Catch of a Lifetime: A Cricket Creek Novel by Luann McLane

Cricket Creek,” they all shouted over the music, and then started singing along to the John Fogarty baseball classic. “Look at me! I can be . . .
center field
!”
    A couple of other young guys whom Jessica didn’t recognize joined them, and she surmised they must also be potential players when they pointed at their chests while singing along. Jessica knew that this week was going to bring decisions for the final roster, and she would hate to be in their cleats. This league was meant to give them another shot, and if they didn’t make the team here, their futures in this profession would most likely come to an end. And so she put her arms around them and started singing along to the timeless song of the boys of summer.
    When the song ended, Madison leaned over and said, “Mom, don’t go too far away. I have a really fun surprise for you.”
    “I hope it’s a stripper!” Aunt Myra announced.
    “Aunt Myra!” Jessica chided, but her aunt just shrugged.
    “What? I want a stripper for my sixtieth birthday. Y’all can make a note of it.” She pointed at Logan. “And I want it to look like him.”
    “Myra!” Olivia shook her head. “What would my father think?”
    “
Pfft
. Your daddy already knows I’m plumb crazy,” she answered with a wave of her hand. “Part of my charm, don’t ya think?”
    “I sure think so,” Logan chimed in, and got a nod from Aunt Myra.
    “Well, now, aren’t you as cute as Christmas. I like you.”
    Jessica rolled her eyes and turned to Madison. “So, just what is this surprise you’re talking about?”
    “
Duh
. I’m not going to tell you. Just don’t venture too far away.”
    “Am I going to like this surprise of yours?”
    “I guarantee it.”
    Jessica didn’t point out to Madison that her guarantees weren’t always money, but the light shining in her daughter’s eyes told Jessica that this was going to be something good. At least she hoped so.
    “Can I refresh your drink?” Logan asked, and nodded toward the bar.
    “No, thanks,” Jessica replied with a smile. “I’m going to go over to the buffet table. I need some food.” When she started to walk that way, she fully expected the young hottie to head on to younger pastures, but he fell in step beside her.
    “Mind if I join you?”
    She kind of did mind, but going to the buffet table required passing by Ty McKenna, and so she shook her head. “Of course not.” She went as far as to link her arm through his and then felt sort of silly, but the deed was done so she had to, as Madison would say, just roll with it.
    While dipping a carrot stick in ranch dressing, she wondered what the big surprise was going to be and glanced in Madison’s direction. She was chatting on the phone, nodding and smiling, giving Jessica hope that something exciting was about to happen. She tried to sneak a peek at Ty, but as luck would have it, he looked in her direction at the same moment. He arched one eyebrow and gave her a smoldering look that made her heart pound, but Jessica lifted her chin a notch and then turned her attention back to Logan. Although she nodded and responded to the young ballplayer’s flirty questions, all she could think about was Ty McKenna seated behind her. She tried to keep her focus on Logan, but she kept wondering if Ty was still looking her way. And it took everything in her power not to turn around and find out.

4

Risky Business
    “O uch!” Ty grumbled when Noah kicked his shin beneath the table. “What the hell was that for?”
    “You gonna let Logan Lannigan put the moves on Jessica? You know that boy is after one thing.” Noah took a long pull from his beer and thumped the bottle down onto the round table.
    Ty shrugged. “Not my business.” He tilted his own beer up to his lips and took a casual, I-don’t-care swig, when in truth he was both pissed and worried, and then even more pissed that he was worried.
    “Ty, Jessica is no match for his slick moves. And she’s been drinking.