Page 10 of Always You (A Lilac Bay Novel)

“Well done,” David called as the team gathered at the steps to the dugout. “You all definitely deserve a few rounds at Cora’s.”

“You getting a drink?” Andrew asked me as we started to shove mitts and water bottles into our duffels.

“Have I ever missed post-game drinks at Cora’s?”

He squinted, as if trying to remember. “Now that you mention it, I don’t think you’ve ever missedanydrinks at Cora’s.”

Before I could respond, an excited chorus of little voices called my name.

“Auntie!”

“Auntie Wiley!”

I looked up to see my three nephews charging across the field toward me, my little sister, Rebecca, following behind with the stroller.

“Hey, buddies!” I called, leaving Andrew at the dugout as I grabbed up Aiden, the youngest brother, and swung him around. He squealed happily, wrapping his arms, still baby-fat, around my neck.

“You hit the ball!” he cried.

“I did! It was fun!”

His older brother, Mason, grabbed my legs, jumping up and down so excitedly I was sure he was crossing the line into hyper-activity. “You won the game!”

The middle brother, Jayden, stood behind the others, grinning at me shyly. I set down Aiden and knelt at Jay’s level, pulling him into a hug without any of the loud squeals or swinging through the air that his brothers had preferred. He had always been a little quieter, more sensitive than the rambunctious Mason and Aiden, and I tried hard to remember that, so that I didn’t overwhelm him.

“You played real good, Auntie,” he whispered in my ear, and my heart swelled right up. I knew it was wrong to even entertain the thought that I might love one of my nephews more than the others, but it was hard not to fall completely head over heels for Jayden. He was such a little sweetheart, always remembering to saypleaseandthank you, always so eager with his hugs and his kisses, snuggling up against my neck the way he was doing now. I ran my free hand through his thick curls. “Thanks, buddy,” I whispered back.

“Auntie, Auntie!” Mason was yelling, tugging at the hem of my T-shirt. “Will you teach me how to catch a fly ball, like you did in the second inning? That was so cool!”

“I don’t know, Mason. Do you think you could possibly be as cool as me? Even with practice?”

He howled with laughter. “I’ll be so much cooler!”

“Teach me! Teach me!” Aiden cried, joining his brother in tugging on my shirt. “I cool too!”

“Okay, boys,” Rebecca called, finally catching up to her kids. “Don't grab at her like that. Give Auntie some breathing room.”

“They're fine,” I assured her. “They complimented my baseball skills, and you know I can't get enough of that.”

My sister laughed. “I’d say that's the understatement of the year.”

“Yet here you are, not complimenting my skills on the field at all, even though you claim to know how much it means to me.”

Rebecca shook her head, still laughing. “You never change, do you? Okay, fine.” She placed a hand on my shoulder, her face taking on the enthusiastic expression she used when praising one of the kids. “You played great out there today, sport!”

“Hey, who else do I have to build up my ego besides my own sister?”

Rebecca rolled her eyes. "Oh, God. You think your ego needs more building up? I think it’s properly built, Ri.”

“What’s an ego?” Mason asked.

“It’s what happens when you get too big for your britches," Rebecca said, ruffling her oldest son's hair. It was white blonde, just like his mother's, just like mine. Jayden had the darker hair of his father, while Aiden was another blonde, just like the rest of us.

“Britches?” Aidan asked, and I bent over to grab him, swinging the little boy up into my arms again.

“Don’t you worry about it, buddy. You’ll be a star baseball player just like your Auntie one day. And then you’ll know all about it.”

“With just a touch more humility, one can hope,” Rebecca added dryly. “So what's next tonight? Are you guys heading over to Cora’s?”