Summer Love: The Best Mistake / Impulse

“I’m gonna play third base, ’cause it’s the… the…”

“Hot corner,” Coop supplied.

“Yeah. Can I go show Mr. Finkleman? Can I show him my baseball?”

“Sure.”

“He’s gonna be surprised.” He turned and threw his arms around Coop’s legs. “Thanks, thanks for taking me. I liked it best of anything. Can we go again, and take Mama?”

“Uh, yeah, I guess. Sure.” Feeling awkward again, he patted Keenan’s head.

“Okay!” Giving Coop one last squeeze, Keenan raced out the door to show off his treasures.

“You didn’t have to buy him all that stuff,” Zoe began. “Taking him was enough.”

“No big deal. He didn’t ask for it, or anything.” Coop stuck his hands in his pockets. “He got such a charge out of meeting the players, and one thing kind of led to another.”

“I know. I hear our team won.”

“Yeah. Clipped them by one. I had to stop by the paper and file the story, or we’d have been here sooner.”

“I just got in myself.” On impulse, she walked over, wrapped her arms around him and hugged. Coop’s hands stayed paralyzed in his pockets. “I owe you. You gave him a great day. He won’t forget it.” She drew back. “Neither will I.”

“It’s no big deal. He just hung out in the press box.”

“It’s a very big deal, especially since I trapped you into it.” She laughed and tossed back her hair. “You were so transparent this morning, Coop. The idea of having a four-year-old tagging along terrified you. But you did great. Anyway— Sorry,” she said when the phone rang. “Hello? Oh, hi, Stan. Tonight? I’m not scheduled.” Letting out a breath, she sat on the arm of a chair. “I’ll have to let you know. No, Stan, I can’t tell you now. I have to see if I can find a sitter. An hour, then. Yes, I understand you’re in a jam. I’ll call you back.”

“Problem?”

“Hmmm… Two of the waitresses called in sick for tonight. They’re short-staffed.” She was already dialing the phone. “Hi, Mrs. Finkleman. Yeah, I know. He had a great time. Mm-hmm…” Zoe’s gaze flicked up to Coop as Mrs. Finkleman told her how important it was for a boy to have a man in his life. “I’m sure you’re right. I was wondering if you’re busy tonight. Oh. That’s right, I forgot. No, it’s nothing. Have a good time.”

Zoe hung up and pursed her lips. “It’s their bingo night,” she told Coop. “Beth’s got a date. Maybe Alice.” She reached for the phone again, shook her head. “No, she’s having her in-laws over for dinner.” Her eyes lit on Coop and narrowed in speculation. “You didn’t have any problem with Keenan today.”

“No,” Coop said slowly, wary of another trap. “He was cool.”

“Stan doesn’t need me in until nine. Keenan goes to bed at eight, so you wouldn’t have to do anything but hang around, watch television or whatever.”

“Hang around here, while you work?” He took a step back. “Just me and the kid—like a babysitter? Listen…”

“I’ll pay you. Beth gets five an hour, but I can up the ante.”

“I don’t want your money, Zoe.”

“That’s so sweet.” She smiled, took his hand and squeezed. “Really, so sweet of you. If you could come down about eight thirty.”

“I never said—”

“You can help yourself to anything in the kitchen. I’ll make some brownies, if I have time. I’d better call Stan back before he pulls out what’s left of his hair.” She picked up the phone, beamed at Coop. “Now I owe you two.”

“Yeah, right.” He hurried out before she could find some way to owe him three.

Chapter 5

For the next couple of hours, Coop immersed himself in “All in the Game,” his weekly syndicated column. The kid had given him the hook, he thought. The first visit to a ball game, the passing on of tradition, and the bond that was forged over the cheers, the crack of the bat, the peanut shells.

It was a good piece, Coop decided, and wrote easily. He supposed since he owed the idea to Keenan the least he could do was hang around downstairs and eat brownies while the kid slept.

He wandered back down just as Zoe came through the kitchen door.