Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 94639 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94639 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Before I know it, it’s time to grab Ella from camp. When she sees me, she comes running over with the biggest grin on her face. “Guess what?”
“What?” I ask, handing her her flip-flops so she can slip them on. Since we’re meeting Landon at the park to practice, he said he would keep Hunter with him until we get there, which means I don’t have to rush.
“For the end of the camp talent show, they’re having me do my own balance beam routine.” She jumps up and down. “And I get to make it up myself!”
“Wow! That’s awesome.” Ella started in gymnastics when she was three years old. Well, it was more like tumbling at the time. She loved it and has been going full-time ever since. Between her gymnastics and Hunter’s baseball, they keep me busy, but I love that they’re both so passionate about something. It reminds me of my love for art. My mom was too busy providing for us to really help me pursue anything related to art, which is why I try to make sure no matter how crazy our life gets, Hunter and Ella are able to do so.
“Did you have fun with Madeline?” I ask as we drive over to the baseball field.
“Yeah, Aunt Renee made us popcorn and we watched McKenna.”
“Again?” I laugh. McKenna is an American Girl who does gymnastics. My daughter has watched the movie no less than two dozen times.
“I love it.” She shrugs.
We pull up to the field, but instead of going through the car line, I park.
“Why are we getting out?” she asks, scrunching her nose up.
“My friend Landon has offered to show me how to play baseball so I can practice with Hunter.”
Ella looks horrified. “Why?”
“Because he likes to practice… Just like when I help you with your routines.”
“But it’s hot outside.” She blinks rapidly. My daughter is one hundred percent girly girl.
“You can hang out in the dugout,” I suggest. “Or you can practice your routine in the grass.”
“Ugh, fine.”
We find Landon, Brendan, and Hunter near the field. When we walk up, Hunter is asking Landon questions about baseball, and Landon is answering him.
“Hey!” I give Hunter a half hug. He cringes, embarrassed, but lets it happen. Landon notices and grins. “So, what’s first? Batting or pitching? Or should you first show me how to catch?”
Hunter groans. “Mom, what are you talking about?”
“Landon is going to show me some moves so you and I can practice at home.” So when you ask your dad to help you and he bails, I can offer and not look like an idiot, I think to myself but don’t say aloud.
“What?” Hunter gasps. “Mom, you can’t play baseball.”
“Well, neither could you until you did,” I argue, kind of offended.
“C’mon, it’ll be funny,” Landon says. “I mean fun.” Hunter, Brendan, and Ella all laugh, and I glare. Landon just winks.
“All right, what should we work on first?” Landon asks the boys.
“I can work on my pitching while she bats.” Hunter shrugs. “Brendan, you can go in the outfield to catch the ball, in case she actually hits it.”
“Actually?” I scoff. “Just for that I’m going to knock the ball out of the park.”
The boys laugh.
Ella runs to the side of the field and starts working on her routine, while Hunter heads to the pitching mound, and Brendan runs out a little ways behind him.
Landon takes my hand in his and guides me to where a bunch of bats are leaning against the chain-link fence. “Here, put this on.” He lifts a helmet over my head.
“Umm… no.” I shake my head. I just did my hair, and if I put that helmet over it, it will ruin it. “I’m good.”
Landon chuckles. “Until a ball smacks you in the side of the face and knocks you out.” Well, when he puts it that way…
“Fine.” I roll my eyes as he places the helmet on my head. It’s heavy and my head falls to one side. When I try to right it, it falls to the other. “This is heavy,” I whine.
Landon laughs. “You’re so damn adorable, Harp.” He glances toward the field then surprises the hell out of me when he leans in, and with both his hands holding on to the sides of my face, quickly kisses me. “Sorry, I had to,” he murmurs. “No one was looking.”
“Mom, Landon, c’mon,” Hunter yells.
“Thank you for doing this. I tried to ask Hunter to show me before, but he wasn’t having it. But since you’re doing it…” I roll my eyes playfully. “I guess it’s okay.”
“You don’t have to thank me. Whatever you need, I’m here.” He taps the end of my nose with his fingertip. “It’ll be fun.”
Pointing to the bats, he says, “Grab one,” then heads out of the dugout, toward home plate.