Colby (Season Two: The Ninth Inning #6) Read online

  “It doesn’t seem crazy at all. Just think about it this way; better that it’s this way than feeling awkward and uncomfortable. Sometimes, it’s better to ride the wave than question it.”

  “Ride the wave?” Colby nods. It’s one thing I’m not familiar with, but he has a point. We’re both adults, mature, and we like each other’s company. “I like it. Okay, so we’re riding a wave.”

  “Yep, exactly.”

  The waitress brings the bill, and when I offer to pay, Colby gives me the look. It’s the look that I shouldn’t even dare suggest something so crazy ever again. Sure, I’m an independent woman of the twenty-first century, but a part of me still likes a man in charge. Sometimes.

  We walk hand-in-hand to my car, and I’m trying not to look like I’m waiting for a kiss, but I want him to. I open my door and turn around to him. His sexy grin is still on his face.

  “Thank you, Colby. I needed it.”

  “Anytime. I had a lot of fun tonight.” He cups my face and pulls me closer.

  My knees weaken a bit, and this time, he deepens the kiss. He lowers his hands and grabs my hips, but stops and pulls back.

  “What?” I study his face then he looks down at me.

  “Your gun.”

  “Oh.” I’d forgotten I’m still in my business suit from work. “I sometimes forget. I always carry it or my off-duty weapon.”

  “It’s okay. I just...um...forgot. Is that your badge?” He points to my other hip where it’s clipped on.

  “Yes, it is.” I pull it up a bit to show off the shiny gold badge. “I think I’ve ruined our moment.”

  “No, you didn’t.” He kisses me again, but not as deeply this time. “I’ll see you Saturday.”

  Like last time, he watches me drive off, and suddenly, I’m ready for the weekend.

  BLAKE, TANNER, JORDAN, and I just arrived at the field where Ariella plays. I brought some signed stuff and tickets to an upcoming game, but I figure I will give those to them afterward.

  “All this for a chick,” Tanner mutters in bewilderment as we park.

  Blake cuts him a glare and Jordan says, “I’ll remember that comment when you want us to do something for you for a chick.”

  Tanner just shrugs as we make our way to the bleachers. There is Ariella and her family. It’s a big deal for four Angels to show up at a game like this apparently. Eventually, we make our way over to her. She’s standing with her family, who are all grinning widely, except for one guy, whom I assume is her father. Ariella doesn’t seem to believe what she’s seeing.

  “Hey,” I lean in and kiss her cheek. “Hope you don’t mind that I brought a few friends.”

  She shakes her head. “Colby, meet my partner, Duke, his wife and my sister, Alizeh, my mom, Allison, and my dad, Fletcher.”

  “Nice to meet y’all,” I say, shaking each of their hands. “I think y’all are familiar with Jordan, Blake, and Tanner.”

  They exchange hellos and then Ariella and Duke are being pulled toward the field while her family leads us to the bleachers. Tanner ends up sitting next to Ariella’s mom.

  “You are too freaking cute,” she tells him.

  Tanner grins. “Thanks.”

  “Young man, she’s married. And Allison, you’re married,” Fletcher needlessly reminds her.

  “I’ll keep my hands to myself,” Tanner jokes.

  “Fletcher, stop it,” she pushes his shoulder. “I’m old enough to be their mother.”

  “So, Colby,” Alizeh starts. “You’re going to have to tell us all about yourself since your background check came back clean.”

  I laugh, humored by the situation. “What do you want to know? I figured you’ve probably learned I’m from Michigan and I have a sister, depending on how in-depth the background check was.”

  “I know your blood type,” Fletcher grumbles. “And you own a death mobile.”

  “My motorcycle hasn’t killed me yet, but then, any vehicle could be called a death mobile since you’re more likely to die in a car crash than in an airplane accident,” I point out, causing Fletcher to mutter under his breath, too low for me to hear him.

  “Colby, my husband is extremely protective of his family,” Allison explains. “Don’t listen to anything he says. His bark is bigger than his bite.”

  Fletcher is quick to confidently add, “But my gun hits the target every time.”

