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Back Love in Play Save as PDF
Chapters (65)
  1. Dominique’s attraction to Jake was not only undeniable, but almost frightening in its intensity.
  2. Also by
  3. Title Page
  4. Epigraph
  5. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. 13
  19. 14
  20. 15
  21. 16
  22. 17
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. 43
  49. 44
  50. 45
  51. 46
  52. 47
  53. 48
  54. 49
  55. 50
  56. 51
  57. 52
  58. 53
  59. 54
  60. 55
  61. 56
  62. 57
  63. 58
  64. LOVIN’ BLUE
  65. Copyright Page

“That y’all went to dinner and stuff. And she said you look good, too!”

“You really shouldn’t be listening to your mother’s conversations,” Jake admonished, even as the ray of brightness that burst forth in his heart competed with the sun shining overhead. “That isn’t polite.”

“I know,” Justin admitted. “But I made you happy, huh?”

Jake placed a hand on Justin’s shoulder as they reached the edge of the field. His answer was simple. “Yes.”

35

35

Moments later, Justin caught up to and chatted with a few of the other boys as they reached the parking lot. Once there, they said their good-byes and walked to whoever waited to pick them up. Justin scanned the cars for Tessa’s silver Mazda. His face contorted in surprise and confusion when he saw his mother’s Mercedes instead.

“Mom,” he said after racing to the car and jerking open the door, “what are you doing here?”

“Hello to you too, darlin’.”

“Hi, Mom.” Justin threw his gear in the backseat and climbed into the car. “What are you doing here?”

“Buckle your seatbelt,” Dominique said as she started the car and navigated out of the parking lot. “I was able to leave work early today and thought it would be nice for you and I to hang out tonight... just the two of us.”

“Where are we going to eat?”

“I’m fixing dinner.”

Justin looked at Dominique with wide eyes. “You?”

“Ha! Boy, don’t sound so incredulous. I’ve worked my way around the kitchen a time or two.”

“Yeah, but...”

Dominique’s brow arched. “But what?”

“Never mind.” Justin looked out the window for a moment and then asked, “What are we having?”

“Taco salad.”

“Yum, Mom. That sounds good!”

“It will be delicious, and you can help me make it if you’d like.”

“Yeah, like Coach Mac!”

“The word is yes, Justin, not yeah.”

“Yeah, okay. I mean, yes.” Justin giggled and then continued without skipping a beat. “You know what Coach Mac did in practice today?”

“No, but I have a feeling you’re going to tell me.”

And for the next ten minutes, Justin did just that—rattling nonstop about plays and team members and his beloved coach. Dominique listened and laughed, glad to see that Mr. Sulky had left the building and the affable, chattering love of her life was back in town.