Page 8 of Payoff Pitch
Fortunately, Fallon’s attention turns toward Beckett Windsor and his fiancée, Amanda Tremaine, walking up into the stands. He’s helping her, as she’s about six months pregnant and looks like she’s nine months along. That’s going to be a big baby. I don’t remember Fallon being that big, even at full term.
Beckett is extremely well known, being a billionaire entrepreneur who famously sold his business seven years ago when his first wife died during childbirth. He wanted to stay home with his daughter, Andie, who’s Harper’s best friend, classmate, and teammate.
Once he ensures that Amanda is comfortable in the seat in front of us, he turns and holds out his hand for me to shake. “Tanner, good to see you.”
I shake his hand. “You as well.”
He leans toward me and quietly whispers, “I may be entering the world of professional sports team ownership in the very near future. Our paths will start to cross more often.”
This is news to me. I haven’t heard anything along these lines, and I’m usually in the know, being one of thebiggest sports agents in the country. “What sport? What team?”
He shakes his head. “I can’t say, but you’ll probably know within a week or so. We’re heading to Italy later this month, but let’s have lunch when I get back.”
I pretend to be patient and nod, muttering, “Sounds good,” as I quickly pull out my phone and shoot out a few texts to my contacts to figure out which team he’s buying.
I notice Fallon place her hands on Amanda’s shoulders. “How are you feeling, beautiful? You look great.”
Amanda shakes her head in exasperation. “Like a whale. There’s a reason women don’t normally do this at forty-five. It was much easier my first time around at twenty-two.”
Fallon giggles. “It wasn’t easy at thirty either, I promise. Certainly worth it in the end though.”
I look out to the field at my sensational daughter, taking her place as the shortstop, and think,more than worth it.
Harper is a true combination of both Fallon and me. Her hair is light brown, the perfect mix between my darker brown hair and Fallon’s blonde hair. She’s got my darker complexion but Fallon’s beautiful eyes. She has her mother’s pretty smile but my fuller lips. I could stare at my daughter all day long. She’s the best thing to ever happen to me, and I’ll never take her for granted again.
Amanda nods. “Andie is so excited to have a sibling after all these years being an only child.”
I turn to Dad. “Speaking of much younger siblings, how’s Linc?”
My brother, Lincoln, lives a transient life. He spends a lot of time in California, but I don’t think he lives anywhere in particular.
He’s over a decade younger than me and a bit of a free spirit. He bounced in and out of at least three colleges that I know of. I’m not sure he ever graduated. He equally bounces in and out of jobs. He saves money for a fewmonths and then quits the job and travels. He also manages to find women to support his lavish lifestyle. Enabling him was always a sore spot for my parents until Mom passed a few years ago from cancer. Linc didn’t bother to fly in for the funeral. I don’t even remember the last time I saw him.
Dad blows out a breath. “I don’t know. I think he’s surfing in Tahiti and plans to stay to watch the Olympic surfing events there. I’m sure he’s sponging off some older woman he’s charmed.”
I roll my eyes. My brother is good-looking and manages to find sugar mamas wherever he goes.
“He needs one. He doesn’t have Mom funneling him cash anymore. I certainly don’t give him any.”
Dad nods. “Me neither. Better some sugar mama than us. I keep thinking he’ll grow up, but no such luck. I don’t know how my kids could possibly be so different from one another.”
I can’t disagree with that.
I hear Fallon mutter under her breath, “Such an asshole.” She hates my brother with a vengeance. I don’t blame her. I don’t think he ever had a conversation with her that didn’t revolve around him ogling her body.
After a great game by both Harper and Andie, the coach has the team huddled. He’s kind of a douche, and the girls all hate him. It looks like he’s yelling at them. They won by eight runs. We’re playing the worst team in the league. What in the world could he have to yell at seven-year-olds about?
After a twenty-minute post-game speech, they run off the field to us. Andie heads straight for Amanda’s waiting arms. “Did you see my hit, Mommy? It went all the way to the outfield. It’s the furthest ball I ever hit.”
I glance at Beckett, and he leans over. “Amanda is adopting her, and Andie chose to start calling her Mommy. Amanda is thrilled.”
I nod as Amanda warmly embraces Andie and lovingly fixes one of her dark, curly strands of hair. “Of course I did. You were fantastic.”
I’m happy to see Beckett like this. He was a lonely widower for a very long time, raising Andie all on his own.
Harper looks up at me. “Did you see my hit?”
I smile. “We all saw it. Your hard work is paying off.” She asks me to take her to the batting cages every single day that I have her. Frankly, I’m contemplating having a batting cage built for her at my house. Her work ethic at such a young age is remarkable.