Chasing The BallGirl (FanGirl Series2) Read online

  “You love me, Carson, and you know it. Go home to Melody. That will make you feel better.”

  “Sam, if he’s a dick, I’ll gladly take care of him for you. Better yet, let Lexi do it.”

  “Okay. I’ll let you know if I need your help.” She giggled.

  Carson ended the call, leaving Sam and me laughing.

  “He’s not a morning person, is he?” she asked.

  “Not at all. Poor Melody.” The timer beeped, and I took the biscuits out of the oven. “Make your plate up and take a seat at the breakfast bar.”

  She leaned up and kissed me. “Thank you for making me breakfast.”

  “Sweetheart, I’ll make you breakfast every morning when you stay with me. Consider it an incentive.”

  I watched her walk to the breakfast bar, admiring the way my shirt barely covered that sweet ass of hers. I slid onto the stool beside her, but she wasn’t close enough.

  “Come here.” I slid her stool closer until it touched mine.

  She grinned. “Happy?”

  “Am now. Is that all you’re eating?”

  She looked down at her plate and frowned. “Ryan, I think this is a normal portion … unlike the insane amount of bacon you have on your plate. My arteries throb, just looking at it.”

  I bit into a piece of crispy bacon and moaned. “Baby, if this is the way I go, then I’m okay with that.”

  She grinned and shook her head. “So, you leave tomorrow?” Her voice was happy, but her smile was forced.

  “Yeah. I’ll have to reschedule for early tomorrow morning. If I miss that flight, not only will Carson skin me alive, but so will Coach.”

  Silence filled the conversation after that, and I thought we both were thinking the same thing.

  Now what?

  “What are your plans for today?” I asked.

  “Laundry. I’m going to have to go to the Laundromat since someone held me captive last night. I’m out of clean scrubs.”

  “Do your laundry here. Then, you can spend the day with me.”

  She rubbed her teeth over her bottom lip, and I knew she was debating on spending the time with me. I pressed my thumb to her lip, and she released it from between her teeth. I pressed a long kiss to her lips and tucked hair behind her ear.

  “Stay with me. I won’t see you for over a month unless you come to Florida.”

  She nodded. “Fine, but you’re feeding me lunch and dinner, too.”

  When she mentioned dinner, I had an idea. “That’s something I can gladly do.”

  ~*~*~*~

  “Look, I get it. You want to prove to me that you’re serious about being a one-woman kind of guy. However, I don’t know if taking me to meet your parents this soon is something you need to do.”

  So, it did seem a little excessive now that she’d mentioned it, so I decided to downplay it. “It’s just dinner at my parents’ house. Every Sunday, we meet as a family to have dinner together. It’s really not that big of a deal.”

  Except it was a big deal. I’d never brought a girl home to meet my family.

  She gave me an unsure glance before looking out the passenger window. “Okay, but if I get the third degree because you’re secretly a mama’s boy, I’m going to hand you over to Lexi.”

  I laughed at her threat. Not because it was empty because I knew it was not. And Lexi scared the living fuck out of me. But because I knew my parents were going to adore her, especially Mom. Dad would likely flirt with her, and my two asshole kid brothers would probably convince her to run for the hills. A lot of people complained about their families, but I was very lucky to have the one that I did. Sam hadn’t said much about her family at all, so I hoped taking her to meet mine wouldn’t be too overwhelming for her.

  “So, our first date, where will you want me to take you?” I asked.

  With a raise of her brow, I knew the answer would be snarky. “I think that is your job to plan. I shouldn’t have to tell you where I want to go.”

  I put my hand on her denim-covered thigh, and she put hers on top of mine.

  “Fair enough. I’ll make it memorable.”

  From the corner of my eye, I caught her sweet smile before she turned to the window.

  “I’m sure you will.”

  When my truck pulled into the housing development of my childhood home in Sykesville, I noticed Sam was becoming antsy. I parked in front of my parents’ house and turned the ignition off. She looked at me, and I gave her a reassuring smile.

  “This isn’t a big deal. It’s just dinner. My mom is an excellent cook, and we just happen to be hungry, so it all works out for everyone.”

  She laughed. “All right. Then, let’s do this.”

  I pushed the front door open to the place I’d called home for twenty-three years, and the rich smell of Italian hit us.

  “I think my stomach is thanking you already,” she whispered beside me.

  “Oh, just wait, sweetheart,” I assured her.

  We hung our coats up in the foyer, and I laced my fingers through hers.

  “Mom, Dad, I’m here for dinner!” I yelled as we walked toward the kitchen. The last thing I wanted was to walk into the kitchen and scare the shit out of Mom.

  “Ryan, what are you doing here? I thought you left for Florida this morning!” Mom yelled over her shoulder. Her back was to us as she continued to stir something in a bowl.

  “You didn’t tell her we were coming?” Sam scolded me.

