Read Online Stay: Changing Tides, Book 1 by Candi Wall - Free Book Online
Authors: Candi Wall
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chuckled. “Guess I’ll have to thank Brack for that. And save my next paycheck.”
Confused, she reached over to grab him a napkin. “Why?”
He stood and dumped the coffee in the sink. “Because you are what’s being auctioned, my dear. Highest bidder gets your services for the day.”
She dropped her forehead to the table, ignoring Rand’s laughter.
The next day, Brack pulled his truck into the parking lot and looked down the hill at the sports complex.
In the middle of the mud and lingering snow that caked the softball field, Abby and about twenty filthy girls ran the bases. The girls’ clothing colors couldn’t be distinguished through the grime, but not one of them seemed to care. He was about to open the truck door when Abby was pushed to the front of the line by the girls. Laughing, she pulled her ponytail tighter and sprinted down the first-base line.
He should have known she’d be into the fun up to her ears. She rounded first with graceful strides, heading to second base where she slid through the muck, sending a spray of mud and slush into the air.
Determined to keep his eyes off her, he tried to locate Jonathon. His son stood just on the other side of the farthest dugout, his mop of hair tucked beneath a baseball cap. But this time, he’d tipped it back, his smile focused on a young blonde who leaned against the wooden frame of the dugout.
Her fingers traced over his shoulder when she tried to gain his attention, and an easy happiness filled Brack at the joy on Jonathon’s face. God, he worried about him.
Leaving the Hatten School had made things different. But in a good way. He liked having his son home. Conversation still came stilted, but he hoped that would change with time. Maybe it wouldn’t be so tense if he’d been there for Jonathon. He’d tried to help his son through their loss. But he’d been consumed as well. Looking back, Brack realized there were so many times when Jonathon had needed him. Hell, it was no wonder the kid acted out. Brack had left him to his own devices, then sent him off to school. Even on the weekends Jonathon had been home, the fire department calls had taken Brack away.
“Lynette likes him.” Abby laughed when Brack jerked in surprise. “Sorry to sneak up on you.”
His smoky, brooding eyes made a slow perusal down her body. “You’re a mess.”
Shaken by the touch of his gaze, she stepped back as he climbed out of his truck. “Yep. But it was so much fun.”
“Who likes who?”
“Lynette.” Abby knew he’d been watching and wondered why he hadn’t come down. She’d never met someone so reluctant to engage in his child’s life, yet so obviously craving the connection. “She likes Jonathon.”
Brack walked past her to lean his elbows against the hood of the truck. “And she’s not—embarrassed by him being deaf?”
“Children are more accepting than adults any day.”
“He used to be teased.” Fatherly anger furrowed his eyebrows. “A lot. But his mother used to tell him the other kids were just jealous because they couldn’t speak in code. That worked until he was nine.”
“Then what did he do?” She could imagine Jonathon as a young boy, his feelings trampled by the other kids in his class. But the mention of his mother sparked her curiosity again. No ring. No mention of Jonathon visiting her… Shit. She needed to focus. “How did he manage?”
“He punched the first kid.” Brack chuckled. “That didn’t go over well with his mother, but I couldn’t have been more proud. ’Course, I had to curb that and handle the situation like a grown adult.”
“I would have punched them too.” She leaned against the truck next to him, then stepped away when she remembered her filthy clothing. “Sorry.”
“She’s seen worse.” He didn’t spare a glance at the truck, and Lynette’s laughter drew his attention. “So, this Lynette. Is she the reason he wanted to manage the team?”
“In part. Though at the
Confused, she reached over to grab him a napkin. “Why?”
He stood and dumped the coffee in the sink. “Because you are what’s being auctioned, my dear. Highest bidder gets your services for the day.”
She dropped her forehead to the table, ignoring Rand’s laughter.
The next day, Brack pulled his truck into the parking lot and looked down the hill at the sports complex.
In the middle of the mud and lingering snow that caked the softball field, Abby and about twenty filthy girls ran the bases. The girls’ clothing colors couldn’t be distinguished through the grime, but not one of them seemed to care. He was about to open the truck door when Abby was pushed to the front of the line by the girls. Laughing, she pulled her ponytail tighter and sprinted down the first-base line.
He should have known she’d be into the fun up to her ears. She rounded first with graceful strides, heading to second base where she slid through the muck, sending a spray of mud and slush into the air.
Determined to keep his eyes off her, he tried to locate Jonathon. His son stood just on the other side of the farthest dugout, his mop of hair tucked beneath a baseball cap. But this time, he’d tipped it back, his smile focused on a young blonde who leaned against the wooden frame of the dugout.
Her fingers traced over his shoulder when she tried to gain his attention, and an easy happiness filled Brack at the joy on Jonathon’s face. God, he worried about him.
Leaving the Hatten School had made things different. But in a good way. He liked having his son home. Conversation still came stilted, but he hoped that would change with time. Maybe it wouldn’t be so tense if he’d been there for Jonathon. He’d tried to help his son through their loss. But he’d been consumed as well. Looking back, Brack realized there were so many times when Jonathon had needed him. Hell, it was no wonder the kid acted out. Brack had left him to his own devices, then sent him off to school. Even on the weekends Jonathon had been home, the fire department calls had taken Brack away.
“Lynette likes him.” Abby laughed when Brack jerked in surprise. “Sorry to sneak up on you.”
His smoky, brooding eyes made a slow perusal down her body. “You’re a mess.”
Shaken by the touch of his gaze, she stepped back as he climbed out of his truck. “Yep. But it was so much fun.”
“Who likes who?”
“Lynette.” Abby knew he’d been watching and wondered why he hadn’t come down. She’d never met someone so reluctant to engage in his child’s life, yet so obviously craving the connection. “She likes Jonathon.”
Brack walked past her to lean his elbows against the hood of the truck. “And she’s not—embarrassed by him being deaf?”
“Children are more accepting than adults any day.”
“He used to be teased.” Fatherly anger furrowed his eyebrows. “A lot. But his mother used to tell him the other kids were just jealous because they couldn’t speak in code. That worked until he was nine.”
“Then what did he do?” She could imagine Jonathon as a young boy, his feelings trampled by the other kids in his class. But the mention of his mother sparked her curiosity again. No ring. No mention of Jonathon visiting her… Shit. She needed to focus. “How did he manage?”
“He punched the first kid.” Brack chuckled. “That didn’t go over well with his mother, but I couldn’t have been more proud. ’Course, I had to curb that and handle the situation like a grown adult.”
“I would have punched them too.” She leaned against the truck next to him, then stepped away when she remembered her filthy clothing. “Sorry.”
“She’s seen worse.” He didn’t spare a glance at the truck, and Lynette’s laughter drew his attention. “So, this Lynette. Is she the reason he wanted to manage the team?”
“In part. Though at the
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