“I did.”

“He also maintained a three-point-eight grade point average at the University of Texas,” Kathleen said. “We were more proud of his grades than we were of all the trophies in this room.”

Tara mouthed a silent thank-you to Kathleen over the top of Nathan’s head. Kathleen winked.

“Yeah, but you don’t really need to worry about that once you make money playing football.”

Mick slung his arm over Nathan’s shoulders. “Not true, my man. You gotta have the smarts to get into college in the first place. They might want to draft a decent player, but they don’t want someone who’s going to struggle to make the grades, because it makes their job harder. Second, do you know how many football players piss away all the money they make in the NFL, and then when their careers are over they end up dead broke?”

Tara and Mick’s parents followed Mick and Nathan down the stairs. Tara listened intently to the conversation, determined to let Mick do all the talking.

“No.”

“More than you think. A lot more than you think. You need to put all you effort into your grades and into using your head first, because you’ll use up your body fast. And when that’s done, you’ll have to have something to do after. If you blow out a knee your second season, you’ll be what? Twenty something years old with your whole life ahead of you. You don’t want to be a dumb-a— you don’t want to be dumb and stupid with no education and no money, right?”

Nathan looked up at him. “Huh. I never thought about that.”

Mick slapped him on the back. “A lot of guys don’t. Always use your head, not just your muscle. The smart guys always do.”

Nathan tilted his head back to look at Mick, and Tara’s breath caught at the abject hero worship.

She hoped he listened to what Mick said about using his brain. Because Nathan was a smart kid. And his grades were good. She hoped and prayed they stayed that way and he didn’t count on football to see him through life.

“So where’s your brother?” Nathan asked.

“He has a game tonight,” Mick answered. “He’ll be by later, I imagine. Or at the bar.” Mick lifted his gaze to his mother.

“I talked to him this morning. He’ll come by for the party at the bar tomorrow night. He’s busy tonight.”

“Got a hot date?” Mick asked.

Kathleen laughed. “I have no idea. Neither of you are very forthcoming about your love lives. Though I’m very pleased you brought Tara and Nathan with you this weekend. A step in the right direction.”

Kathleen took a seat on the sofa next to Tara. “So tell me about yourself, Tara. Are you from San Francisco?”

She swallowed, sensing the inquisition forthcoming.

“Hey kid, let me show you the workshop out back,” Jimmy said. “Mick, you can come along. Nathan and I might even kick your butt in a game of hoops.”

“In your dreams, old man.” He turned to Tara and winked.

Tara knew it was get-to-know-his-mother time. She returned her gaze to Kathleen. “I grew up in the East Bay, outside San Francisco. Never lived in the city. Too expensive there.”

“And your ex-husband?”

“I was never married. Nathan’s father isn’t in our lives.”

“Oh, I see. Well, I’m sorry about that. So what do you do for a living?”

That was it? No probing or disapproval for being a single mother? Huh. Not what she expected. “I’m an event planner. That’s actually how I met your son. I planned a party for the team.”

Kathleen clapped her hands together. “How delightful. And what a fun career for you. You must enjoy that very much.”

“I do, actually. I’ve only had the business for a couple years, so we’re still growing, but it’s going very well so far. I have high hopes for it.”

“It takes time to grow a business. And perseverance.”

“I have both. It took me a while to get to the point where I could afford to start up a company, but this is something I’ve always wanted to do. I’ll do whatever it takes to make it succeed.”

Kathleen took her hand and squeezed it. “Years ago, women couldn’t do what you’re doing. I admire you, being a single mother, juggling your own business, and raising that fine son of yours. It’s not easy.”

“Nathan’s worth the sacrifices I’ve had to make.”

“Can I ask you a personal question?”

“Sure.”

“And you can feel free to tell me it’s none of my business. It won’t hurt my feelings at all. What about Nathan’s father? Did he just not want to be part of his life?”

She could tell Kathleen she didn’t want to talk about it, but surprisingly, she didn’t mind. “I didn’t want him in Nathan’s life. I was only fifteen when I got pregnant, which was stupid, but I knew I wanted to have my baby. And the guy who got me pregnant wasn’t someone I wanted in my life or in my baby’s life. Drugs, theft, time in jail—he was a total loser. I made him sign away rights to my child before he got sent off to prison. He can never make a claim to Nathan now.”

Kathleen nodded. “Even then you did what was necessary to protect your child. You were smart.”

“I was dumb. I shouldn’t have gotten pregnant. But Nathan didn’t need to suffer for my stupidity. And how could I regret having him? He’s everything to me.”

Kathleen’s eyes watered. “A good mother is willing to lay down her life for her child. You’re a good mother.”

Tara blinked back tears. “Thank you. I don’t think anyone’s ever told me that.”

“Your mother?”

Tara laughed. “That’s a topic for another day and another conversation. I think I’ve burdened you enough for our first meeting. Any more, and you’ll tell your son to run as far away from me as he possibly can.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that, Tara. My son, like me, is a very good judge of character. I don’t need to tell him what to do. If he chose you to be in his life, it’s because he thinks you’re good for him.”

“Thank you, Kathleen. I like Mick very much. I like being with him. I like the way he makes me feel when I’m around him.”

“That’s all I needed to know about you. You never once said you like the things he gives you. It was all about feelings. I’m so glad you’re here this weekend,.”

Her heart swelled with the feeling of family, something she hadn’t felt in—ever. “Me, too, Kathleen.”

MICK LEANED AGAINST THE WALL OF THE HALLWAY, feeling all kinds of guilt for listening in on the conversation Tara was having with his mother.