  Mom quickly turned around at the sound of Sam’s voice, and her eyes grew wide. “He brought a girl home!”

  Mom had Sam locked in a bear hug two seconds later, and surprisingly, Sam had a huge smile on her face.

  “Oh, I’ve been waiting for this day for so long. I’m so happy.” Mom held Sam at arm’s length and examined her.

  “Mom!”

  “She’s beautiful, Ryan. What the hell is she doing with you?” Mom asked.

  Sam laughed and winked at me. “I like her already.”

  Dad walked into the kitchen with a huge smirk on his face. “Well, well, is this her?”

  “Mom, Dad, this is Samantha Sterling. She’s the girl I was telling you about in the fall. She’s our team’s ball girl. Sam, these are my parents, David and Kelly Cruz.”

  Mom hugged Sam again. “I’m so sorry for the despicable way my son acted that night at the gala. I certainly had not raised him to treat a woman like that. Ryan, you’re lucky as hell that this girl gave you a second chance.”

  I nodded. “I couldn’t agree more with you, Mom.”

  Dad extended his hand to Sam, but Sam hugged him instead. Dad gave me a grin over Sam’s shoulder as he hugged her back.

  “You’re too pretty for this son. We have two others you can check out if you’d like. They should be home anytime.”

  “Dave!” Mom smacked his arm and turned back to her bowl.

  Sam looked over at the ingredients on the counter. “Can I help with anything?”

  The look that my mother gave her in that moment only confirmed my expectations. Mom looked at Sam as if she was the best thing to come into her house since her KitchenAid mixer.

  “Sure, sweet pea. Have you ever made a homemade apple pie from scratch?”

  Sam moved to the sink to wash her hands. “No, but I’m about to.”

  Dad nudged my side. “I have to pick up Gavin up from the library. He’s writing some paper for school. Want to come along?”

  My youngest brother, Gavin, was a senior in high school.

  “Why didn’t he take his car?” I asked.

  Dad smirked. “Your mother grounded him. He was out an hour and a half past curfew last night.”

  “Damn, glad I wasn’t him last night.” I laughed.

  “You and me both.”

  I went behind Sam and kissed the back of her neck. “I’m going to pick up my little brother really quick. Are you okay here?”

  She was wrist deep in piecrust and turned her head to mine. “I’m fine. Go ahead.” She quickly kis
sed me before she returned her attention back to the bowl.

  As I walked out the door behind my dad, I knew that chasing this girl was the best decision I’d ever made.

  Chapter Eighteen: Sammie

  Ryan was right when he’d said his mother was a great cook. After eating the best spaghetti I’d ever had in my life, I stood and gathered my dishes and reached for Ryan’s.

  “What are you doing?” Kelly asked.

  “I was going to grab the dishes to wash,” I said slowly.

  “Oh no. We cook, and the boys have kitchen patrol. Up, boys. In the kitchen you go,” Kelly said.

  The middle brother, Zac, frowned at his mother. “Mom, Sam is our guest. If Ryan’s hot-as-shit girlfriend wants to wash dishes, you should let her.”

  Ryan punched Zac in the arm.

  Kelly gave him serious stink eye. “Move it.”

  “Good try.” Gavin, the youngest brother, patted Zac on the back.

  Ryan kissed my cheek before taking the dishes and following his brothers into the kitchen.

  Kelly stood from her chair and leaned across the table. “I purposely use as many dishes as possible while I’m cooking. Doesn’t hurt them to work off their meal.”

  I laughed at her confession. “I like the way you think.”

  “Come on, Samantha. Let’s go relax in the living room while we wait for the pie to cool a little. I have something I want to show you.”

  I followed her into the living room and noticed the family pictures on the walls. The largest picture was of the entire family walking on a beach, laughing together. It was a beautiful and accurate portrayal of their relationship as a family. During dinner, it had been blatantly obvious that these five were extremely close, and there was so much love in this family. Watching them interact had been bittersweet. I was so happy that Ryan had such a great support system, but it’d reminded me that I didn’t have that type of relationship with my family.

  Kelly pulled a photo album from the bookshelf and gave a mischievous grin. “The pictures in this book are from Ryan’s senior year of high school. He’s going to kill me when he finds me showing this to you, but I’ve waited a very long time for this.”

  “I’m really excited right now.” I laughed.

  We sat on the oversize couch together and put the photo album across our laps.

  Kelly opened the cover, and my jaw literally dropped.

  “No … that’s not him.”

  She giggled. “Yep, it sure is.”

  Ryan’s suit and tie senior picture was nice from the eyebrows down. His hair, however …

  “His hair looks like ramen noodles.”

  Kelly let out a cackle. “This was his Justin Timberlake phase. He has always secretly loved JT.”

  “It wasn’t so secret back then.” I tried to keep my laughter under control.

