What Matters Most (2 page)

Sierra looked over at Dusty sitting on the bench and sighed. His face looked so sad, and his body was slumped over in defeat. No mother wanted to see her child this way, and she was no exception. Today’s game had been brutal, and while Dusty’s team was doing the best they could, she would swear the kids they were playing were teenagers—nowhere near the ages of Dusty and his teammates, which was nine and ten. There was no way children of nine or ten years could hit a ball the way this team did. At one point, she got so excited she almost fell down the bleachers while cheering on Dusty’s team. The only thing that stopped her from tumbling headfirst was the “family friend” of one of Dusty’s teammates.

Yeah, right. He was no family friend. He was a bogie planted by Jacob’s mom, the resident matchmaker. Sierra had told her numerous times that she wasn’t interested in dating, but once Francis got an idea in her head, there was no stopping her. When Sierra and Dusty showed up today, Francis made a beeline over to Sierra with Family Friend Tom in tow. Although he was very handsome and seemingly a nice guy, something was holding her back. She couldn’t put her finger on it until she turned her head and glanced down the fence surrounding the field.

Something about the guy leaning over the fence near third base reminded her of Major Knight--not that she would have any reason to feel like she was seeing a man she had never met in person. Her first thought was that it couldn’t really be him. Her mind had to be playing tricks on her because she secretly wanted it to be him. He wasn’t due back to the states for another week, but she was woman enough to admit that she was looking forward to his return as much as Dusty.

Now that the thought of Major Knight had entered her brain, it refused to budge, and she knew that was why she was holding back from Tom, or anyone else. She knew how Dusty felt about Major Knight, and it seemed wrong somehow to date another man and bring him into her child’s life. Her gaze kept returning to the man at the end of the field, until she found herself staring non-stop. There was just something about him…she just couldn’t quite put her finger on it.

Then she heard her son yell and her stomach dropped and her heart lurched.

“Major Knight! You’re here!” Dusty’s little feet seemed to be flying across the field toward the man she now realized was her son’s email buddy, and probably his best friend. Dusty must have noticed him, and the coach’s rule of staying in the dugout when not on the field was no match for his eagerness and excitement to finally have his friend back in the states.

As Sierra started to stand up and leave the bleachers, she felt a hand on her arm, which made her pause. “Where are you going? I thought we had more to talk about. Maybe schedule a date.” Tom was looking at her with hope and desire in his eyes. Too bad she had eyes for someone else.

“Sorry, Tom, I can’t. You’re a nice guy, but with Dusty and work, I really don’t have time to date much. Plus, I have to go. It looks like a family friend of ours has come home early.” By the look on Tom’s face, there was no question that he knew Sierra was not only turning down his request for a date, but squashing any future attempt at a romantic interlude. She quickly removed her arm from his hand, grabbed her purse, and left the bleachers. It was finally time to come face to face with the man who filled her thoughts day and night.

It had only taken Sierra a matter of seconds to reach their side, but the two of them had already started making plans for dinner that evening and spending the next day together playing catch. With a silent chuckle, she knew she had expected nothing less. They were like two peas in a pod. Dusty took a deep breath and before he could launch into another long speech, Major Knight was finally able to speak.

“Hey, buddy, don’t you think your coach and team will be wondering where you went? We can talk later after your game.” Sierra noticed the change come over Dusty’s face and knew he would walk away from this game in a heartbeat if given the chance. “How about this--you only have two more innings and then we can go grab lunch with the team instead of dinner tonight. Well, if it’s okay with your mom.” Major Knight finally looked up at Sierra, and at that moment she almost forgot to breathe. Seeing him through a video monitor was nothing like being up close and personal. The only word her mind could form was, “Wow.” Thank goodness she had the good sense to keep her mouth shut.

Major Evan Knight was a big man, at least six-three with corded muscles in his arms, a devastatingly chiseled face, and a presence that would make any woman swoon. But right now, he was crouched down low on his haunches so he was closer to her child’s level, giving Dusty a chance to look him in the eyes, rather than looking up at him. Dusty scrunched his shoulders up in a way only a nine-year-old boy could manage and responded to the major’s adult statement in a way only a child could. “Dunno. But can’t I just stay here and talk with you? You just got back from fighting bad people, and I think I have to make sure you’re okay. You know, talk with you and make you feel welcome.” The look of angelic innocence almost made Sierra laugh out loud. Oh, he was really hamming it up for the cameras!

Sierra felt she had to say something at this point, because Dusty seemed bound and determined to get his way. “Major Knight will be here when you finish. You can talk with him all you want once your game is over. Isn’t that right, Major?”

“Evan.”

Not sure what he meant, she raised one eyebrow. “Huh?”

“You don’t have to call me Major Knight. For you guys, I’m just Evan.” He was now standing, one hand on Dusty’s shoulder, as if they had known each other for years. They were so comfortable with each other. How in the world did that happen? Tearing her eyes from Evan’s face, she looked back down at Dusty.

“Okay, little man,” she told him. “You have to go back to your game. We’ll sit right up front so you can see us. You can catch up with Maj…I mean, Evan later.”

Sierra could tell Dusty was trying to come up with another argument so he could get out of the game, but he looked at the two of them and after a few seconds seemingly gave up that battle. Dusty turned on his heels and ran back to the dugout, but couldn’t stop glancing over his shoulder to look at Evan, as if making sure he was still standing there.

