Page 37 of Payoff Pitch
“And you didn’t think about working things out after that?”
“Unfortunately, we were too far gone. Both of us. Neither of us was happy. We’re a better divorced couple than we were a married couple. I didn’t put up much of a fight when she requested to move Harper down to Philly from New York. While I was busy working, she was alone inNew York for years and always missed her family. And she wanted Harper to have family around her. I didn’t want Harper to have to travel back and forth from Philly to New York. My company was in a good spot, so I decided to move our headquarters down here. I’m relatively happy in Philly. Harper is exceedingly happy in Philly. I’m okay with how everything went down. I needed it to get my head straight about what’s important. Harper is more important than anything to me. Sometimes good things come from bad situations.”
She lays down and looks up at the sky again. Her sweatshirt lifts a bit, revealing her belly. She’s so fucking sexy and so fucking unaware of it.
Sighing, she says, “That’s a good way to look at it. I think it’s sort of how Kam and I differ about motherhood. We had a selfish mother. I want to be the opposite kind of mother as her. I want a ton of kids, and I want to be there for them in all the ways she was never there for us. I will shower them with love. Kam, on the other hand, doesn’t want kids.”
Just then we hear moaning. It gets a little louder and we very clearly hear, “Ah, Trevor. Harder.”
We turn our heads and smile at each other. I scrunch my nose. “Maybe it’s time to go.”
She giggles. “I think you’re right.”
I stand first and offer her my hand to help her stand up. She does so but stumbles a bit and falls into me.
Our eyes meet as I catch her. Hers are a little glassy, and her breath smells like a mixture of sweetness and whiskey. I think she’s drunk.
Neither of us moves. We simply continue to stare. I want to run my finger over her soft face. I’ve never seen a woman with more perfect features and skin than Bailey Hart.
“Mr. Montgomery?”
Hearing her call me that should douse my libido, but it only seems to make it burn deeper for her.
I tuck a loose piece of hair behind her ear. “Hmm?”
She adorably hiccups. “I’m a little drunk.”
“I know.”
“Can you help me get back to the tent?”
I nod before helping her back to the tent and into her sleeping bag.
CHAPTER EIGHT
BAILEY
I’m brushing Harper’s hair in her bathroom. She’s in a towel, just having gotten out of the shower. We were practicing softball all afternoon, both in the batting cage hitting and defensive drills. Tanner should be home any minute to pick her up and take her to the Cougars game tonight. I’m going to the same game with my friends.
My eyes meet hers in the mirror. “Are you excited for the game? I think Quincy Abbott is pitching tonight. He’s one of my friends.”
“How cool. He’s so cute. I love his curly hair. Dylan has a crush on Uncle Layton though.”
I smile. “He’s very taken.”
She nods. “I know. He loooooves Arizona. Daddy says Layton is whipped. I don’t know what that means.”
I giggle at her innocence. “It just means he’ssuperinto her. And I think your daddy is right about that.”
“Daddy said I can have cotton candy tonight. Andie and her parents are coming too. We’re sitting in their box.”
“Does your mommy ever go to games?”
She scrunches her freckled nose. “Not really. Maybe one or two times.” Harper puffs out her chest and proudly announces, “She prefers my games.”
I nod in agreement. “I prefer your games too.” I went to her game this week. It was so cute to see them play. I nearly forgot what it was like at that age.
I continue, “You know, it’s great that you’re working so hard. I barely played at your age. Kam played, and I tagged along sometimes. You’re going to be a huge superstar.”