Page 59 of One Hot Daddy

When did my wife become a bloodthirsty maniac?Oddly, that turns me on.

I adjust my grip on the bat, willing my sweaty palms to cooperate.The borrowed cricket whites are stiff and unfamiliar.I haven't played a proper match since university.

"Focus on the ball," Dominic reminds me from the sidelines."Not on MacTaggart's intimidating Scottish scowl!"

Easy for him to say.Dom isn't the one about to be humiliated in front of his entire family.Which MacTaggart was he talking about, anyway?There are several on the pitch.

Rory charges forward, his arm windmilling with terrifying precision.The red ball shoots from his hand like a crimson blur.Time slows to a crawl as I track its trajectory, my heart hammering against my ribs.The ball spins wickedly through the air, heading straight for my middle stump.Everything my father taught me about cricket floods back to me in an instant.

Keep your eye on the ball.Stay balanced.Don't overthink it.

I swing.

that sweet spot connects flawlessly, sending vibrations up my arms as the ball rockets away from me in a beautiful arc.Holy shit, I actually hit it.Hard.

"Run!"Dominic roars from behind the wickets, and my legs finally remember how to move.

I sprint toward the opposite crease, my heart soaring as I hear the crowd erupting in cheers.Henry's voice rises above the rest as he screams my name with sheer childlike joy as I pound across the pitch.Adrenaline is pumping through my veins as the crowd's roar nearly deafens me.The grass blurs beneath my feet, and for a moment I feel like I'm twenty years old again, invincible and alive with the pure joy of the game.

"Yes!"I hear Errol shout from somewhere behind me."That's how it's done, Fletcher!"

I reach the crease just as the wicketkeeper collects the ball, and I'm breathing so hard that I can't speak.I'm grinning like an absolute madman.The fielders are still chasing my shot toward the boundary, and I realize with dawning amazement that I might have hit a four.

"Bloody brilliant!"Dominic shouts."You've still got it, mate!"

I turn toward the sidelines, searching for Jennifer's face in the crowd.When I spot her, she's on her feet, jumping up and down like a woman possessed, waving a makeshift banner that I'm fairly certain she fashioned from someone's jacket.

"That's my husband!"she screams at the top of her lungs, completely abandoning any pretense of dignified spectating."Fletcher Ralph Murgatroyd, you rock!"

My feet must have lifted off the ground, weightless.It feels that way right now, at least.The terror that gripped me moments ago has transformed into pure exhilaration.Icando this.

The next ball comes faster than the first, spinning wickedly as it bounces off the pitch.This time I'm ready for it.My stance feels natural now as muscle memory overrides years of rust.I step forward, meeting the ball with a confident drive that sends it skimming along the ground toward the boundary.

"Two runs!"the umpire calls as I sprint again.

I pump my legs harder, every breath coming in sharp bursts as I make the turn and sprint back to my original crease.The fielders are scrambling, but I can see the ball's still a good distance from the wickets.

"Come on, Dad!"I hear Charlotte screaming from the crowd."Don't let them catch you!"

My gaze flicks to Amelia, who's also screaming and pumping her fists in the air."Go, Dad!Whup those jerks!"

The wicketkeeper is positioned perfectly, gloves ready, but the throw from the boundary comes in just wide of his reach.I slide into the crease with inches to spare, my whites now decorated with grass stains that I'll wear like badges of honor.

Six runs from two balls.Not bad for a rusty old father of four.

"Show off," Declan mutters from behind me.But it's obvious he's teasing me.

As the game goes on, I manage another boundary, then a solid defensive block against a particularly nasty delivery from Thane Buchanan.

I glance over at Jennifer between balls.She's leaning forward in her seat, totally absorbed in the match.The other wives have draped an arm around her shoulders, and they're all cheering like maniacs.I feel ten feet tall just from knowing she's here, watching.

By the time our side is bowled out, I've managed to score twenty-eight runs.Not spectacular by any means, but respectable enough that I can hold my head high.The children are beside themselves with excitement as I jog off the pitch.

"Dad!"Henry launches himself at my legs."You were amazing!Like a superhero but with a bat!"

I ruffle his hair."Thanks, champ.I had a good teacher in your grandfather."

"Did you see me watching?"Charlotte asks, her eyes wide."I didn't look away once, even when Amelia tried to distract me with candy."