Page 58 of Catching the Coach
CHAPTERTHIRTEEN
lucy
“Ok!”I yell and clap my hands together. “Great practice guys, I’ll see you Friday.” The boys head for the dugout, grab their gear, then head towards their respective vehicles. I finish gathering stray balls and make sure all the other gear is put away. Heading into the dugout, I see Tommy still here, joking around with Hudson and Kade. I look around and notice the only cars left are mine and Kara’s.
“Hey Tommy, is your mom running late again?” I ask, even though I already know the answer. Tommy’s mom is notorious for being late for pickup. I’ve offered to drop him off on our way home before, but she bit my head off and told me she didn’t need my help and that as a single mom I have enough of my own to worry about. Tommy gives me a sheepish look and nods his head.
“Ok, no worries. We’ll hang out until she gets here.” Tommy is a great kid, a little shy, but I’ve never had any issues with him. I don’t want him to feel guilty for his mom’s actions. I nod my head towards the field. “Why don’t you guys go practice some hitting until Linda gets here”
The boys grab a bat and a couple balls and go out onto the field. I take a seat on the bench in the dugout and Kara sits next to me. “You don’t have to stay,” I tell her.
Kara looks at me and rolls her eyes. “Please like I’d leave you to fend for yourself when the she-devil gets here.”
I chuckle. “Thanks, I really didn’t want to deal with her alone.” Linda is… unpredictable and you never know what mood she’s in. I think there’s more going on at home than we know, so I try to cut her a break. Kara says she’s just a bitch, and that she’s unhappy with her life, so she has to make everyone else miserable too.
I only ever see her husband at games and he’s usually on the phone. Linda’s always staring at him like if she could, she would shoot daggers at him with her eyes. I don’t understand why people stay together sometimes, but it’s not my place to judge. I check my phone for the score of Kessler’s game and see that they won by two tonight. I’m about to send him a text congratulating him on the win when I feel Kara nudge my arm. I look up at her.
“Incoming,” Kara says, nodding to the parking lot where Linda’s pulling up in her white Land Rover.
“Tommy, your mom’s here!” I call out to him, and put my phone away. I’m hoping if he gets his gear and heads over to her, she won’t get out of the car. He’s halfway to the dugout when we hear a car door slam and see her trudging over to us.Damn it.We grab our stuff and meet her halfway to the parking lot.
“Sorry I’m late, I just lost track of time,” she says apologetically, sliding her oversized Gucci glasses into her perfect blonde hair and giving me a smile that shows her perfectly straight white teeth. Hmm she’s in a good mood today. She falls into step with us as we make it to our vehicles.
“No worries, it happens,” I tell her, planting a smile on my face. “Have a good night. See you Friday, Tommy.” Tommy gives us a wave and climbs into the car after putting his gear in the back of his mom’s car. I expect Linda to follow suit but she stays at the back of her car looking at me. I close the hatch on my SUV and give her a small wave.
“So, I actually wanted to ask you, Lucy.” She comes closer and gets next to me lowering her voice. “Are you dating Kessler Davis?”
“Oh, uh, I really don’t like to talk about my personal life Linda,” I tell her.
“Oh come on,” she says, nudging my shoulder with hers like we’re best friends.
Fun fact, we’re not.
“You can tell me, we’re friends. Our kids have played baseball together for years.” Before I can say anything she continues. “Oh you know what, why don’t you guys come to our house for dinner this weekend and introduce us? That would just be so much fun.” She slides her sunglasses back down and walks to her door, leaving me standing there speechless. She twiddles her fingers at me over the roof of her car and calls out, “I’ll text you later this week. Bye!” then backs out of her space and drives off.
Kara appears at my side. “What the fuck was that?”
“She asked if I was dating Kessler, then invited us over to dinner,” I say, dumbfounded.
Kara snorts. “Like that’s going to ever happen.”
I shake my head, still trying to wrap my brain around what just happened. “She’s crazy.”
“Agreed,” Kara says, laughing as she walks back to her car. “Better you than me,” she calls out before getting in.
I open my door and give her the finger over my roof before climbing into my own vehicle. I look over and see her cackling through the window.
“What’s Aunt Kara laughing at?” Hudson asks.
I shake my head. “Nothing bud, she’s just a nut.”
“I’m hungry, what’s for dinner?” Hudson asks as we pull out into traffic and make our way home.
“How about breakfast for dinner? Pancakes, eggs, bacon?” I suggest.
Hudson nods his head.
A few minutes later we turn down our street and I see a familiar truck in my driveway. My stomach erupts in butterflies.
