“This is going to be fun,” Sienna says, grinning.
We set up—boys in the outfield, girls up to bat first. Parker takes the pitcher’s mound while I crouch behind home plate to catch. Noah, Liam, and Jimmy spread out in the field, their small forms looking adorable in their determination.
Lottie is up first, Sienna helping her hold the bat. Parker pitches underhand, gentle, and Lottie makes contact with a satisfyingthwack. The ball rolls toward third base.
“Run, Lottie!” Sienna cheers, and the little girl takes off, her legs pumping as fast as they can.
Liam scoops up the ball—sort of—and throws it in the general direction of first base. It goes wide. Noah chases it down, picks it up, throws to Jimmy at first.
Too late. Lottie’s safe, jumping up and down with excitement.
“Good job!” Parker calls, grinning.
Sienna’s up next. She takes the bat with the confidence of someone who knows what she’s doing.
“Oh no,” I mutter.
Parker pitches. Sienna connects solidly, sending the ball sailing over the boys’ heads into the outfield. She makes it to second base easily while Noah, Liam, and Jimmy chase down the ball, all three of them trying to grab it at once.
“This is a disaster,” I call to the boys. “You’re getting destroyed by girls!”
“We’re trying!” Noah yells back, finally getting the ball and throwing it to me.
“Hey!” Sienna shouts, “Don’t bethatguy!”
Parker’s up. She takes the bat, gives me a look that saysyou’re going down, and settles into her stance.
I pitch—not hard, but not soft either. She deserves the real thing.
She connects beautifully, the ball arcing high and far. The boys chase it, but it’s clear before they even start running that Parker’s going to make it home.
She does, sliding into home plate with unnecessary drama, laughing as I catch her around the waist.
“Show off,” I murmur.
“You love it,” she says, breathless and grinning.
I do. God help me, I really do.
The game continues—boys getting slightly better at fielding, girls continuing to dominate. Somewhere around the fourth inning, my phone buzzes.
Charles:Where is everyone? Sienna’s not answering.
I glance at Sienna, who’s checking her phone and grinning.
“Charles?” I ask.
“Yep. Wants to know where we are.” She types rapidly. “I’m telling him to come join us.”
“Sienna—”
“What? It’s not like you couldn’t use the backup in the outfield since you’re losing spectacularly.”
She’s not wrong.
Twenty minutes later, three cars pull into the parking lot. Charles, Cal, and Silas emerge, all of them looking slightly confused but amused.
“Dad!” Jimmy yells, running toward Charles.