  “Dad, you’re being rude. We have Angels here and the important thing is that we talk about how we’re getting box seats for my husband,” she jokes to break the tension.

  “I brought some stuff for y’all, but I left it in the car for after the game. Ariella told me who you liked, so that’s why I asked them to tag along and sign some stuff.”

  “How kind of you guys.” Allison smiles at all of us.

  “Blake, I heard you’re about to have a baby,” Alizeh says. “Duke and I had a little boy six months ago. Duke has him ready to go to baseball games, but it’s just too hot for him right now.”

  “Yeah, we have a few more months to go. What’s his name?” Blake asks politely.

  “We named him Duke, but we all call him Lil D. He’s huge though; I blame Dad and Duke for his genetics.”

  Blake looks over at her dad and then Duke. “Yeah, I would too,” he laughs.

  “Colby, do you see your parents often?” Allison asks me.

  “Only about once or twice a year for the holidays. Between my job, my sister living in Maryland with her family, and my parents traveling so much, it’s hard to coordinate our schedules.”

  “Oh, how sad. I’m sure it’s tough on y’all because of your travel schedules and such. You know what,” she beams, “you should come have dinner at our house. Yes, you should.” She nods.

  “Okay, sure, if Ariella doesn’t mind. She says she eats with y’all often.”

  “She won’t care at all,” Allison confirms.

  “Yes, she will,” Fletcher interrupts. “You know what happened last time.”

  “Dad, that was your fault,” Alizeh tells him. “You scared the guy half to death when you were cleaning your guns. That’s why she doesn’t bring guys home.”

  I laugh. “I already told Ariella I don’t scare easily.”

  “You should,” Fletcher deadpans.

  “Sugar Daddy here is hard to scare off,” Tanner says. “It’s like nothing can surprise him.”

  I glare at him. “Seriously? You just couldn’t say Colby?”

  “Sugar Daddy? What the hell does that mean?” Fletcher demands to know, already looking pissed and ready to kill me.

  Blake is the one to explain. “He was asked by a twenty-year-old to be her sugar daddy and he told the wrong teammate about it.”

  “And now, that’s his nickname,” Jordan finishes.

  “Fletcher, you were called Big Daddy when you played baseball. It’s just a nickname.” Allison shrugs.

  “You played?” I ask to get us away from the topic. “I don’t think Ariella mentioned that.”

  “Yes, I did a bit. I went to a community college, and they had a team. I was big and could hit hard.” He gives me another mean glare. “They gave me a small scholarship and then when I was on the force, I played with them.” He points to the field and the police force’s team.

  “Third base like Ariella?”

  “Yes.” He nods.

  “It’s a family affair.” Alizeh smirks.

  “That’s cool. What’s it like for you to have your sister work with your husband?”

  “It’s perfect! I don’t have to worry about some slutty hooker trying to jump his bones all the time. Plus, he and Ariella are as close as blood, so I know they’ll protect each other.”

  “That’s good. What do you do?” I ask.

  “I’m an attorney at the DA’s office. I’ve been there for a few years.”

  “Do you enjoy it?”

  “I love it. I like putting the bad guys in jail.”

  “She’s going to be big someday,” Allison adds with
pride.

  “You must be proud of both your kids and all they’ve accomplished with their lives.”

  “Yes. But most of all, I want them happy.”

  I nod in understanding. Without Ariella around, I figured it’s the best time to ask, “So, do you have any fun stories to tell me about Ariella?”

  “I wish I did. She’s always had her nose in a book. She played sports in school and kept to herself mainly. It was hard on the girls, but I think it made them stronger. Ariella ended up going to college, but it wasn’t for her. After two years, she joined the police academy and worked her way into detective. She is good-hearted, kind, and an overall great girl. Of course, I’m a bit biased.” Allison smiles.

  “Maybe a little biased, but I think you’re right, so it’s okay.” I grin.

  “She’s a good person, and I’m hoping she doesn’t get screwed over by some pro player, Sugar Daddy.” Fletcher cuts me a mean look with his added two cents.

  “Dad, stop and watch the game.” Alizeh points to the field.

