“Did they ask you anything?”
She laughs out loud. “No, I’m not family, remember?” she teases. “They did get video of Nolan though, and he thought that was the coolest thing ever.”
“Glad to hear.”
“Nolan, baby,” she calls out to him once we get closer. “It’s time to get going. Come say goodbye to Evan.”
Nolan stops what he’s doing and runs toward us. “Evan! You did so good. When I watched you hit that ball into the outfield, I jumped up and down.”
Christy laughs at how animated he is. “He totally did.”
I squat down to his size. “You want to know something?”
“What?” he asks, his little eyes getting so big.
“I wanted to jump up and down, too, but I couldn’t, so I’m glad you did it for me.”
“Why couldn’t you?” he asks so sincerely that I have to hold in my laugh.
“Because I had to run the bases, silly.”
Nolan raises his arms in the air, then slaps his forehead. “Duh!”
Christy and I both laugh, and then she places her hand on his shoulder. “Thank Evan for inviting us.”
I’m still squatting, and to my surprise, Nolan jumps into my lap, wrapping his arms around me.
“Thank you!” he squeals in my ear.
I hug him back. “You’re so welcome, buddy. You’ll have to come watch again.”
He pulls back from our hug and turns to Christy. “Can we, Mom? Can we?”
She grins my way. “I’m sure we can make that happen.”
I wink and love the way she blushes when I do.
“Let’s get going. You’ve got school tomorrow,” she says, running her hand through his curly locks.
“I’d walk you out, but security doesn’t allow us to leave the stadium through the main gates. If you want, I can get changed real quick and drive you around to your car.”
She shakes her head. “Don’t worry about it. We’ll be just fine.”
“Actually,” I say, holding up my pointer finger, “let me get our security guy to give you a ride.”
I take off running before she can protest and head to the gate where they entered the field, asking the guy watching the entrance to radio to someone in the parking lot. By the time he’s contacted him, Christy and Nolan are at the gate too.
“It’s all set,” the security guy says. “There’s a cart waiting at the entrance for you.”
“Thank you,” she says.
“Yeah, thanks, man.” I pat him on his back.
“Well, see you later,” Christy says, waving her goodbye. “Thanks again.”
It takes all of my willpower to just stand here and wave and not take her into my arms one more time before she leaves.
CHAPTER TWELVE
