1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Dominic

T raded.

I was fucking traded . From the Miami Sharks to the goddamn New Mexico Road Runners. All I could hear was beep, beep every time I even thought of that team. I also swore that's what the crowd chanted at games.

From beaches and water to heat and desert. This was not good. Though I liked the pay raise for sure, I was twenty-six and grew up in Florida. I wasn't ready for this big of a change. My stubborn ass was fighting this as much as I could. Not that I was getting far, in that fight, as I drove across the country with the help of my parents.

I never wanted to leave, and everyone knew that. But it wasn't like I had a choice. My contract was up in Florida and though they loved me, I was outbid there by the Road Runners. The fucking annoying bird.

What could even be there for me?

Fuck, I wanted to yell that New Mexico wasn't even a state! That it was a place made up of many small towns and nothing more.

However, I couldn't say that or tell anyone that. Why? Because I hadn't even been there. It held no interest to me. In fact, I recall one interview where I said I wanted to visit most of the United States, just not Arizona or New Mexico, and look at where I fucking landed? It serves me right for ever saying that.

I looked around the area as we started driving in. The team had at least looked into a place for me to get when they called. The coach, one Raul Gomez, was certain he had the perfect place for me. He said the area was quiet, serene even, with breathtaking views. Pardon me, but if it didn't include water, no place was breathtaking, or serene.

"This isn't bad son," my dad told me as he pulled up behind me. Both my parents drove my car as I drove the U-Haul. They were planning on staying with me for a few days while I got situated and then would fly back home.

"It's not," I agreed. And it wasn't, actually. The house was a beautiful brown adobe with a big wrap-around porch, something I didn't think I'd see here in Santa Fe. It also had a ton of floor-to-ceiling windows, so there had to be quite a bit of natural light. "Let's check the inside before we start saying anything," I muttered, still quite annoyed and irritated.

I took the key from under the mat, glad to see that the coach hadn't lied to me, and opened the door. The entryway led into a spacious living room and off that there was a huge kitchen. Okay, that might have been bigger than the one back home.

"Oh, I've gone to kitchen heaven," my mom breathed from behind me, and I had to smile slightly. If there was anything I had ever learned from her, it was the love of food. I was at home on a pitching mound with tons of eyes peering at me, waiting for the mistake. But a kitchen, that's where my heart always lay, no matter what state I was living in.

"I figured you would be, Mom," I teased her before kissing her on the cheek. "Let's see the rest of the spot before falling in love, shall we?" With that, we took the grand tour. The house itself wasn't overly huge, and I hated to admit that I liked it. It for sure had the Spanish style one would find in the southwest, but it was a four-bedroom house, and the master was bigger than I thought I'd ever see.

And it sure didn't hurt that there were sliding glass doors that opened up to the backyard from my room. Nor did the huge pool with a waterfall on the side hurt. Okay, it wasn't a beach, but that pool sure wasn't something I minded.

"It's you." I looked over at my mom, raising my brow at the comment. I didn't want to agree with her, but I did. The house, surprisingly, suited me quite well.

Two days later, I was on the field, looking at the new team. New Mexico was a newer team to the MLB franchise, so they still had the means to build their best team. I wasn't the only new player on the team, which was nice. The first baseman and the catcher were both new, and both players I had played against in the past.

"Nice to see you, Dominic." I took the larger man's hand and grinned, knowing that hand had to be huge to catch some of the hardballs the pitcher threw.

"Sure you're not just saying that, Roy?" Roy played for Denver before he got traded and I only ever got a couple of hits off of him and his pitcher.

"Hey, we're on the same team now," he teased, and I had to chuckle because it was true. The business of any sports team; you could get traded and be playing with members you were always at odds with. "So, I guess this team really takes buddying up with little leaguers to heart?"

"Guess so." Now that everyone had met, Coach said that we would meet some of the little ones that we were supposed to be pairing up with, like a big brothers type deal. We didn't have to meet with them outside of this field if we didn't want to, but it was highly encouraged. The Coach said that giving back was something of value. Honestly, it wasn't a part I minded, and rather liked the idea. Not that I had a lot of free time to give but it made me feel good to help others out or to give them advice.

"Tony Espinosa," the Coach said, bringing out a little boy with him, "this is Dominic Sanchez." I nodded at the kid whose eyes only opened wider if that was possible. But before I could get a word out, the kid turned around and waved.

"See, Mom, told you it was him." I followed his gaze to a woman who stood by the dugout, and I swear I felt my heart slam in my chest before it fell straight into my stomach. I swayed on my feet, not sure that I had ever been knocked over by a woman, especially at first sight. But hell if she didn't knock me down and hell if I didn't want to get to know her, regardless of the scowl on her face.