  “It’s okay; my dad was the same way with my sister, though he could never quite pull off the intimidating glare as well as your dad can,” I tell her.

  “And don’t forget I still carry a gun,” he points out. “I know where to bury the bodies so no one can find them, and I’m not afraid of doing it either.”

  “For Pete’s sake, Fletcher, enough.” Allison pats his knee. “Colby has passed the test. Ariella is a big girl and knows what she’s doing.” She easily shuts her husband down and I grin.

  I passed their test.

  I KEEP GLANCING over my shoulder to see if my dad has killed Colby. However, they seem to all be smiling; well, Dad isn’t really, but everyone still looks to be in one piece.

  “Craft, you’re on deck.” Duke claps loud to get my attention.

  I groan. I don’t want to bat with Colby here. Why did I say anything? I take a deep breath and stand up. I reluctantly leave the bench and pick up my bat. It’s my favorite bat. It’s a Marucci D034 maple bat. It’s not too heavy, but when it connects, the ball goes far.

  “Don’t think about Colby looking at your ass either.”

  “I wasn’t till now.” I punch him hard in the shoulder. “Stop making me so nervous.”

  “You can’t be because we need a double. Keep it in mind.” Duke claps his hands loudly together as the batter in front of me strikes out.

  Shit. My parents, especially Dad, are yelling for me when I reach the plate. I can’t even glance in their direction, because Colby’s brown eyes will make me lose all focus.

  The first pitch is a ball, and I don’t swing. I take a step back and take a deep cleansing breath before I return to my stance. The next pitch I swing and miss. Damn. I shake my head and rotate my shoulders. I stare down the pitcher and remind myself to keep the eye on the ball.

  “A double, Craft,” Duke yells from the bench.

  I don’t let his words get to me and the pitcher rears back and releases. I grip my bat tight and swing with all my might.

  It connects and sails high in the sky. I drop my bat and take off for first and we all watch the ball dump, untouched, in centerfield. I bolt for second base and everyone is screaming for me to take third. I’m almost two feet away when I hear, “Slide,” and I take the dive, hugging the base.

  When I stand up, I brush myself off as our lieutenant leans over to me. “You do realize four Memphis Angels players were yelling for you to slide, right?”

  I tell myself not to look at the benches, but I can’t help it and my family and the Angels are standing and cheering for me. However, it’s Colby whistling the loudest for me. I’m glad they can’t see me blushing.

  I turn my focus back to the game and wait for my turn to take off for home plate. I don’t have to wait long as Duke knocks it out of the park, and I easily jog on home and high-five all my teammates.

  When the game is over, we do quick handshakes with the firemen, and I head back to pack up my gear. My sister is picking up my bat with a massive grin on her face. “Oh my God.”

  I shake my head and laugh. She has to be over excited to use that line. “What?”

  “Dad and Mom love Colby and the guys. They are so sweet. And Colby said he’d come to Sunday dinner too.”

  “What?” My mouth drops. “Who the hell invited him?”

  “Mom.”

  “Are you kidding me? We’ve been on two dates. I still can’t believe he came here, let alone come to Sunday dinner.” What the hell went on up there with my parents?

  “Who cares? He likes you and obviously a lot since he sat through a policeman-fireman baseball game, considering he’s a professional baseball player. I’m sure he could find other ways to spend a Saturday.”

  “He might like me, but I doubt it’s a lot. He’s...he’s...a nice guy.” How else could I describe him? I really want to say he’s hot, and I can’t wait to see his abs.

  “Ariella, I’m your sister and your best friend, and I know the real you. You have the giddiness of a pre-teen at a Justin Bieber concert.” She puts her hands on her hips as I finish packing my bag. I ignore her because she’s right. Well, not about liking Justin Bieber, but I am giddy because of Colby. I enjoy his company and maybe there might be more. He sure knows how to kiss.

  “Just be happy and go with it.”

  I smile. “Colby says ride the wave.”

  “Okay, do that then and maybe, if you find time, you can ride him.”

  “Alizeh.” I grit my teeth at her. “Shut up before someone hears you.”

  She waves her finger in my face. “Don’t act like you don’t want too. You’d be lying if you did.” She doesn’t wait for me to answer her. She turns on her heels and heads toward the family and the guys.

