Read Online The Forest Ranger's Husband by Leigh Bale - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Leigh Bale
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better at hitting the ball. Coach says I’m a real slugger.”
Matt chuckled, then stared in surprise as Davie rubbed dirt onto his hands, then picked up the bat and tapped it against his sneaker. Matt tried not to laugh at the ritual, but failed miserably. “Where’d you learn that?”
Davie bent his legs and squatted slightly, holding the bat aloft as he waited for the pitch. “I saw it on TV. All the pros do it. Mom and I like to watch baseball together. She says I can never chew tobacco and spit, though.”
Thank goodness.
Matt glanced at Andie, who had wrapped her arms around herself and leaned forward on the top step of the porch. He caught a glint of amusement in her eyes.
“You don’t need to chew tobacco and spit to be a great baseball player. In fact, I’d prefer it if you didn’t do those things. Tobacco isn’t good for you, and spitting is rude.” Matt caught a nod of approval from Andie.
“I won’t, Dad. I already promised Mom. Come on. Pitch.”
Matt tossed the ball gently and soon learned that Davie meant what he said. The little boy swung the bat hard, hitting the ball dead-on with a loud crack that sent it flying across the hedge into the neighbor’s yard.
“Wow! You weren’t kidding, were you? You can really hit.”
“Yep! I’ll get it.” Davie dropped the bat and trotted off to retrieve the ball.
Matt glanced at Andie, who watched him quietly. He hobbled closer to chat with her for a moment. “You didn’t tell me how good he is for his age. He’s amazing.”
She shrugged. “He takes after his father. Why are you so surprised by his natural athletic ability?”
“I couldn’t hit the ball like that when I was almost six years old. By the time Davie’s out of high school, he’ll be on a full-ride scholarship to any university in the nation.”
Finally she cracked a wide smile. “I sure hope so.”
“Ah, there you are.” He smiled back.
“What do you mean?”
“I knew you could remember how to smile.”
The smile dropped from her face like stone. “I haven’t had a lot of reasons to smile lately.”
Matt inclined his chin toward Davie. “I think that boy is a pretty good reason to smile, sweetheart. You’ve done a great job with him.”
She opened her mouth to say something, but Davie returned, flushed and gasping for breath.
“I figure that was a home run,” the boy said happily.
Matt tugged on the brim of Davie’s ball cap. “I figure you’re right. Good job, hotshot.”
Beaming at his father’s praise, Davie took up the bat again. They continued to play ball with Davie hitting almost every pitch Matt tossed at him, then chasing after the ball while Matt and Andie made small talk.
Within an hour, Matt could take no more. The intense pain in his thigh made it difficult to walk. “It’s too dark. We better quit for tonight.”
“Aw, do you have to go?” Davie whined.
“I’m afraid so.” Matt grit his teeth to keep from showing the agony he felt as he hobbled over to his truck.
Andie stood on the porch watching him go. She didn’t return his wave, able to hear his conversation with their son.
“You’ll come back tomorrow, won’t you?” Davie asked.
Matt looked up at Andie. The wind ruffled her long hair, her expression closed off. It used to be so easy to talk to her. To read on her face what she was thinking. Now he saw nothing there but cold reservation. Both of them were harboring their own angst. If only he could cross the divide between them. “If it’s okay with your mom.”
Davie whirled around to look at his mother and yelled atthe top of his lungs. “Is it okay if Dad comes over to play again tomorrow, Mom?”
She hesitated and Matt held his breath, waiting. He couldn’t believe he wanted to come play games with a five-year-old boy, but he couldn’t get enough of his little son. Or Andie. How he wished he didn’t have to go home to his lonely apartment.
“Yes,” Andie said before turning away.
Matt let out a
Matt chuckled, then stared in surprise as Davie rubbed dirt onto his hands, then picked up the bat and tapped it against his sneaker. Matt tried not to laugh at the ritual, but failed miserably. “Where’d you learn that?”
Davie bent his legs and squatted slightly, holding the bat aloft as he waited for the pitch. “I saw it on TV. All the pros do it. Mom and I like to watch baseball together. She says I can never chew tobacco and spit, though.”
Thank goodness.
Matt glanced at Andie, who had wrapped her arms around herself and leaned forward on the top step of the porch. He caught a glint of amusement in her eyes.
“You don’t need to chew tobacco and spit to be a great baseball player. In fact, I’d prefer it if you didn’t do those things. Tobacco isn’t good for you, and spitting is rude.” Matt caught a nod of approval from Andie.
“I won’t, Dad. I already promised Mom. Come on. Pitch.”
Matt tossed the ball gently and soon learned that Davie meant what he said. The little boy swung the bat hard, hitting the ball dead-on with a loud crack that sent it flying across the hedge into the neighbor’s yard.
“Wow! You weren’t kidding, were you? You can really hit.”
“Yep! I’ll get it.” Davie dropped the bat and trotted off to retrieve the ball.
Matt glanced at Andie, who watched him quietly. He hobbled closer to chat with her for a moment. “You didn’t tell me how good he is for his age. He’s amazing.”
She shrugged. “He takes after his father. Why are you so surprised by his natural athletic ability?”
“I couldn’t hit the ball like that when I was almost six years old. By the time Davie’s out of high school, he’ll be on a full-ride scholarship to any university in the nation.”
Finally she cracked a wide smile. “I sure hope so.”
“Ah, there you are.” He smiled back.
“What do you mean?”
“I knew you could remember how to smile.”
The smile dropped from her face like stone. “I haven’t had a lot of reasons to smile lately.”
Matt inclined his chin toward Davie. “I think that boy is a pretty good reason to smile, sweetheart. You’ve done a great job with him.”
She opened her mouth to say something, but Davie returned, flushed and gasping for breath.
“I figure that was a home run,” the boy said happily.
Matt tugged on the brim of Davie’s ball cap. “I figure you’re right. Good job, hotshot.”
Beaming at his father’s praise, Davie took up the bat again. They continued to play ball with Davie hitting almost every pitch Matt tossed at him, then chasing after the ball while Matt and Andie made small talk.
Within an hour, Matt could take no more. The intense pain in his thigh made it difficult to walk. “It’s too dark. We better quit for tonight.”
“Aw, do you have to go?” Davie whined.
“I’m afraid so.” Matt grit his teeth to keep from showing the agony he felt as he hobbled over to his truck.
Andie stood on the porch watching him go. She didn’t return his wave, able to hear his conversation with their son.
“You’ll come back tomorrow, won’t you?” Davie asked.
Matt looked up at Andie. The wind ruffled her long hair, her expression closed off. It used to be so easy to talk to her. To read on her face what she was thinking. Now he saw nothing there but cold reservation. Both of them were harboring their own angst. If only he could cross the divide between them. “If it’s okay with your mom.”
Davie whirled around to look at his mother and yelled atthe top of his lungs. “Is it okay if Dad comes over to play again tomorrow, Mom?”
She hesitated and Matt held his breath, waiting. He couldn’t believe he wanted to come play games with a five-year-old boy, but he couldn’t get enough of his little son. Or Andie. How he wished he didn’t have to go home to his lonely apartment.
“Yes,” Andie said before turning away.
Matt let out a
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