3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Dominic

I couldn't help but watch her from time to time and I'm sure Tony picked up on it. The kid was astute. He even told me that his mom was upset that he was talking. Not that he was talking exactly, but he did tend to rattle off about his home life.

So far, I knew that his mom, Cassie, was thirty-seven who didn't look a fucking day over twenty-five in my book. That his mom and dad were divorced and that his dad pretty much didn't want anything to do with Tony.

Which broke my heart in two. Because from the brief time I spent with this kid, and missing the fastballs he threw my way, he was a good kid. Easy-going, fun-loving, and goofy; all great assets to have in the ball game. If he kept it up, he'd go far. And to top it off, he had the best cheerleader.

Unlike most moms, Cassie watched him. She wasn't on her phone; she wasn't daydreaming. She was focused on her kid, on making sure he had fun, making sure he picked up on something. And that was something else. I know how much of a blessing it was to have someone in your corner. I was lucky. I had two people.

"Your mom doesn't go out?" I finally asked Tony as the session wrapped up and he shook his head.

"Nope. At least not that I've seen. She works or she's home with me. She's a great lady, though."

"That's a bummer." And it was. I didn't need to tell him that. I'm sure he wanted his mom happy, and it probably killed him that she wasn't. Why the hell I was concerned about this, I couldn't say. I didn't need a woman. A lay, sure. Quick fuck, even better. But to be worried about a woman. A single mother at that, nope.

No can do.

Better yet, no will do.

But there I stood with Tony by my side as we waited by the dugout for his mom to come. And leave it to Tony to beam at her and take her hand, pulling her closer .

"Mom, this is Dominic, my big brother. Think if we ask him nicely, he'll join us?" She frowned at him before casting a quick glance my way.

"Tony, I'm sure Mr. Sanchez here is a very busy man. The last thing he probably has time for is to go to a game, sweetie." The look on the little boy's face cracked my heart wide open again. What the hell was going on with that thing? If this kept up, I was heading to the doctor.

"I'm free." Technically, I wasn't. But I was sure Coach Raul wouldn't mind if I happened to skip going over the books tonight to hang out with Tony at his game. After all, the man was about bonding and being there for the kids.

"I…uh…" Cassie stuttered while Tony nodded.

"Really? You'll come?"

"Sure, why not." I could disguise myself, I'm sure. Cassie put her hand on Tony's shoulder while he rattled off the address as if I knew where that was. Santa Fe, I found out, wasn't such a small town. Wasn't New York, or Miami, but it was nice. There were a lot of places I wanted to go, to explore, to try. Maybe Tony, and even Cassie, wouldn't mind leading me around.

"See you then, Dominic." Tony waved as his mom took him away, but she cast a final look back and I smirked. I had quality behind the hot-shot image I like to portray, and just maybe I'd show her it .

"What are you doing?" I turned around, looking at the coach who regarded me with a hell of a glare. Rumor was the man was fair, but strict. He had good standards, and it was easy to see why people wanted to play for him. He was also tall, way taller than I recalled when he came to talk to me back in Florida.

"Tony asked me to go to his game tonight. I didn't think you mind since you're about bonding." Coach Raul watched the duo pass out of sight and let out a sigh.

"Cassie is a good woman, and Tony is a great kid. If he hones his skills, he'll go far. It's sad that they both got the shitty end of the stick with Peter being his dad. I'm all for the bonding. But don't you dare hurt that kid, or that woman, any more than they have been."

"Hurt Cassie, Coach? What even makes you think I would?"

"Because you hardly tore your gaze away from her." With that, the older man turned and walked away, leaving my jaw on the dirt field. I wasn't aware people were watching me like that. And I wasn't quite so fucking aware that I had stared at the woman most of the time.

Might not be a good thing.

No, no fucking might. It definitely wasn't a good thing.

With a deep breath, I walked back to the pitcher's mound, the ball in my hand. It wasn't that I was second-guessing myself now. I wanted to go to the game. But would Cassie think anything more of it?

Actually, the thought of getting under her skin kind of made me chuckle. I did want to talk to her more, and I refused to examine why. I was just going to play it off that I was looking for a friend. That sounded like a good excuse.

I didn't need to pair my wanting to know more about her with the pounding of my heart when I first saw her. I didn't need to tie it in with the intense need I was overwhelmed with to make her smile rather than scowl. And I wouldn't dare even think about being the man to get rid of the sadness I saw buried in the depths of her eyes.

Yup, all things I was not going to focus on.