Free Taken by Storm by Kelli Maine Page A

their fucking queen bee or something.
    “Yeah,” Pudgy said. “Heard you got kicked off the GSU team, too.”
    Was it legal to kick a little kid’s ass if he goaded you into it? “Are we done here?” MJ took a few steps down the sidewalk.
    The tall kid stepped up beside him. “We suck. Our next practice is tomorrow, three o’clock at Butler Field. Come if you want to help us.” He threw MJ a pleading glance.
    “I’ll think about it,” MJ muttered.
    He walked to his car feeling like an asshole. How did he not even think to offer to help Coach this summer? Sure, if he hadn’t been kicked off the GSU team, he’d be too busy. But, that wasn’t the case any longer.
    God, he was so self-absorbed, he never even thought about Coach needing his help. Coach who was always bailing his ass out every time he turned around.
    MJ tossed his bat bag into his trunk. Resigned, he knew where he’d be tomorrow afternoon. Driving home, he thought back two seasons ago. The last season Maddie helped out with Coach’s team, the last game of their summer together.

    Maddie had her ponytail pulled through the back of her baseball cap. They wore powder blue and white hats and jerseys that matched the team. Coach’s said COACH on the back. MJ and Maddie’s said ASST COACH. The third base lounge logo of a baseball diamond with a foamy cartoon mug sitting on third base was embroidered on the front pocket.
    They were nicer jerseys than the printed T-shirts Coach used to spring for when he and Maddie were on Coach’s team.
    Maddie stood behind the fence cheering on their team’s batters, reminding each one what they’d worked on at practice the past week while MJ warmed up their pitcher for the next inning. Coach liked to stay out by first base. The threeof them made one hell of a team. They were undefeated and this was the last game of the season, top of the ninth. They were up by one. If they could score a few more runs and hold the other team off when they were up-to-bat, they’d finish the season 12-0.
    They’d won, took the kids for ice cream and then gathered at Coach’s bar. Maddie sat next to him in a corner booth. Her hand was on his thigh. He couldn’t wait to get her home. She leaned in and whispered in his ear, “I found us an apartment near GSU. I put down a deposit. We can move in next week.”
    He couldn’t believe it was actually happening. She was moving back from Michigan. She wanted to be with him. She’d just graduated college and said she could find a job anywhere, and wanted it to be where he was.
    She snuggled in to his side. “I love you, MJ.”
    He held her close and kissed her. For the first time in his life, he was exactly where he belonged.

    She was standing in the driveway under the garage light again.
    “Waiting on me?” he asked.
    She wasn’t smoking this time. He was glad. He hated it when she smoked.
    “Yeah,” she said. “I want to talk to you.”
    She wanted to talk to him? The time to talk was that summer before she took off. “I’m helping Coach with hisLittle League team tomorrow afternoon. You can come and talk to me then if you want.”
    First, she looked confused, then she got a little excited. “The same kids?”
    “Yep.” He lugged his bat bag out of his trunk. “Even the smart-mouth pudgy kid.”
    “Charlie,” she said. “His name’s Charlie.”
    “Whatever.” MJ walked by her with his bag. “Be standing in that spot at 2:45 tomorrow if you’re coming with me.”
    He made the mistake of glancing back at her. He wanted to kiss her so badly, his entire body ached. His tongue prickled with the need to taste her again.
    He could resist.
    Had to.
    Instead, MJ turned and ordered his feet to keep walking away, just like she’d done to him.

Nine
    A fter being awake half the night tossing and turning and wishing she could somehow go back a couple years and figure out a way around the Old Man, Maddie rolled out of bed a little after noon.
    It had been a long time since