Blake (Season One: The Ninth Inning #2) by Lindsay Paige, Mary Smith Read Free Book Online

mind.
    “Baby girl?”
    I lift my eyes up to my dad. “Huh? What?”
    Harmony and Mom laugh. “We were talking to you.” Mom smiles.
    “I’m sorry. What is it?”
    “Sofia, what were you thinking about?” Mom asks, concerned.
    People assume my parents have lavish items in their house, but they’re not like that at all. For instance, our kitchen table has been in our family for as far back as I can remember. It’s a small, pale blonde wood. It seats six, but Mom always keeps two chairs in the closet because there are only the four of us.
    When I arrived home yesterday, I had Harmony stay up with me and we discussed everything that happened from the kiss to the point where he ran away from me again . Harmony didn’t have much advice to give me, but she told me to be there for him when he does come around.
    “I was thinking about Blake,” I confess.
    “Baby girl,” Dad shakes his head. “Jack Foster is not a nice man. I really don’t like you being with Blake.”
    “I’m not with him, Dad. I’m trying to help him. He’s nothing like his dad. I truly believe that Blake wouldn’t hurt me,” I defend him.
    “Okay,” he quickly answers back. “If you trust Blake, then I do too, but I don’t trust Jack Foster. Period.”
    “Judy said she saw Blake’s mom, Caroline, the other day. She had a bruise on her cheek and her arm was in a sling,” Mom informs me. “I’m going to see if Judy can get her to come to lunch with us. I’d like to meet her and maybe befriend her. Judy says she keeps to herself and doesn’t have many friends because everyone knows of Jack’s temper.”
    “Why is she staying with that—”
    “Harmony,” Mom cuts her off. “We don’t know the situation, but we can help.”
    “I’d kick him in the balls, that’s for sure,” Harmony says matter-of-factly.
    Dad beams with pride, knowing she’s strong. “That’s my princess.”
    “Dad, what do you know about Jack?” I ask.
    “The same thing I told you when we talked. It’s all hearsay, but he has a hot temper, especially when he drinks. When he was in the league, he was in a lot of bar fights, but nothing came of it because he’s Jack Foster. Plus, tabloid TV didn’t exist then, and it was easier to keep quiet. I don’t know him personally. Our business paths have never crossed. I’ve seen him a bit around town and at events though.”
    “I think he’s hurt Blake,” I blurt out. “I think Blake has seen a lot of trauma in his life. He’s holding it all in; and when he explodes, it’s going to be bad. I can feel it.”
    “Sofia, you’re not a psychologist. You can’t fix everyone. I know you have a good heart, but honey, some people don’t want help,” Mom tells me softly.
    “He needs me. I need to figure out an approach that will work with him.” I stand and grab the bottle of wine, pouring myself another glass.
    “What if you talked about baseball?” Harmony suggests.
    “Baseball?” I tilt my head at her.
    “Yeah, baseball. Connect with him on a baseball level. You know about it, right?”
    I roll my eyes at my sister. “Yes, I know about it. What I don’t understand is what you mean.”
    “Talk to him about baseball. You need to gain his trust, and baseball is his passion. Just talk about baseball.”
    I sit back down and lean back against my chair. “What do you think?” I ask Dad.
    “As long as you’re safe and happy, I don’t care. However, if he hurts you or Jack does, I know places where to bury their bodies and no one will ever find them.” Dad stands and leaves the kitchen.
    “He isn’t joking,” Mom adds, and I know she’s right. I love my dad, but you don’t cross him.
    Harmony and I decide to stay at our parents’ house for the night. We’ve both had a few glasses of wine and we don’t want to drive. Mom has kept our rooms the same since we moved out. After my shower, I crawl into my bed and flip through my phone. I don’t want to read. I don’t want to check Facebook. I