  “Oh, it was very well known that Ryan was a huge fan. For his senior year talent show, he played piano and sang ‘Señorita.’ He dedicated it to all the ladies,” she said with an eye roll.

  “And let me guess; the girls ate it up?”

  “With a damn spoon. I didn’t get it, especially with that mop on top of his damn head.”

  I couldn’t stop laughing. “I had no clue he played piano or sang.”

  “I made all my boys play an instrument. Ryan played piano, Zac played the guitar, and Gavin played bass guitar. Gavin is the only one who actively plays; he’s in a band.”

  “That’s impressive.”

  “Sam, Mom, are you ready for pie?” Ryan yelled from the kitchen.

  “I don’t know if I have any room.” I frowned.

  “Yes, please!” Kelly called back. “You always have an extra pocket in your stomach for good dessert,” she told me with a wink.

  All the pictures leading up to Ryan’s graduation had that nasty, bleached, curly hair. “How did he get his hair like that? Did he actually have it colored and permed?”

  “He did. My sister is a beautician, and he begged her for two years to do his hair like that. Finally, she gave in, and this was the result. I really thought he would end up shaving it when he saw the final product; however, he liked it.”

  “Who liked what?” Ryan asked as he came in with three plates with apple pie and vanilla ice cream. He glanced down to our laps and froze. “No. Mom, please tell me that’s not the senior album.”

  “Oh, it’s the senior album.” I grinned.

  He put the plates on the coffee table and pointed to the picture on the page. “You all might laugh at the hair now, but back then, people thought it looked good.”

  “Oh, I think it looks good,” I told him. “Delicious actually. I’m just wondering what flavor ramen it is—chicken, beef, or shrimp.”

  Kelly laughed and put an arm around me. “I love her. If you screw things up with her, I’m keeping her and getting rid of you.”

  “If I’m stupid enough to screw things up with her, then I deserve that.” He winked at me. “Here, eat your pie before your ice cream melts.”

  The three of us sat and ate the pie—which Kelly was right about because I had the perfect pocket in my stomach just for that amazing dessert—as we looked at the rest of Ryan’s photo album. Soon, the rest of the guys came into the living room with their plates, and we fell into an easy conversation.

  David Ryan, Zac, and Gavin were all one in the same, and I didn’t know how poor Kelly had dealt with it for the last twenty-some-odd years of her life. They were all huge flirts and all into sports. I collectively received at least twelve winks from the four men over the course of the evening.

  When Ryan and I were leaving his parents’ house, they made me promise that I would come to Sunday dinners when I was able even though Ryan wouldn’t be home. I loved the family, even the two hornier-than-thou younger brothers.

  In the truck on the way back to my townhouse, Ryan had his fingers laced through my own, and it felt more natural than I would have imagined. Being with him like this felt right, like this was the way it was supposed to be.

  “I really like your family,” I told him.

  “They obviously adore you, which I didn’t have any doubts about.” He smiled. “Did you really mean it when you said you’d go to Sunday dinners even if I wasn’t there?”

  “Of course. I mean, as long as you don’t mind.”

  “Not at all. That makes me really happy actually. I just don’t want it to interfere with any of your family time.”

  I knew this was his way of baiting me into talking about my family. “You don’t have to worry about that. I really don’t have much of a family to be around.”

  His fingers squeezed mine. “Parents?”

  I knew it was going to come up eventually. I might as well just get it out. “My dad has been an alcoholic for as long as I can remember. Once I was a teenager, Mom started picking up a lot of extra hours at her work, and I knew it was so that she didn’t have to be home. Once I left for college, she filed for divorce. What I didn’t know was, she had been seeing another man for several years, and when she’d said she was working extra, she had actually been with him and his children. She had been helping another man take care of his children when she left her own teenage daughter at home with her alcoholic father.”

  “Baby, I’m so sorry,” he whispered.

  “I know it’s unfair of me, but I haven’t been able to forgive her for that. There were some really bad nights that I should have never had to deal with, and she was out with another man. Now, she has a new life with a husband and his children, who I’ve never met. To be honest, I don’t have any desire to get to know them. It’s not the kids’ fault, and I hope she’s a better mother to them than she was to me.”

  Ryan turned into a grocery store parking lot, and I frowned.

  “What’s wrong?”

  After he put the truck in park, he unbuckled my seat belt and tugged me onto his lap. “I just need to hug you. I’m sorry you had a shitty family. You didn’t deserve that.”

  “
I guess that’s why I have a hard time with trusting people now. If I can’t trust my own mother, who can I trust?”

  “Me,” he said without missing a beat. “Melody. Lexi. We’re your family now. And I can share my family with you.” He grinned. “My dad might be a flirt, and my asshole brothers are fucking horny as hell, but my mom, she’s awesome, and I’m pretty sure she likes you more than me already.”