Read Online Playing For Keeps by R.L. Mathewson - Free Book Online Page A

she wouldn’t cry.
Not only had her father forgotten her birthday, but Grandma had to
be the one to finally remind him and most likely ordered her
gift.
    She opened the card and wasn’t too
surprised to see the card wasn’t signed. Surprise, surprise. Her
eyes shifted to the gift and froze there. It was a full minute
before she began breathing again. In another ten seconds she was up
and around the table, hugging her grandmother and kissing
her.
    “You are the best, ever!” Haley said
between kisses.
    Grandma laughed. “I’m glad you like
it. I wanted to give those to you but you’re so damn stubborn about
no one helping you so I used your father’s stupidity. Now you have
to accept them,” Grandma said with a firm nod.
    *************
    Jason got up and flipped the burgers
before he added the hot dogs. He turned back in time to see Haley
jumping up and down and giggling like a school girl.
    “Well, don’t leave me in suspense,” he
said, earning a loud squeal from Haley.
    Apparently she was beyond words so she
pushed the card into his hands. He looked down. Blinked. Blinked
again before stumbling back into a chair. Did he just wet himself?
Ah, who cared? He was holding four tickets to the Yankees vs. Red
Sox at Yankee Stadium for this Friday and they were without a doubt
the best seats in the stadium.
    His eyes shifted from Haley to the
tickets and back again before he made a split second decision and
made a run for it. He didn’t make it five feet before his little
grasshopper tackled him to the ground and ripped the card from his
hands.
    He spit grass out of his mouth. “Fine.
You can come with me I guess,” he said, earning a knee to the
ribs.

Chapter 7
    “I love you, Derek!”
    Jason tried to drag Haley back to her
seat, but she fought him tooth and nail. “I love you,
Derek!”
    “He knows, woman! He’s known since the
first inning. Let the man focus,” he said, finally managing to drag
her a foot when that bastard Derek Jeter went and waved to Haley.
That did it. She tried to break free and make a run for the
field.
    Trying not to drop her as he burst out
laughing, he readjusted his grip and pulled Haley back with him
until she was sitting on his lap. He kept one arm around her waist
as he retrieved his beer from Brad.
    The man threw him another triumphant
grin. For three days Jason taunted the man with the two extra
tickets. He already knew he was going. There was an unspoken
understanding between him and Haley. If she tried to leave without
him he would burn her house down, plain and simple. This was a
Yankees/Red Sox game for Christ sake.
    On the third day of taunting the
little betraying bastard had his wife call up Haley. Little tattle
tale. Since Haley’s friends hated anything to do with any sport she
invited Brad and another friend of his, Mitch. Mitch was a good
buddy and had an obvious crush on Haley, one that she didn’t seem
interested in. That was fine with him because he didn’t think Mitch
was good enough for his sweet little grasshopper.
    “Come on! He was safe! Get your head
out of your ass and pay attention!” Haley screamed as she bounced
on his lap, desperate for freedom, no doubt to rip the umpire’s
head off.
    Okay, he thought, chuckling, maybe
sweet was a bit much. His little grasshopper was a little fire
cracker.
    “Calm down before you get us kicked us
out of the stadium,” he said, laughing.
    She huffed and crossed her arms over
chest as she leaned back into him. “Cheating bastards,” she
muttered.
    “Because they’re winning?” he asked,
already knowing the answer.
    “Yes!”
    “Relax and I’ll buy you a foam
finger,” he said, absently caressing her stomach with his thumb
while she thought it over. Today she wore a tight pink tank top
with an open Yankees jersey and a pair of shorts giving him and
every guy a look as those golden beauties.
    “I already have a foam finger at
home,” she pointed out sullenly.
    “Then what would my little