(Complete) Kenzie Lynch grew up around baseball, but her father refuses to let her get involved with any players. Christopher Jett's loves baseball, Coach Lynch and the girl he can't have. After six years, can they learn to be friends and will frie...
Battery: The pitcher and catcher considered as a single unit, who may also be called battery men or battery mates of one another.
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Six years ago...
Jett wished he wore a jacket as he was walking across campus. The leaves were crunching under his feet. His red and gold hoodie wasn't keeping the cold out that morning. He thought of Ben in Florida training. Jett was months away from full practices. It was football season, so no one's mind was on baseball, except his.
His phone was vibrating in his pocket. Digging it out he saw her face. "Kenze."
"It's today! Kimmy's in labor. She texted me. Who texts when they're in labor?"
A smile crossed his face, she was anxious. "Doesn't it take a long time?"
"Yeah but..."
"Kenze, we can go see the baby when it's born. I'll borrow a car, but I gotta go to class. You do too."
He had memorized her schedule. It made casually walking by as her classes were letting out a lot easier. He was a stalker.
"I'm calling the minute I hear even if you're in class."
He was excited too. He had seen his share of newborn animals, but ever since Kim let him feel her baby kick, he had wanted to meet her baby. She would grow up without a father, so she needed him and Coach. Ben wasn't interested in Kimmy and her problems. He kept saying he dodged a bullet with that girl.
Kenzie didn't wait to call him. Instead, his phone buzzed every hour. When he finished his last class, he called her. "Let's go. We can wait with Coach."
Kenzie got the call she was waiting for before they reached her house. Jett drove to the hospital, instead. Betsy greeted them at the door looking drawn.
Jett asked, "Are they okay?"
"They are now. There were some complications, so they had to do a c-section. She's a bit out of it."
Kenzie, always a force squeezed past Betsy into the room. Kimmy was asleep and looked far more angelic than Jett knew her to be.
In a plastic crib, all wrapped up in a pink blanket with only a little face showing was a human being. Jett resisted the urge to unwrap her to see the arms and legs that he had felt kicking. He would have done it, if he thought he could wrap her up again.
"Look at her." Kenzie cooed. Without thinking Jett reached under and picked her up. His father's technician had a baby one summer when he was home from NHA and he held him, so he wasn't afraid.
She was so light. Although it wasn't his sport, she reminded Jett of a football. He passed her off to Kenzie. She whispered little things to her. "You're beautiful. I love you."
Jett's heart felt full, and it wasn't just for the baby. Kim woke looking groggy. She smiled when she saw her visitors.
"I have a baby!"
Betsy hovered. "Rest."
"Mom, I want them to be her godparents."
"Kenzie and Jett?"
"Yes, do you love her?" She looked from one to another.
Kenzie said, "Of course."
Jett was as sincere, but calmer with his affirmative response.
Kimmy said, "Maisy meet your godparents."
Kenzie looked up at Jett and smiled. This baby would bind him to Kenzie. No matter what happened to their friendship this tiny life would keep them together.
They didn't stay long, because Kimmy was tired and they had to get to campus. Except Kenzie was living off campus, so Jett returned the car and insisted on walking her home.
The night air was even colder than that morning. When they talked, they could see their breath. Their shoulders kept bumping and when his hand brushed against hers, he laced his fingers around her fingers and held it.
The conversation he had with Kimmy the previous summer was never far from his mind. Was Kenzie jealous when he was with other girls? Did she like him as much as he liked her?
She was letting him hold her hand. He needed to say something to her, but what? Even if she liked him in that way, how would he convince her it was right?
Fear gripped him as she turned. "This is me."
He looked up at a nondescript five-story brick apartment building.
"So godmother, I guess we'll always be friends."
"Yeah," she said, unenthusiastically.
"That's not what I want."
"What?" She stared at his eyes again.
He put his hands on the side of her face. "I don't want to be your friend, I want..."
Without continuing, his lips captured hers. When her lips moved with his, his hands held behind her head. When she leaned into him, he secured her around the waist with one arm. He felt like he was on a cloud. He was finally kissing Kenzie Lynch.
When they separated, they were both panting. Kenzie smiled. "That was better than I imagined."
"You imagined kissing me?"
She blushed. "Tell me you're not doing it because you're bored."
"Bored? No! I could never be bored with you. Invite me up, so we can kiss again."
"We're not supposed to be kissing!"
"Too late now. One kiss or a million kisses is too many kisses."
She smiled. "Come on up."
The third night, they spent studying and kissing and studying again in her tiny little apartment, Jett had a plan.
"If I prove to him, I'm right for you he'll agree. He treats me like a son."
"He'll never agree. Ever since my mother came back, he'd been reminding me repeatedly."
"It will have to work out. I care too much about you to lose you."
Kenzie kissed him. "I'm not going anywhere."
Jett wanted to tell her he loved her, but it was too soon, even though he knew the day he met her. Maybe, she loved him too.
