Read Online And Then I Found You by Patti Callahan Henry - Free Book Online Page B

wanted to wait
     until the game was over.”
    “This is amazing, Katie.”
    “I go by Kate now,” she said.
    “Well, that’s nice. But to me, you’re Katie.” He tipped his hat. “With all due respect.”
     He took a deep breath. “I don’t really know what to say because I’m a little stunned.”
    “I know. I wanted to see you and talk.”
    He smiled. “Can all those things wait until after Caleb bats?”
    “Absolutely. They can wait until he bats ten times.”
    He laughed—that lovely sound again—and shook his head. “This is wild. But come sit.
     Watch baseball with me.”
    “Watch baseball with you.” She smiled. “Nice.”
    They walked together toward the baseball diamond and Jack offered Katie his chair.
     Number 17 was at bat.
    “That’s Caleb. He’s the shortest on the team, but he’s the fastest,” Jack said, talking
     in a low whisper. “His coach is obnoxious, but Caleb loves the game. He’s obsessed.
     Knows every stat of every player in the majors.”
    “There are worse things to be obsessed with,” Kate said and leaned forward, her elbows
     on her knees,
    Caleb swung the bat and missed the ball, which landed with a thwump in the catcher’s mitt.
    “Strike One,” the ump hollered, making a motion with his hands.
    “Does he have to scream it like that?” Kate asked.
    Jack smiled at her and shook his head. “You don’t go to many games do you?”
    “I think the last baseball game I went to, I was with my dad and he took me to Atlanta.
     I was about ten years old. I whined the entire game about being bored and he never
     took me again.”
    “When you meet Caleb, do not tell him that story,” Jack said. He was speaking to her,
     smiling, but his gaze was on the field.
    “Ball,” the ump hollered as the pitch went far right and hit the fence. Caleb stepped
     back from the plate and looked over his shoulder at his dad.
    Jack gave his son a thumbs-up and said, “Wait on the ball.”
    Caleb nodded and stepped back, facing the pitcher. A ball came across the plate and
     Caleb swung, making contact with a thunk that sent the ball flying over the second baseman’s head. Kate jumped up with a holler
     before she even understood what she was doing. Caleb was safe at first base.
    “Looks like you’re good luck,” Jack said.
    Chatting about the weather and the rules of a game she didn’t understand, Kate enjoyed
     watching eight-year-old boys running around. They were all so earnest.
    “They all look like they’re playing the most important game of their life,” she said.
    “They are. Today is always the most important when you’re eight years old,” Jack said
     and squatted down next to her chair. “Always.”
    She nodded. “Good way to live, I think.”
    They sat through the remainder of the game and watched Caleb’s Hornets lose by one
     run. While Jack folded up the chair and waited for Caleb, Kate wandered over to the
     concession stand and bought a fountain Coke. She sipped from the vintage-looking red-striped
     straw as Jack and Caleb walked toward her.
    They reached Kate’s side, and Jack stopped as Caleb kept walking.
    “Son,” Jack said. “Stop. I want you to meet an old friend.”
    Caleb turned around to look at Kate. His baseball cap partially shaded his face but
     his green eyes and the cleft in his chin were obvious statements of his father’s imprint.
    “Hello, Ma’am,” Caleb said in a voice that was young and quiet.
    “Hi, Caleb. I’m Kate Vaughn.”
    “Miss Vaughn to you,” Jack said and came to his son’s side. “I think we can take her
     to our postgame pizza, don’t you?”
    Caleb nodded. “I think so too.”
    “Well, I’m honored,” Kate said. “I love pizza.”
    Caleb looked up toward his dad. “When is Gram picking me up?”
    “After pizza. I have your bag in the car.” Jack turned to Kate. “Do you want to ride
     with us?”
    “I’ll follow,” Kate said, pointing toward the parking lot. “I’ve got my car.”
    In the