reality hit me like a train. If I told him right here, right now, I wanted to date his mom, he’d see me as Beau 2.0, not someone who made Liv happy. Not someone who’d be here for him. It wasn’t just Olivia I needed to show, it was Linc.
And it was something that only time could teach, unfortunately.
I ruffled his hair. “I’ll keep a lookout, okay?”
“Yeah fine.”
I left him to another round of Lego video games and joined Liv on the dock, our legs dangling in the water together. “I’m sorry I pushed.”
She bumped her shoulder into mine. “I don’t blame you. I don’t like waiting, either.”
I looked out at the horizon trying to find a way to explain this urgency I felt building inside me. Like every minute we weren’t together raised the threat level in my body by a point until one day it would reach Red Alert.
“I got caught up in it all. This is my last true day off until we lose. Everything from this point forward is special.” I chanced a glance her way to take in her eyes, her lips. “And I wanted to share it with someone special.”
“Past tense? You no longer want to share it?”
I waited for her gaze to meet mine, for the electric shock to jolt through me like always. I savored it. Savored her. “No. I very much want to share it with you, but you’re right. We need to do this slow.”
“What did Linc say?”
“He asked me to fix you up with Trent.”
She burst out laughing. “What?”
“It’s true. Trent likes to fish and lives down the street so you won’t be lonely anymore.”
“Oh Chris.”
“You were right. We need to take this slower than I want to. And that’s okay. When we make this official, I want it to be with no doubts in your mind. I never want you to look back and have questions about us because we rushed or you felt pushed. And I want Linc to understand that just because I play baseball doesn’t mean I’m gone all the time. I’m here. And he’ll know it and believe it.”
We sat quietly together, our toes in the water, the moon rising high in the sky. “I really like you, Christopher Kaine.” She rested her head on my shoulder.
It felt incredibly nice, so I put my arm around her and rested my head on top of hers. “I really like you Olivia Saldana.”
“I only like Trent as a neighbor.”
That set me off laughing, and the more I tried to keep quiet, the harder my body shook. “Well that’s good because he’s my mentor and I’d really hate to have to fight him over you.”
She started laughing too. Then her hand was on my face guiding my lips to hers. We made out in the moonlight, the waves gently washing ashore beneath us, my tired body electrified by her warmth and touch. It energized me, made me crave things I couldn’t have...yet. It wasn’t what I wanted, but it was enough.
11
I’m going to need to kiss you
Olivia
I told Chris he didn’t have to keep us a secret from his teammates. It wasn’t like they were going to come over and tell Linc or line up to sell our secrets to the island gossips. It was a peace offering and it was accepted like a delicate piece of glass: with awe and appreciation.
And lots of making out.
The playoffs were every bit as hectic and wild as I expected, but they were something else as well. My creativity came calling. It struck me suddenly and I went with it, capturing the guys in their native habitat: the field. It started with Chris laughing in the bullpen in the middle of game two. I walked Linc over to say hi but he had to stop and pee because he’s eight and seems to need to pee at every inopportune time. Luckily there was a bathroom just a few steps away. I brought my camera because being at a playoff game felt more important (as a photographer) than a cellphone camera. I only intended to grab a few shots to surprise him with later.
And then inspiration struck as he sat back with his arm over the chairs beside him. His leg was crossed over his knee at the ankle. He laughed and joked with the other pitchers and catchers. The light of the stadium hit him just right.
Snap.
I checked the shot and made an adjustment because it hadn’t quite caught what