Caught Looking (Hot-Lanta Series)

  “Everything is perfect, baby.” She relaxed a little. “I just want to give you something.”

  Brady pulled out the spare key to his house, placed it in the palm of Jane’s hand and closed her fingers around it. Jane looked at him in surprise and her eyes started to glisten. Was she going to cry? That was a good thing right?

  Brady cleared his throat and said, “Listen, don’t feel pressured or anything, I just wanted to give you the spare key to my house. I want you to come and go as you please, the more you are there the better. I want my home to feel like your home.”

  Jane stared at the key and then back at him. She didn’t say anything, oh shit. Big mistake buddy. How could he take this back without making it incredibly awkward between them? He started to say something when she placed her finger on his lips.

  “I can’t believe you’re giving me your key.” She said. “I don’t know what to say.”

  Brady stiffened. “Is that a good thing or a bad thing?” Brady realized he was holding his breath.

  “Oh Brady.” She grasped his head between her hands. “It’s the most amazing thing ever.”

  Brady let his breath out in relief

  “Jesus, I thought you were upset.” Brady said relieved.

  “Why in the world would I be upset? You opened your home to me. I don’t know what to say. I love you so much, thank you.”

  Brady’s heart melted into a pool on the floor. Hell yea! He was one step closer to his ultimate goal; to make a life with Jane. She kissed him until he could not breathe anymore. He was about to move his hands up her shirt when she stopped him and shook her finger at him.

  “We have lunch plans. I promise to give you full access when we get back.”

  Brady groaned, “Uh, why are we going out in public again, I thought we were just going to stay in bed together the whole time I was here.”

  “We have to eat silly, and hey you get to see your new boyfriend, Luke.”

  “Well in that case…” Brady jumped up and nearly knocked Jane into the wall. “Let’s get going, I don’t want to be late for our date.” Jane laughed at him. If only he could bottle up that sound and save it forever he would. He was so in love it hurt, damn, it sure did creep up on him but he would not change it for anything in the world.

  ***

  Molly and Luke arrived before Jane and Brady. How wonderful was this? Her best friend had an amazing man, she was about to marry the love of her life, and things were going great. She just wished she could get over the empty feeling of not having any family. Weddings should be fun but she started to feel worse every moment it came closer.

  Jane and Albert planned her bachelorette party to be in a couple of weeks and then the wedding would be here before she knew it. Luke had to go off to training in North Carolina but he would make it home in time for the wedding.

  She didn’t want Luke to be gone the last few weeks leading up to their wedding. She already felt vulnerable with no family, Luke was all she had, she needed him to be there and help her. Though, he could not help her unless he actually knew what bothered her.

  Jane and Brady strolled up to the table Molly and Luke sat at, Jane radiated love and Brady’s chest could not get any bigger with pride. It was funny to see the two of them so much in love, it poured out of them.

  Luke stood up and gave Brady a hug, they embraced for a second and Luke leaned in and said, “You can lead one hell of a waltz, my man.”

  Brady laughed and patted him on the back. “I know how to two step my way around a dance floor. How are you guys fairing this afternoon? I know this little pip-squeak I have with me had a serious headache this morning.”

  Molly scoffed, “Oh that is because she’s a pussy. Us veterans don’t get headaches.”

  Luke laughed and replied, “I beg to differ. I clearly remember a couple of weeks ago finding you on the kitchen floor with only your mini skirt covering your nipples from exposure.”

  Molly swatted him. “Whatever you still got fucked that morning.”

  Molly looked over at Jane and noticed that she could not stop smiling. Either she got some real good action before they came over or something was going on. Would they be engaged? No it was way too early for that. Jane was not emotionally ready for that kind of commitment. Funny, Jane was not emotionally ready but she would have all the support she would need from a family. Molly was way more than emotionally ready then Jane but had no family at all to support her. Why did it matter to her so much?

  It must be all those romance novels she read and romantic comedies she had watched that have instilled in her mind she needed her mom at her side while she picked a dress and her dad holding her arm as she walked her down the aisle. She would have neither.

  Molly shook the thoughts out of her head and turned her attention to her friend. “What is with the smiles over there Jane?”

  Jane held Brady’s hand and looked over at him. Oh my God, they were engaged. She could not believe it.

  “Brady gave me a key to his house today.”

  Oh. A key, well Molly jumped the gun on the old engagement thought. Note to Molly, do not tell Jane what she thought she was going to say. Molly didn’t need to make things more difficult for Brady.

  She put her congratulations face on. “That is great you guys. I’m so happy for you. Does that mean you are going to move in?”

  Jane’s face went a little white, oh shit, wrong question.

  Brady chimed in. “Jane knows I would love for her to move in but we are taking baby steps so she can come over whenever she wants. If she wants to move in after a while Lord knows I will be the first one packing her boxes but we are taking it one step at a time.”

  Molly watched Jane as Brady explained the new development in their relationship. Jane instantly melted and became warm again. Brady was so great for her. He knew her problems, worked with her and was patient.

  “Well that is great man.” Luke said. “Congratulations. How much longer will you be at spring training?”