  I sling my bag over my shoulder and follow her. I need to prep myself for whatever is about to happen. When I reach him, he gives me a side hug and a big smile.

  “Great job.”

  “Oh, thanks.” I try not to look directly in his eyes because my knees are already weak. “Be careful; I’m pretty dirty.”

  “Awesome slide.” Jordan Johnson fist bumps me.

  I nod. “Thanks for helping me out.”

  “Sugar Daddy should coach ya. He can slide the best, but at his age, he needs to be careful.” Tanner smirks and Blake slaps him on the back of the head.

  “Shut up, Kid.”

  “All right.” Mom raises her voice. “It’s time to get something to eat. You all are welcome to come.”

  “I’d love to, but I need to get home. Thank you though.” Blake is the first to speak up and Jordan says the same.

  “And I have a hot date,” Tanner adds.

  “Did you drive?” Colby asks me, and I nod. “Jordan,” he says, digging into his pocket. “Take the hummer and I’ll pick it up later.” He tosses him the keys.

  “How come you never let me drive it?” Tanner pouts.

  “Because you have to be this tall to drive a man’s car.” Jordan sticks his hand out just above Tanner’s head. “Sorry, Kid, you’re too short.”

  This causes all of us to laugh, and Tanner gives Jordan the stink eye. “Jerk.”

  After all the goodbyes are done, we all head off into different directions, but not before Colby grabs a big bag from his hummer. I first thought it to be an overnight bag. Does he think he’s staying over? Why does he have a bag already packed?

  “I brought presents for everyone.” He beams.

  “Oh.” My body relaxes. “Great. They’ll love it.” I open my trunk and we load everything into it. Once were in the car, I feel nervous. “Um, I hope my parents weren’t too hard on you.”

  “It wasn’t too bad. You seem to have a great family.”

  “They are, but sometimes they can be a bit much.” I pause as I follow my parent’s car. “Hope the game wasn’t too boring for you.” I’m sure it had to be uneventful for him.

  “Not at all.” He seems a little hurt by what I said. “I think we all had a good
time. It’s good to take a break from playing to be able to enjoy it as a fan. Hope you don’t mind me coming for dinner. Your mom invited me.”

  “Nah, we always run for food after games. It’s cool.” I didn’t want it to sound as if it isn’t a big deal because to me it is. However, I don’t want to seem as if I’m not happy he came along. “Dad usually picks where to go, though.”

  “Where are we headed today?”

  “I think he said something about tacos earlier.” I shrug and catch a quick glance as him. His arms still look huge in his gray t-shirt. “Who knows? He’s always changing his mind.”

  “Are you sure you’re okay with me coming? You seem different somehow.”

  I keep my attention on the road and my parent’s car as they turn toward the edge of town. I’m not a pre-teen like my sister compared me too. I’m an adult. I need to stop acting as if this is my first interaction with a male. I’m mature, independent, and smart. I need to tell him how I feel because communication is key in this. “Okay, here it goes; I’m a little nervous. I mean, it’s really going fast with us. You’ve spent a few hours with my family. Now, I’m about to subject you to Duke and food with my family. I don’t want to screw it up, you know? It seems to be going well.”

  Colby doesn’t even take a second to think it over before saying, “You’re not going to screw it up, Ariella. If it’s too much too soon, I can just call a cab once we get there, or if you want to take a deep breath and believe me, then it won’t be a big deal. I survived your dad earlier, so it’ll be kinda hard to screw up in a way that’ll mess things up.”

  I don’t want him to leave. I want to spend time with him. I take a deep breath. “You seem to know me a lot better than I thought, Colby. I’m sorry, and you’re right, let’s go and enjoy a nice dinner together.”

  Colby takes my free hand and laces our fingers together as I drive the rest of the way in silence. It’s nice to have someone, even in the quiet, next to you and not feel as if you need to talk.

  I follow my parents and park next to them. When walk in together, Colby still holds my hand. Mom gives me her all-knowing smile, which has underlying words of, “I told you so.” I shake my head and do my best to ignore her.