Page 63 of Curveball

"Walker and Farrah together again." She clasped her hands together in excitement. "I never thought I'd see the day. And in my store!"

I chuckled. "Yup, back together again, Mrs. Richards." I leaned over to open the green paint Hadley wanted for the ceramic flower she was painting.

"It’s just so great to see you! I always thought you two would end up married. With a house full of babies." Farrah widened her eyes but kept her attention down on her ceramic bowl.

Smart girl.

"Nope, life had other plans." This woman had no intention of leaving us alone. I glanced up at the sound of the front door opening, another family filing in. "Hey, Mrs. Richards, I think that family that just walked in might need some help."

She turned around and smiled. "Oh, yes! You're right. Y’all let me know if you need anything. It was so good to see you both." Finally, the woman left us. Mrs. Richards had been a great teacher back in the day, but she loved to meddle and loved to talk… and right now I just wanted to spend time with my two girls.

After we finished painting, I took the girls for some ice cream. Hadley attempted a cone but failed miserably, resulting in a few tears. After wiping her tears, I bought her another cone and helped her the second time around to avoid disaster. I noticed Farrah watching us a few times; adoration and love shone in her eyes.

It was the same way I looked at her.

Today felt perfect. I was happy. The kind of happiness that you felt in your bones—settled contentment, peace, and ease. Did I really want to go back to play another year and miss days like these?

My retirement decision hung over me like a dark cloud trying to steal away my sunshine.

The light I’d just gotten back.

Because what happened when baseball pulled me away again? Could we really survive it?

We hadn’t the first time. And if this is what it felt like to have her and Hadley, how the hell did I survive losing her again, losing them?

After another month of solid throwing, I was feeling more like my old self again. My pitches were stronger, more dialed. My pitching coach sent several videos to Dr. Howard, and after one last assessment, I was finally cleared to practice full-out with the team again.

I should have been excited, elated. But all it did was make the deadline loom closer—and the pressure of my decision heavier.

Sensing I was stuck in my head, Weston shoved me in the shoulder. "Walk, get the fuck out of your head. I can see you going down a rabbit hole." He walked over to Ranger and placed the saddle on his back. Weston was in town for a bit, and we’d decided to take the boys out for a ride together. It wasn't often I got my big brother out on horseback, so I relished the few times I did.

We took the horses down to the river that flowed through my property and let them graze while we hung out by the riverbed with a few beers.

Weston tapped his beer bottle against mine before taking a long pull. "So. Are you ready to return next season? Sounds like you're back."

I took a pull from my beer before picking up a small stone and skipping it across the water, watching the ripples it created. "I don't know, man."

Weston knew without asking what I was struggling with.

He always knew.

"I'm going to retire from the SEALs next year. Finally come home." He grabbed a rock and skipped it across the water.

I schooled my features, trying not to act like he hadn't just dropped a bomb. "Seriously? You're finally done?"

I loved that West served our country, but a selfish part of me wanted him home, away from that world. Weston had always been introverted, quiet, stoic. But since he’d been in the SEALs, a darker part of him had evolved. He had seen and been a part of things most of us could never understand or even stomach.

I worried about him.

He nodded. "Yup. Dad and Mom are getting older; I need to come back and take on the CFO role like we always planned. I didn't become a CPA for nothing. The SEALs have been great; I gave them ten years—but it's time."

I processed his words for a moment. "How did you know it was time?"

"There’s no hesitation. When you make the decision, there’s no doubt, no question. You just feel…" He trailed off, scratching his jaw. “I don’t know. At peace, I guess.”

I took another pull from my beer, staring out at the water that glistened like tiny diamonds under the sun's rays.

At peace.