhere in the background a crack sounded, and he realized Callan had hit the ball, but he was unprepared. “Shit!” he yelled, whirling, and starting to run toward second. His hesitation made all the difference, and he was easily tagged out. Three outs. Game over. Hannah’s team won.

  The players and crowd rushed the field, all cheering, including the losing team. He turned around and around but was unable to find Hannah once they were separated. Kicking himself, he couldn’t believe the wager he’d made. I should’ve said the loser has to take the winner to dinner, no matter which team it was! As he wandered around the field determined to find her, he had a new plan. I’ll offer her a congratulatory dinner. Surely, she won’t turn that down if she was willing to take me to dinner! Now, he just had to find her.

  10

  Finn’s Pub was crowded, most of the Legionnaire ballplayers and their spouses and children filling all the tables and booths, keeping the servers hopping as they brought out pitchers of beer, platters of wings and nachos, pub burgers, and house-cut fries.

  The laughter and congratulations amongst the friends flowed as freely as the beer and food, although quite a few razzed Dylan mercilessly for being so distracted on first base.

  “What the fuck happened to you, man? Why didn’t you get halfway to second base before the hit?”

  Rolling his eyes toward his teammates, he said, “I lost my concentration.”

  “Damn, man, we should’ve put Hannah on first base for the whole game,” Mitch said, his grin wide as he wrapped his arm around Tori, bouncing his son in his lap. “She could’ve distracted all the single players.”

  Shooting Mitch’s scowl, he hated the idea that Hannah would have flirted with anyone but him. Feeling a clap on the back, he turned to see Scott standing next to him.

  “I feel you, man.”

  Cocking his head to the side, he waited for Scott to explain.

  “Hannah. Smart, driven, pretty. And independent. It takes a lot of work to interest her, but the rewards would be worth it. Take it from someone who now has that.”

  Dylan smiled as Lizzie Weston slipped under Scott’s shoulder, allowing him to wrap his arm around her. He knew Lizzie was not an easy conquest and Scott had had to work to get in there.

  “I hear you. And you’re right, she’s worth it.” Sometimes it was hard to not let anyone know that he and Hannah had dated, but then again, if they knew he’d had her and lost her, he’d look like a bigger fool than he already did. “By the way, has anybody seen her? I’ve been pushing my way through this crowd but haven’t had a chance to talk to her.”

  “She got a call out just as soon as the game was over,” Brogan said from close by as he pulled more beers from behind the bar. “Not an emergency, but she was on-call, so it fell to her.”

  “She complained she was missing her pub burger,” Ginny said, a slight smile playing about her lips, lifting her brow in a silent message. “Too bad she had to go hungry.”

  He offered a chin lift in response and turned his attention back to the good food and good friends, although his mind stayed firmly on the beautiful first baseman who’d distracted him with great finesse. Hell, she was so close I could almost have kissed her.

  Making his way to the corner of the bar, he pulled out his phone and thumbed his way to his contacts, finding hers. Hesitating, he finally typed out a message.

  Congratulations on the win. How about renegotiating the wager?

  His finger hovered over the button, uncertainty filling him. Finally, dragging in a ragged breath, he hit send. Hearing his name called out, he looked up and maneuvered through the crowd to the other end of the bar where he stood with more of his friends, laughing and shooting the shit.

  After a while, he felt his phone vibrate and his heart lurched just as his pub burger was set in front of him. He knew the message could be anyone, but the possibility that it was Hannah responding had his hand shaking as he slipped his phone out of his pocket and glanced at the screen.

  A winner should always be gracious. We can renegotiate.

  The air left his lungs in a rush as his lips spread in a wide smile. Throwing back the rest of his beer, he tossed plenty of bills onto the bar and asked the server to bag his burger. Tossing a wave to his friends, he jogged out into the sunshine with their hardy goodbyes ringing in his ears. Climbing into his truck, he cranked the old engine and wondered what his next move should be. Call her? Text her? Drive by her station?

  Making his decision, he pulled out onto the road and headed to his destination, the smile still firmly planted on his lips.

  Hannah sighed as she stepped out of her shower. Percy meowed, and she glanced at the cat sitting in her bedroom staring up at her.

  “I don’t know what you’re complaining about,” she groaned, walking over and rubbing his head. “I missed the celebration in the pub with everyone. And why? Because I had to be on-call and deal with the puking guest at The Easton Inn.” She battled the desire to gag again while thinking about what she’d
been doing.

  The owner of The Inn had called with the complaint that one of its guests was in the lobby, loudly arguing over their bill. By the time she drove there from Baytown, the owner had barricaded himself in the office while the inebriated, belligerent guest was still yelling and knocking displays over. Marching in, she’d been hit with the smell of bourbon on his breath and ordered him to cease. Ready to take him down if necessary, she was surprised when he turned and stared glassy-eyed at her, then promptly bent forward and threw up all over her pants and shoes. Radioing for the ambulance, she hauled him into a chair after cuffing his hands behind him.

  The owner had peeked out from the office and wrinkled his nose. “Who’s gonna pay for the cleaning? My reception stinks!”

  Shooting a glare his way, she’d said, “Based on whatever rules you got, you can probably charge the cleaning bill to the credit card that he has on file here.”

  The owner’s eyes had gleamed as they widened, and ignoring the mess in front of him, he rushed to his computer. Having no doubt he tripled the guest’s credit card charge, she’d shaken her head.

  “When you’re finished with that, would you mind getting me a towel? Make that two towels.”

  “Sorry, sorry!” He’d run to the back and then returned with an old towel, handing it to her. “Wow, Chief Freeman, he really got you, didn’t he?”

  Rolling her eyes, she’d nodded. By the time she’d wiped off the guest’s face and hands then used the other towel on herself, the rescue squad had parked outside. “Check him out, and then he’s being charged with disorderly conduct and public intoxication.”

  Hearing another noise at the entrance, she turned and saw Bobby hustling in. “Sorry, Chief. There was a minor car accident on the other end of town, and I’m just getting here.”

  She’d filled him in on what had happened, and he said, “You go on home. I’ll take it from here.”