But he couldn’t help it. He liked hearing her talk to his mom, liked how freely she opened up, talked about the guy who’d gotten her pregnant. One of the things he admired about Tara was how she’d done so much on her own from such a young age. He didn’t know everything about her past, but he was getting glimpses into it little by little. And from what he was getting, he understood that it had been shitty from the start, from her parents to the guy who knocked her up. And she’d gotten where she was today all on her own.

It was time to sit down with her and get the story directly from Tara. He wanted to know more about her. And there were things he needed to tell her about himself. He wanted things to progress between them, because he was starting to care pretty damn deeply about her.

And if you cared a lot about someone, you told them your secrets. And they told you theirs.

So maybe it was time for that talk.

Uh ... soon.

NINE

“YOU BROUGHT A WOMAN HOME.”

“Yes, Mom.”

“This is the first time.”

“Yes, it is.”

“Don’t think it’s going to go unnoticed or that I don’t have questions.”

Tara was upstairs taking a shower before they went out to the bar tonight. Mick’s dad and Nathan had bonded and were off somewhere in his dad’s workshop doing God only knew what. Building ... something together. Which left Mick in the kitchen with his mother.

“So, is it serious?”

Mick leaned against the counter. “I don’t know. We’ve just started seeing each other.”

“That doesn’t matter. Is it serious?”

“Maybe.”

His mom crossed her arms, a smile lifting her lips. “I like her, Michael. A lot.”

She always used his given name when she wanted to get his attention.

“I like her, too, Mom. But I haven’t told her everything yet, so don’t say anything.”

She smacked his arm. “It’s not my place to tell her all your secrets. That’s up to you.” She tsked. “As if I would.”

He pulled her into his arms and hugged her. “I know. But I’m taking this slow, and I don’t want to screw it up. She’s special to me. She’s ... different.”

His mother pulled away. “Different from the skinny little women who wear all the makeup I see you with on the covers of all those magazines?”

“I wasn’t really dating any of them. Not seriously.”

“Well, handle this one with care. I get the idea she’s treading the waters of love very carefully.”

“Yeah, I get that idea, too. I’ll be careful with her, Mom. I promise.”

MICK ENJOYED BASEBALL PRETTY MUCH LIKE HE ENJOYED all sports. But today was different, because he got to watch the game through Tara and Nathan’s eyes.

Nathan was wide-eyed when he led them to the box seats above the dugout. Thanks to Gavin, they had a great view of the game and the players. Gavin came out during warm-ups, spotted Mick, and waved. Nathan’s eyes nearly bugged out of his head.

Of course Mick had even more surprises in store for Nathan.

And Tara loved baseball, too, he discovered as she watched the game. The woman was a constant surprise to him. He figured—like with most of the women he dated—that he’d have to explain the nuances of the game to her. He didn’t. She understood innings and teams and balls and strikes and outs and positions from the pitcher to the center fielder and shortstop and what their functions were—in fact, she looked downright insulted when he started to explain what each player did.

She looked at him like he’d sprouted two heads. “I love sports, Mick. I know all about baseball, just like I know football. Don’t make me slap you upside the head with my hot dog.”

He promptly shut the hell up and let her watch the game.

Nathan, however, talked nonstop about Gavin and the Saint Louis team. He knew their standing in their division, who the weaker players were, what Gavin’s average was, and knew Gavin leaned too far inside the batter’s box and that’s why he walked more often, because he got hit by the ball more than the average batter, which was something Mick had told Gavin time and time again, despite Gavin telling him to f**k off and mind his own sport.

Nathan was pretty astute, and they spent a lot of the game dissecting the players and the plays as well as the other team’s strengths and weaknesses.

Fortunately, the home team won, and since it was a sold-out game, it was raucous, and Tara and Nathan seemed to have fun.

“Thank you, Mick,” Tara said after the game. “We had a wonderful time.”

“Yeah, it was awesome,” Nathan said as they watched the teams leave the field and waited for the crowds to head up toward the exits.

“Oh, it’s not over yet. I have a surprise for you.”

“You do?” Nathan’s eyes widened. “What is it?”

“It’ll take a while, though, so have a seat and be patient.”

They waited about an hour, then Gavin popped up from the dugout. “Hey.”

“Hey, yourself.” He turned to Tara and Nathan. “Come on. Let’s go down.”

“Holy crap.”

“Nathan,” Tara whispered. “Please watch your language, for the millionth time.”

Gavin put his arm around Tara. “I think he gets an excuse for excitement.”

They went down to the dugout, and Mick hugged his brother. “Good game. You didn’t suck.”

Gavin laughed. “Bite me.” He turned to Tara. “You must be the girl who’s dumb enough to date my brother.”

“I think I might have just been insulted, but yes, I’m Tara.” She grinned and held out her hand.

Instead, Gavin grabbed her and hugged her. “Nice to meet you, Tara, but I think you’ve lost your mind to date this loser.” He pulled away and shook Nathan’s hand. “And you must be Nathan.”

Nathan smiled. “Yeah. You played great today.”

“Thanks. We won, so it’s a good birthday present.”

“Happy birthday, Gavin,” Tara said.

“Thank you. So how about a tour of the place?”

Nathan’s jaw dropped. “Serious?”

“Serious.”

Gavin was a good host and took them all around the stadium, even to the locker room, which had been pretty much cleared out, so at least Mick didn’t have to shield Tara’s eyes from any na**d players. And Nathan’s biggest surprise came when Gavin gave him an autographed jersey.

“Wow, thanks. And it’s not even my birthday yet.”

“Mick told me your birthday’s in a couple weeks. Fifteen, huh?”

“Yeah.”

“Soon you’ll be driving, and your mom won’t sleep anymore.”

Tara laughed. “Don’t remind me.”