Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 96850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 484(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 484(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
He could still see her, head bent over her task, holding her breath while trying not to tear the fragile paper even more, blowing a hair dryer on a low setting to take out the excess dampness. Using a tiny tube of Krazy Glue to seal the torn sides back together and fluffing the paper to return the hat to a semblance of its own shape.
She’d explained to him why the chef’s hat meant so much to Landon.
To think the woman trying so hard to resurrect a paper hat for her nephew had to endure abuse from the community that should be supporting her during a difficult time . . . it was torturing Madden. Leaving tomorrow morning would be like walking over a sea of broken glass, because one thing he knew for sure, if something similar to the Steve Kirk incident happened while he was gone, he’d never know about it. She would keep it to herself.
How much was this woman keeping to herself?
Madden waited until Eve pulled into a parking spot before standing, taking the bag containing bats, gloves, and balls out of his truck bed, settling the strap over his shoulder. After they’d cooked long enough to set off the building’s smoke alarm twice, the kids were covered in muck, so she’d asked him to pick up some equipment from the Pages’ while she cleaned them up. They’d planned to meet at the local middle school in an hour.
Now Eve and the twins crossed the deserted parking lot in his direction, backlit by the beginning of a purple-red sunset. She reached down to absently stroke Lark’s ponytail, seemingly unaware of the look of pure hero worship the little girl gave her in return. Landon ran full speed ahead at Madden and yet time slowed down, this scene playing out in another time and place in his mind.
Eve meeting up with him, their kids in tow, no plans for the rest of the night, except to be together under the endless Rhode Island sky.
Someday.
Someday, please.
“Have you been here long?” Eve called, her step slowing as Landon collided with Madden’s thighs, wrapping his arms around them. “We, um . . . found brownie batter in some very interesting places.”
Lark tittered. “Landon had some in his ear.”
“He was just trying to block out the sound of the fire alarm, wasn’t he?” Madden put his hand out for a high five, nodding when Landon’s palm connected. “Smart lad.”
“I want to hit first when we play baseball!” Lark shouted.
Landon slumped very dramatically, before popping straight again. “I’m second!”
“Sure, we’re getting ahead of ourselves. You have to start with the basics.”
“A game of catch, right?” Eve interjected. “That’s how you started.”
“You remember that day?”
“The day we met?” She pursed her lips, shrugged, though her eyes were twinkling. “Sort of.”
“Don’t be telling them lies, now, Eve. You remember it right down to the brand of crisps everyone was eating.” He pretended to think for a second. “Doritos.”
“They were Fritos, actu—” She cut herself off, shaking her head at him. “Uh-huh. I see what you did there.”
Madden couldn’t hide his grin. “Knew you remembered.”
“Maybe I just have a head for details.” Eve sniffed, smoothing her white athletic skirt with both hands. “Should we start with catch, then?”
“Catch sounds good. Let’s hit the field.”
They spent the next half hour teaching Lark and Landon the mechanics of throwing and catching. It was a good thing Madden had the foresight to bring softballs, instead of smaller, harder baseballs, because there were a lot of misses. At first. Lark got the hang of it first, opening her glove and moving it into position, doing a dance every time she trapped the ball without letting it drop. Landon took a while longer to start catching with some consistency, but once he did, his confidence tripled and he was smiling, already asking when they could play catch again.
“I have to leave early in the morning for New York.” There was a mandatory practice tomorrow night, before they hit the road for a three-game stretch in Arizona. “But I’ll come round again to play catch with you, don’t worry.”
“Me too?” Lark shouted, lobbing the ball to Eve.
“Of course,” Madden said.
The twins traded a broad smile.
Eve smiled too, watching them, and god help Madden, there was a wound inside him that had been there so long, he’d forgotten it existed. The need to be a good big brother. To be the one who taught Paul and Sinead how to play sports. How to cook or even sneak out of the house successfully. He’d never gotten that chance because their father had quietly ordained him other. Not one of them. Until they’d all started to believe it.
The enthusiasm from the twins, the fact that they seemed to like being around him, sealed up that wound ever so slightly. Maybe . . . he’d get a second chance.