  “We have three and a half more weeks left then we start our season at home against the Mets. We will have pre-season games during the next three weeks so there will be more traveling. It will be a little difficult for Jane and me but then we will get back into a regular schedule.”

  “That’s great, so do you think you’re going to make it to the wedding?” Molly asked.

  “I plan on it. That is if Jane will take me as her date.” Brady said jokingly.

  Molly watched Jane pretend to consider someone else. “I don’t know Brady. I think I really had a connection with Austin the other night.”

  “Don’t even think about it pip-squeak, you’re all mine.”

  They ordered their food and talked about the wedding, why Albert wore his shoes on his hands last night and the upcoming bachelorette party while they ate lunch. Molly was having such a good time, she loved these people. Even though they were not blood related, they were connected through their souls and that might just have to be good enough for her.

  ***

  They were all about to get up from their seats they had outside of the restaurant when Jane backed her chair into someone. She turned around and to her surprise ran into Patty. Patty was with an incredibly gorgeous strawberry-blonde with blue eyes. She was defiantly taller than Jane and had a fantastic muscular body. She must work out every day for hours to have a body like that. Jane apologized for hitting Patty with her chair.

  “That’s ok, I guess I should watch where I’m going better.” Patty replied. She pointed to her friend and said, “This is April, she is the friend I was telling you about.” Jane shook hands with her and made introductions all the way around. Jane watched Brady closely when he shook hands with the girls. He showed no sexual interest in them whatsoever which made Jane feel incredibly good about herself. Brady truly only had eyes for her.

  Patty commented, “Gee, Jane I didn’t know you were dating the Braves’ starting first baseman. That is a little intimidating. So that means you know a
ll the players, even Marc Sullivan?”

  Jane laughed and replied, “Well to me Brady is just some hunk of meat that I’m currently stuck with. I don’t know all the players but I have met some including Marc.” Brady playfully gave her a little pinch. “And speak of the devil.” Jane said pointing behind them.

  What were the odds that Jane would not only run into her new co-worker but her co-worker would express interest in a baseball player she knew and who just showed up at the same restaurant. Jane couldn’t help but get excited about a possible love connection.

  Brady gave a handshake to Austin and Marc. “What are you guys doing here?”

  Marc looked at the girls, he lingered a little longer on Patty and said, “Uh, we heard they have great food here and thought we would give it a try.”

  Jane noticed how Marc looked at Patty. Jane introduced everyone once again and couldn’t help but smile. Marc was a very good looking guy and fun. She would maybe talk to Brady and see what Marc’s status was. Maybe she could get Marc to ask out Patty. Whoa, Patty expressed she was not interested in having a relationship. Now that Jane was in love she apparently wanted everyone she knew to be in love as well.

  Patty did say she didn’t want a relationship but the way she turned bright red when she shook Marc’s hand and continued to stare at him gave Jane the impression that her new co-worker not only wanted to be in a relationship but she had eyes for Marc Sullivan. She couldn’t blame Patty the Braves had some amazingly gorgeous men on their team.

  They all parted ways and Jane made sure to wish the boys good luck with spring training and told Patty she would see her on Monday. She watched Patty walk away and glance back at Marc. Poor girl, Jane knew exactly how Patty she felt.

  Chapter 21

  Jane and Brady spent the rest of their hours together in bed, where they held each other, pleased each other and even ate off each other. Jane had never felt so good in her entire life. Even when she was with George, he never truly made her feel as feminine as Brady did. Brady treated her with respect and showered love on her whenever she was near him.

  She was upset that he had to leave but after this visit they just had she had never felt more confident in her life about a relationship. Brady made it quite clear that she was his and he wasn’t interested in anyone else. In the back of her mind she always wondered if Laney Johnson would ever take action to win Brady back but she knew it would not work. Brady would never give Laney the time of day…right?

  Brady put his head on her stomach and looked up at her. “What are you thinking about sweet thing, I lost you a little.”

  “Oh, I was just thinking about how this has been the best day and a half of my life.”

  “Mine too, baby. I hate that I have to leave so soon but time is going to fly by, right?”

  Jane thought about all the things that she had to accomplish in the next week. She had an event next weekend that she had to put on for a major pharmaceutical company in the area and then of course she was in crunch time with Molly’s wedding and her bachelorette party. Time really would fly by.

  “It will fly by.” Jane stroked Brady’s hair. “When do you have to go?”

  Brady sighed, sat up and pulled her close. “My flight leaves around eight. I wish I could stay longer but I’m pushing it as it is.”

  “I understand. So now that I have a key, does that mean I can go in your house, paint the walls pink and put fake flowers everywhere?”

  Brady laughed and then got extremely serious. His eyes burned into hers and she shivered a in her place. “Babe, you can do whatever you want to my house. I’m serious. I want you to be comfortable and I want you to think of it as yours as well.”

  Jane was taken aback. She was only kidding. She didn’t expect Brady to say she could actually make herself at home. She knew he gave her a key, but just so she could come over whenever not to set up and play house. Was he serious? He really wanted her to come into his house and decorate?