When he returned to his teammates, he must have been explaining why he’d left so abruptly. He was pointing toward her and Evan, excitedly waving his hands and hopping up and down. She chuckled under her breath. Dusty was sure to be too distracted by Evan’s presence to pay any attention to the game, but a deal was a deal, and as part of the team, Dusty had to be with his team during the entire game.

*****

Evan couldn’t take his gaze off Sierra. When he walked up to the field, it had only taken him a few seconds to find her sitting in the bleachers. The guy sitting next to her had seemed quite cozy, even as Sierra seemed to be blowing him off. He couldn’t help but wonder if they were dating and if so, how he felt about that.

The letter-writing project Dusty had done for school was supposed to only be a temporary project to give the Marines and soldiers something positive to hold onto while serving in that godforsaken desert. But somewhere along the way, Dusty and Sierra had become so much more than just a series of emails on his computer. Something about the two of them had spoken to the depths of his soul, and he needed to understand why. For so many years, the Marines had been the only life he had known or wanted. Nothing, and no one, had ever interfered with that, and he was pleased with the life he had chosen. During these past six months, getting to know Sierra and Dusty, things had changed. Knowing that he had someone worried about him and who was waiting on the other side for his email or telephone call had started a craving for something more.

His mother and younger sister loved him, and worried about him, but they were required to do so. Their love for him was different, as was his love for them. His father had passed away ten years ago from an unexpected heart attack, and that event almost crushed his mother and shattered his family.

To Evan, his dad had been the strongest man he had ever known and his lifelong hero. Even at the ripe old age of twenty-eight, his heart had crumbled to pieces when his mother had called and told him his father was in the hospital and he had to come home.  Now here he was ten years later wanting something more for himself. He wanted that special something in his life, like what his parents had for so many years. They had argued, laughed, played, and loved for so many years and it had felt good to grow up in a home surrounded by love. Over the past six months, Sierra and Dusty had given him hope that he could have the same thing.

When he walked up to the field and saw that other guy sitting next to her, in a spot he felt should be reserved only for him, he had seen red for a minute. Unfair, yes, but he didn’t really give a damn. Sierra had no idea he felt the way he did, and now was not the time to tell her. While standing at the fence, trying to be rational, he saw her craning her neck staring at him as if she recognized him. He had decided to stay away from the bleachers for the moment given his reaction to seeing her. He had never been accused of having a sunny disposition at the best of times, and he could just see himself being an ass for no good reason.

Then he heard Dusty yelling his name. His little buddy started running towards him as fast as his little legs could carry him. Maybe Sierra hadn’t fully recognized that it was him, but Dusty had.

“Hey, little buddy. You saw me. Surprise!” Evan’s smile covered his entire face. Man, it felt good to be welcomed home. From the corner of his eye, he saw Sierra get up to leave the bleachers. The guy grabbed her arm to stop her, and Evan almost growled under his breath. Realistically, he had no claim to her, but his brain and his heart had no intention of being realistic or rational at the moment. It was hard paying attention to Dusty while at the same time watching Sierra walk toward them.

The excitement in Dusty’s voice could not be mistaken. “I sure am! You told us next week. When I saw you, I jumped out of my seat. S’good you’re home. Now we can play baseball--because you promised.” The energy and excitement flowing through Dusty’s little body was almost visible. Small hands moving erratically, his small body kept gravitating closer to Evan until he was flush against his side, as if they were conjoined twins. “We can go out for pizza--I really like pizza. I told all my friends I had a Marine friend and they didn’t believe me. Can I take you to show-and-tell? I bet they’ll believe me then!” His little body was unable to keep still and at some point during the one-sided conversation, one of Dusty’s little arms had found its way around Evan’s neck, as if he would never let go.

Evan’s tone was patient and measured when he responded to the rapid-fire requests. “Sure, we can do all those things. But, you first you have to check with your mom. She has to be okay with all of that. You still have school and I have work, but maybe if we’re nice to her, she’ll let me take you guys to Six Flags next weekend.” Yeah, he knew it was blackmail. “What do you think?”

Dusty’s eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. “Oh, yeah! Okay, we should ask her today. Want to come have lunch with me and my team after the game today?”

At that last question, he noticed Sierra had arrived next to them and was silently observing their conversation. Dusty gave him just the opening he needed, and once he had returned to the dugout, Evan turned his attention toward the woman he had been dreaming about for months. If she knew some of the wicked thoughts he had about her over the past few months, she would probably smack his face and walk away.

*****

Sierra turned to look at Evan. “So, you’re here early. You should have told us.”

“I wanted to surprise you.” He looked away, and she had a quick second to admire his profile before he turned his gaze back to her. “So, are you?”

“Am I what?” Wait, what were they talking about?

She noticed his smile had turned sensual, at least to her it did. Then again, seeing him in the flesh was doing crazy things to her libido and everything about Major Knight seemed sexy and a little bit naughty. As she continued to take him in, one side of his mouth quirked up and the dimple in his right cheek winked at her. “Are you surprised to see me?”

“Oh, yes, very. We were going to plan a huge dinner for you. Dusty wanted to make sure you knew there were people who were happy you made it home.” She was really trying to keep things generic, but with his close proximity and her body doing strange things, she could hear the breathlessness in her voice. “We’re glad you made it back safely. Dusty was a bit worried about you over there.”

He turned his body to face her as they continued to talk. “Were you worried about me?”