Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 60219 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 301(@200wpm)___ 241(@250wpm)___ 201(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60219 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 301(@200wpm)___ 241(@250wpm)___ 201(@300wpm)
“Oh, that sounds cool,” she said. “I would think a lot of the guys would like that. One of my students actually plays and was just talking about how he wished baseball season was already starting.”
“Which student?” I asked.
“Raul Gomez?” she asked. I shrugged. “I’m sure you’ll get to know him. Very nice boy. Not particularly inclined to acting, but he tries.”
“Well, hopefully he is inclined to play,” I said. “I was thinking I should have tryouts pretty soon. The fall ball season is going to start in two weeks, and if we are going to have a team together, we need to get some practice in first.”
“I’m sure Principal Runnels will be all for it,” she said. “Another trophy for his case if you do well.”
I laughed. “Maybe,” I said. I felt the sudden need to take my shot. The bell was going to ring to send me away again any second. “You know what? If I can get it set up, you should come out and watch the tryouts.”
21
MALLORY
“Sure,” I said, “I mean, you aren’t planning on having them for a few days, right?”
I was backpedaling, looking for a way out. I wasn’t even sure why. I just knew that I wasn’t ready yet for any of this. He wanted to see me. He wanted to spend time with me. It was too much.
“Actually, I already met a few of the guys that Principal Runnels said were shoo-ins for the varsity team. I thought I might have them out today and just kind of see who else shows up.”
“Today?” I asked. “I can’t come this afternoon. I’m just swamped, you know? Lots of… stuff.”
“Oh,” he said. I wondered if he saw through it.
“Maybe tomorrow, though,” I said and immediately regretted it. Why did I just commit myself to something?
“Yeah, that would be cool,” he said. “I’d love to see you out there. It would be like old times.”
The bell rang in the background, and he rolled his eyes.
“I think that’s your bell,” I said.
“Yup,” he said. “See you tomorrow, Mallory.”
I raised my eyebrows in an expression that I guessed conveyed agreement and went back to my food. As he walked out of the door, I pushed it out of the way and put my head on the table.
Having lost my appetite, I put the food back in the fridge and headed to the theater. At least I could be near the stage and try to forget about the interaction for a little while.
But it wasn’t working. All day I was distracted, my mind constantly slipping to thinking about Graham and what I was going to do. When the final bell rang for the day’s classes to be over, I wasn’t sure if the students or I were happier to get out of there. I bolted for my car and drove straight to my mother’s, feeling the relief of stress going away the farther I got from the school and where Graham was undoubtedly hanging out on the baseball field.
Owen was waiting. That was what fueled me. He was going to be so happy to see me so early in the day, since I usually was stuck at the school later after classes ended. Mom would be less happy since she so enjoyed her time alone with Owen.
She had been a Godsend through all this. She was incredible. Ever since the first moments of my knowing I was pregnant and calling her, she never judged me or tried to make me feel bad. She asked one time if I knew who the father was, and when all I gave her was a ‘yes’ and didn’t elaborate, she didn’t push. I knew it had to be hard for her, but she was as supportive and helpful as a person could be.
Mom had done everything she could to make life easier on me, including taking care of Owen while I was at work. She worked from home doing customer support for a sewing machine company and worked the evening shift, so she was more than happy to watch Owen while I was away. It made the transition so much easier, and when I first moved back, she even let me have my old room until I got a place of my own a few blocks away.
With Graham suddenly back in the picture, it was probably the time now to let her know the full story. Plus, I needed someone I could talk to. Someone who wasn’t also going to go on and on about how hot Graham was. Someone I could trust not to let the information leak.
Owen’s little arms wrapped tightly around my neck when I opened the door and surprised him, and he clung to me for a while. But Mom knew something was going on and put on a pot of coffee. By the time it was brewed, Owen had finally let go and was off in the bedroom my mother had converted to a playroom for him, leaving us to sit in the kitchen.