  “Brady, you are not serious. You don’t want me going into your house and messing up your vibe.”

  Brady grabbed her hands and rubbed the tops of them with the pads of his thumbs. “Jane, I’m dead serious. I want you to do whatever you want to the house so you feel at home. Right now the house is just a house, it’s not a home. You will make it a home. You know I want you to move in with me, but I’m giving you your space. When you are ready, you can start making it a home for us.”

  Jane’s breathe caught in the back of her throat. Were they moving too fast? He didn’t say she had to move in right away, they could take their time and slowly move her in. Although there was a little voice in the back of her head that was screaming yes, yes, yes! A little part of her, the not overly cautious and conservative part of Jane wanted to move in with him so badly but the old, hurt Jane was extremely cautious.

  She simply replied, “We’ll just see what happens. Can you hold me for now, until you have to leave?”

  “Of course sweet thing, come here.”

  Brady grabbed Jane and pulled her close to him. She laid her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his bare waist. They were skin on skin but nothing erotic passed through her mind. She just wanted human contact, Brady’s love.

  ***

  Molly was dreading today. Luke was leaving for training to lord knows where. They were scheduled to go to North Carolina first and then to some non-disclosed location. She assumed it was in a jungle area because he had packed his woodland camouflage. Luke seemed more anxious than usual especially since he was just going on a training session. He acted like it was an actual mission. She wondered if it was an actual mission and he didn’t want to tell her because he didn’t want to make her nervous. Missions were more unpredictable and it could be possible that he would miss the wedding.

  If Luke missed the wedding it would not be that big of a deal. The wedding was a small one so it wouldn’t be a big hassle to move it to another day. Maybe they should just move it to another day anyway. She thought the more she put it off, the more she wouldn’t have to worry about not having any family there.

  Molly gained some courage and asked Luke, “Do you just want to move the wedding so you have plenty of time to get back and you don’t have to rush?”

  Luke stopped in his tracks and whipped his body around. “Are you serious right now?” Molly just nodded her head. “Jesus Molly, are you having second thoughts about us?”

  Molly saw every ounce of Luke’s love for her fall flat to the ground and he went completely pale. She grabbed him by the arms and shook her head.

  “No not at all, God I love you and want to be your wife more than anything. It’s just…” Here goes nothing. Luke tilted her chin up so she looked him in the eyes. “I love you Luke and I want to be married to you but this whole wedding thing has just made me realize that I’m all alone, I have no family. I’m practically an orphan. When a girl gets married it’s supposed to be this glorious celebration with her family and she is supposed to pick a dress out with her mom and be told how beautiful she is by her dad right before she walks down the aisle. I won’t have that.”

  Luke wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on her head. If Molly could stay in the little cocoon Luke formed around her, she would be happy for the rest of her life. When she was wrapped in his arms she did not have to worry about anything.

  “Oh baby, I didn’t even think about how you would feel about not having your family here to celebrate with you. I’m so sorry but you know a wedding is not only about celebrating with family but it is also about starting a new life with your soul mate. You know you have family not by blood but by heart. Jane, Albert and even Michael and Brady are your family. Most importantly I’m your family and that is all that matters. Instead of focusing on your family not being there, focus on starting a new life with me.”

  Molly knew Luke was right. She had family all around her but just a different kind of family. They loved her, supported her and would be by her side on the most important
day of her life. Molly just nodded her head against Luke’s chest.

  “Believe me I can’t wait to start a new life with you, buy a house and start making some really cute babies. Those are my top priorities right after we say our I do’s. What do you say babe? Are you in? Will I forever be Molly’s man?”

  Molly’s man. She couldn’t think of anyone else who could fulfill that position. Of course he would be Molly’s man, he always had been and always would be. Luke was right. She just needed to think of their wedding as the start of a new chapter in their life together. When she thought about it that way she could not wait, she wanted to get married right away.

  “Yes, Luke. No one will ever come close to filling that roll. Three weeks and we will be married. I can’t wait. Now enough with all this talking, it seems to me like you are taking off and that calls for a good bye blow job.”

  Luke instantly dropped his pants and told her “I’m ready woman when you are.”

  Molly threw her head back and laughed. Yes, this would be a very interesting new chapter in her life but it would be the best thing that ever happened to her.

  ***

  Brady got back to his apartment in Florida and was hit in the face with an empty and lonely apartment. No big blue eyes to stare at him, crystal clear smile that said ‘I love you’ or warm embrace to help him relax. Damn, he had it bad. He tried to text Michael to see how he was doing but Michael never sent him anything back, which was weird. Last time he saw Michael was at Deuces as he rolled on the ground laugh-oinking. Austin and Marc said they got him home alright. They just dropped him off on his couch and assumed his wife would take care of him.

  That made Brady nervous. Brady knew Michael was struggling with his marriage and was having a difficult time, he only hoped that Michael would open up to him about it. He hoped Michael made it back to Florida for practice. After practice he was going to take Michael out, given he is back. It seemed like Michael needed to get some things off his chest.