“Where is my pretty little niece tonight, anyway?” asked Elizabeth.
“She’s at your house,” replied Kara. “Elizabeth still lives at home with her folks,” she explained to Scott, “and they look after Maeve often on baseball nights so that I can help here. Jamie might be a bit of a flake, but his parents are the best grandparents Maeve could ever ask for.”
Elizabeth narrowed her eyes. “Yes, we all adore our little Maeve, especially her father. It’s just a shame he doesn’t get to see her more.”
“Jamie can see Maeve as much as he wants,” Kara replied with a shrug. “I’ve never tried to keep him from spending time with her. He just wanted to move to the city, and I wasn’t going to resettle her there when my family, friends, and business are all right here.” A sigh accompanied her last words. “Besides, Elizabeth, Jamie is happy with the arrangement, and your parents are thrilled that Maeve lives so close by. As far as I can tell, it’s only you that doesn’t like the way things have worked out.”
Elizabeth turned to face Kara, her mouth twisted into an unattractive pout. “I just think a father should be with his child, that’s all,” she said.
“So you’ve told us all many times,” replied Kara wearily. “Thanks for repeating it yet again. But it’s Jamie who’s stopping that from happening, not me. Now, do you need anything else?”
Elizabeth didn’t answer—she simply shot Kara a look of contempt and flounced away from the table.
Kara took a sip of her water and rolled her eyes. “Sorry,” she said to Scott. “That’s the downside of living in a small town. Everyone has an opinion on what you do, and they’re not afraid to let you know what it is.”
“She doesn’t seem happy,” remarked Scott.
Kara looked over at him in surprise. “No, she’s not. She never has been. Even as a child, she had a perpetual scowl on her face. But she is Maeve’s aunt, so I try to be nice.” She wrinkled her nose and frowned. “She just makes it hard at times.”
Scott nodded.
“Anyway, now that you know all about me, tell me about you,” said Kara, dismissing Elizabeth with a wave of her hand.
Scott shook his head. “Not much to tell, I’m afraid. My parents passed away a few years back, and I’m an only child. I used to play baseball professionally but gave it up and went to law school. I passed the bar out west, and now I’ve moved to Larkin Bay to start up a firm with Courtney.” He paused and took a long sip of his beer. “So far, I like it here. The people seem nice, and the game tonight was fun. I think I’ll be happy living in Larkin Bay.”
Kara nodded. “It’s a great place,” she said. “You’ll like it even better when you get to know more of the people. There’s been a lot of young people moving here over the last few years because of our proximity to the city, and word has gotten out about how good the schools are. Housing prices are skyrocketing because of it, though. The land here is getting pretty expensive too.”
Scott shrugged. “We’ll see. I’m a bit of a loner normally, but I do like many of the people I’ve met here.”
“That’s nice.” She held his gaze for a long moment and then looked down. Silently, she ran a hand over the scratches on the tabletop.
“What Elizabeth thinks bugs you, doesn’t it?” observed Scott.
“I’m making it that obvious, huh?” asked Kara, looking up at him.
Scott nodded.
“I think what bothers me most is that she’s not being fair. I wasn’t the one who moved away and started a new life. I didn’t leave my child. It was her brother who did that.”
“I can see why that would be upsetting.”
Kara huffed out a breath. “I’m okay with the way everything worked out. I just don’t like being made to feel like I was the one who did something wrong. Elizabeth annoys me.”
Sighing, she released the hand she had curled into a fist on the table between them. “But, honestly? Who cares? Maeve and I are happy, and that’s all that really matters.”
“That is the most important thing.”
Kara nodded and gave him a small smile. “So, let’s talk about you again. How were you feeling tonight watching the guys play baseball? Did you miss playing?”
Now it was Scott’s turn to look surprised. “Well yes, actually, I did,” he replied.
“You sound surprised by that.”
“No, I’m not surprised by it. I’m just surprised you asked. Most people assume I miss all the fame and notoriety that goes with playing a professional sport, but they’re not usually perceptive enough to realize that what I really miss is being part of a team and playing the game.”
“So why don’t you ask Mark if you can join his team? He’s dying to ask you, anyway. He just doesn’t know how to. I’m sure he’d love to have you play with them,” said Kara.
“But I can’t play. I haven’t pitched since before the surgery.”
“So don’t pitch, play second base or something. Just go out and be a part of a team again. It must be hard standing on the sidelines watching everyone else do something you love.”
Scott nodded and took a long sip of his beer.
She makes it sound so easy.
“I’ll think about it,” he finally replied.
“Good,” she said and smiled at him as a server appeared at their table with a platter of nachos and a refill of both their drinks.
Chapter Nine
Kara clutched Maeve tightly in her lap as the nurse leaned over and quickly drew the vials of blood she needed from the little girl’s arm. Maeve’s eyes were wide and round. She wrinkled her brow as she watched the nurse work but didn’t flinch or make a sound.
Kara closed her eyes and pressed her lips together. She didn’t mind her own blood being drawn, but anything done to Maeve that might cause her daughter even minimal discomfort made her uneasy.
“There you go,” the nurse finally said and stuck a unicorn Band-Aid on Maeve’s arm over a small piece of cotton. “We’re all done.” She smiled at Kara. “She can have her breakfast now too,” she added.
