Sebastian Layden was standing not three feet away from Charlie. She couldn’t read his expression because his back was facing her, but she heard the excited timbre of his voice when he said, “This is that kid who was at your baseball camp that day I volunteered. Did she win a trip down or something?”
Mac appeared to be chewing the inside of his cheek. She waited with bated breath for her father to say something, but he remained mute, quietly studying the man who’d approached. It was Charlie who’d broken the ice. She had personality plus, could talk an Eskimo into buying snow and her smile was wide when she said, “You’re Sebastian Layden.”
With a similar grin, he exclaimed, “I am. And you are one kick-ass player.”
Casey saw a look of puffed up pride at the compliment on Charlie’s face.
“Thanks. I saw you at the baseball camp. I wanted to be with the older kids, but they wouldn’t let me.”
Little did Charlie know she wasn’t supposed to be there at all, that she was a month shy of the minimum age, but they’d all agreed there had to be some kind of perks that came with being the granddaughter of the man who ran the camp.
Seb said good-naturedly, “You have to work from the ground up. It takes a little longer but then you’re ready to take on the big guns.”
Charlie tilted her head, squinting at him in the hazy sunshine. “Are you ready?”
“I think so. Mr. Calipari here, would be the one to answer that question.”
“Gramps said you could be better than him.”
Casey noticed her father’s forehead crease. He’d probably never expected her to give that secret away. If he’d set this up, and she had a funny feeling he had, it would serve him right. He should have talked to her about it before… she didn’t know whether to be grateful or pissed.
When Mac arched an eyebrow, as if offended, Seb added hastily, his attention back on Charlie “Not sure about that. I don’t know whether you know this or not but Mac here’s a legend.”
Charlie giggled. “Of course, I do. I know everything there is to know about the Greenies.”
“A real fan, huh?”
“Since before I was born.”
Casey was holding her breath, knowing her whole life was about to become unraveled while Seb had no idea what was coming. His voice still held a tinge of amusement.
“Not too many start that early.”
“Not too many have a Gramps who’s a legend.”
Casey was now walking onto the field, knowing the secret was about to pop out of the jack-in-the-box. Her breathing was labored, and her heart was racing but her stride was full of purpose. She was thrown off as her daughter came racing over and threw herself into her arms.
“Hey, Mom. Did you see me? I’m getting good at keeping the ball in front of me.”
Seb had turned to face them, his face draining of color as he did. All amusement was gone. His eyes had narrowed, his nostrils were flaring. He met her gaze just before she wrapped her arms around Charlie and said, “I did.”
She was staring right into steely blue eyes that pierced her to the core. Trying to recover her balance, she kissed Charlie’s nose and put her down, taking a braid in each hand.
“I guess there’s no denying you got Gramp’s genes and not mine.”
Seb was staring open mouthed at the seven-year-old standing several feet away. As he moved closer, she sensed unsteady legs. He crouched down when he reached her, eye-to-eye when he extended his hand, his voice shaky when he stuttered out, “Nice to meet you…”
“Charlie.” Blue eyes flashed up at Casey and she amended, “Charlotte Calipari.”
Casey could see Seb’s profile as he studied the face. What was he thinking as he examined his eyes in a smaller face, his hair, only finer, more fly away, and his chin, a little too defiant, in the face of adversity?
