Reagan threw a pitch, and the girl at bat struck out, causing me to scream.

“There you go, baby! One more and you’re up to bat!” I yelled, shaking my hands in the chain link fence.

Lennox chuckled against my back, and I grabbed ahold of one of her arms and pulled her until her front was pressed underneath my arm.

Looking down into her blue eyes, I finally felt a little peace.

“I’m glad you came,” I rumbled softly.

Her eyes flared, and she gave me a soft smile. “Your family’s glad I came, too.”

I chuckled, dropping a kiss down onto her forehead as I looked up in time to see Reagan throw one right down the middle.

I winced, holding my breath as the girl hit it.

Luckily, it popped straight up, and Ali, the shortstop, was able to catch it without the least bit of effort.

“That a girl!” I yelled, whistling loudly with my tongue, front teeth, and lip.

“Your girl there’s pretty good,” Lennox said softly, bringing my attention back down to her.

I nodded.

“She has a pitching coach, and she plays anytime she can. I’ll bet she’s a little badass by the time she gets to high school,” I concurred.

“I watched from my car for a little bit while I was on the phone with my parents. I used to enjoy softball, but I was never good like that. And she’s only eight. Just imagine what she’ll accomplish when she’s seventeen,” Lennox said sincerely.

I shivered.

“I’d really like to not think about when she’s seventeen. I like to take things one day at a time. Because if I do, I don’t have to think about the fact that I’ll somehow need to come out with money to pay for college. Or a car. Or a wedding,” I told her honestly.

She laughed.

“Just because you don’t think about it, doesn’t mean it won’t happen in ten years,” she supplied helpfully.

I scowled down at her. “It works for me. Promise.”

“Bennett,” my mother called from behind me. “Aren’t you going to introduce us?”

I sighed, breaking away from Lennox’s gaze, and turned to find my mother and father standing directly behind me.

My dad was a big man, and my mom somewhat small.

In fact, if I had to guess what Lennox and I’d look like twenty five years from now, it’d be similar to the two people standing in front of me.

My heroes.

My parents.

The people I could count on for anything.

“Yeah,” I said, nodding my head. “Just as soon as Reagan bats.”

I didn’t bother to placate either one of them.

I missed quite a few games as it was, and since I was here, I’d not miss it because I was busy introducing my parents to my girlfriend.

Reagan jogged up to the plate with her hot pink bat, set her feet, and swung the bat twice before getting into her stance.

Her hot pink helmet hid her face from my view, but I knew she had her eye on the ball.

Her attention honed in on to pitcher.

I felt Lennox move out of my arms and turn to face the game, eyes on Reagan just the same as mine were.

My father sidled up to my side, took a similar stance at me, and watched.

The first pitch came and Reagan let it come, knowing it was too low and on the inside.

The next pitch was one and the same.

It was the third pitch that she yakked it.

Hit it hard straight up the middle, straight past the second baseman where it came to a stop between center and right field.

“Go, baby go!” I yelled excitedly.

“Go Reagan, run hard!” Lennox screamed.

“That a girl!” My father screamed.

And the praise continued by the other people that were watching the game, as well as Reagan’s coach, and her teammates.

“Holy hell,” Lennox said, shaking her head. “That girl can hit!”

I completely agreed. I was still flabbergasted every time I saw her do it.

I’d never been very good at baseball.

I was a football man myself.

I played throughout my high school career, and still picked up the odd game even now.

I missed it desperately, too.

Those days were easier.

Not that I didn’t love my life right now, but then, when my parents made all the decisions and I didn’t have to worry about anyone hurting me or mine, it was a lot simpler.

“Alright, my boy. Your girl hit, now I wanna meet this one,” my mother said, poking a bony finger into my back.

Sighing, I turned around, hooking Lennox’s neck as I did, and bringing her into my side.

“Mom, Dad, this is Lennox. Lennox, these are my parents, Tony and Jessie Alvarez,” I introduced them.

My mother held out her hand for Lennox’s, and shook it fiercely. “I’ve been waiting a really long time to meet you,” my mother said loudly. “I didn’t think Bennett would ever introduce us!”

It’d been a few weeks. She acted like I’d kept Lennox to myself for two years.

Lennox smiled as she gently let my mother’s hand go and offered it to my father. “Nice to meet you both.”

My father grinned. “So, Bennett tells me you’re a physician’s assistant. How do you like doing that?”

My mother didn’t let her answer, though. Instead she tugged on Lennox’s hand and pulled her away.

Lennox followed my mother, waving at me as she went. I knew my mother was doing it on purpose. My father wanted to talk to me, and my mother was always a good talker. She could make anyone like her, and the person would be none the wiser.

“Your lawyer called me this afternoon looking for you,” my father started.

I cursed and turned back to the field, surprised to see Reagan already on third with the bases loaded.

“It’s going to be alright, Bennett. We’d never let anything happen to her. And who’s to say that any of this will even be an issue in the morning?” My father asked when I continued to ignore the conversation.

I didn’t like where it was going.

But I knew I wouldn’t get past this without talking to him.

He wouldn’t let me.

“I don’t know, pop. I just can feel it. It’s sitting on my chest, getting tighter and tighter. I know she won’t let this go,” I told him, keeping my eye on Reagan as she took two steps off the base.

My father sighed and came to stand at the fence with me, shoulder to shoulder.

His arms were crossed over his chest as he said what I needed to hear.

“I had your back eight years ago when that little girl came into this world, and I’ll have your back now. She won’t be able to do anything that you’re imagining she will. She’ll get her money back in the morning, and she’ll go away. If she knows what’s good for her, that is,” my father promised.

I closed my eyes and leaned my head against the chain link fence.

“I hope you’re right dad,” I whispered hoarsely.

***

Lennox

“I can’t tell you how excited I am to meet you. Bennett and Reagan have told us a lot about you,” Jessie said excitedly as she dragged me towards the waiting group of women I could see were excited to add their two cents in.

“I’ve heard a lot about you, too. Bennett tells me you’re the one who taught Reagan all those manners she put on display the other night at my parent’s house,” I said to her.

I followed behind her, ignoring the way my head was starting to feel weird.

My skin was clammy, and I knew I’d have to eat something soon.

But then Jessie laughed, tugging on my hand before I could give it a second thought.

“Oh, that boy of mine’s a smooth talker, isn’t he? He may think that we had everything to do with her being such a good girl, but that all goes to Bennett. He’s a really good father, and makes sure that his daughter knows the difference between right and wrong,” Jessie smiled fondly.

I grinned, and took a deep breath as we finally came up on the group of men and women watching the game.

“Payton, Max, this is Lennox,” Jessie said proudly.

“We know who she is, mom. We’ve met before,” Payton said dryly.

Jessie narrowed her eyes at her daughter, but Max offered his hand to me. “We’ve not met formally. I’m Max. This one’s,” he said, pointing at Payton. “Husband. You can feel sorry for me now.”