Imperfectly Beautiful (Jordan Knight Fanfic, Liadan #3)

Bad Boys and Baseballs

-LIA-

"So, guys, any plans for the last week before school starts?" Jordan asked as he trailed his thumb back and forth over my hand and looked up into the rearview mirror at Natalie and Logan in the backseat.

It was a simple question, but I could tell from the slight worry lines gathering on his forehead that he had a million thoughts racing through his mind. With the impending days of nonstop work ahead to gather information for Tony's case and Jordan's inevitable return to the road, I'd tried to lose myself in the merriment of Christmas for a few days, but Jordan's radar never seemed to turn off.

"Uh, well Simon and I are going to go to Uncle Danny's gym to meet with the trainer you got me," Logan said as he patted Scout on the head while she looked out the window and wagged her tail. "Spring baseball tryouts are any day now, you know."

"Yeah," Jordan nodded and glanced over his shoulder as he switched lanes. "I think you're ready though, kiddo, don't you?"

"I guess, I don't know. My ball still isn't as fast as I'd like it, but besides meeting with the trainer, it is what it is."

"I'm sure you'll do great, honey and it's the experience that counts, right?" I asked as I turned in my seat to look at him.

"Yeah, but it'd be really awesome to get an extra year at the high school level. You know there's guys that get recruited before they even finish high school," he reasoned. "I'm not saying I won't finish, but still, it's nice to have the leg up."

"You'll do great, sweetie, I know it," I smiled and he sighed.

"I hope so."

"I know so and I'll help you practice," Jordan nodded and looked up in the mirror again. "What about you, Natalie? What ever happened with that project you mentioned for school?"

There was a pause as I looked over my shoulder to see her staring at her phone.

"Natalie?" Jordan questioned.

"Sorry, what'd I miss?" her hazel eyes that matched mine danced between both of us before she blinked.

"I was asking if you have a project to complete before you head back to school? Need any help?"

"Oh, no," she shook her head. "Well, there's going to be an art gallery at the talent show, but I don't need any help with my piece. I have to figure out something on my own."

Jordan nodded slowly and tapped his thumbs on the steering wheel as the furrow in his brow tightened slight, "I wasn't eavesdropping or anything, but I was up getting a glass of water and I overheard you up on the phone last night and thought you might be working on something with a classmate. I think his name was Heath?"

"More like Smokey McSmokestacks," Logan chuckled and Natalie shot him a look.

"What?" Jordan asked.

"Nothing, Daddy," Natalie glared at her brother. "He's a friend."

"A friend?"

"Mmhm."

"And has your mom met this friend?" Jordan's thumbs tapped a little faster. "I don't seem to remember meeting anybody named Heath, but maybe it's going over my head. Is he a classmate?"

"No, you guys don't know him," Natalie shook her head. "We met at the skating rink a few weeks ago and kind of started talking and then we exchanged numbers."

"So you don't know anything about him beyond that?" Jordan asked. "You just gave your number to a random boy?"

"Well, like I said, we started talking and he was nice and I don't know," she shrugged. "It's just a number."