Play Along(74)

About once a month, since Miller moved to Chicago permanently, she hosts a night of experimenting, testing out new recipes for her patisserie. Monty and I are always here. Sometimes, Cody and Travis will join. Sometimes, even our friends who play for other teams in the city. And tonight, with an evening free from baseball, half the team is here.

I just had no idea that Kennedy would be too.

“Hey, man,” Kai says, rounding the island to give me a hug. “Is there more in the car?”

“No, Mr. Three Thousand, this is everything.”

“Shut up.”

“Yeah, that’s not going to happen. I’m going to be annoying as hell about this. My brother just earned his three-thousandth strikeout. You know who does that in their career? Hall of Famers.”

Kai slightly shakes his head as if it’s not a huge fucking deal and something that only nineteen other pitchers have done in their lifetimes.

“He’s right,” Miller agrees. “This is huge, Malakai. The Remingtons confirmed the ceremony is going to happen Saturday night after the afternoon game.”

“That feels a bit ridiculous. People don’t need to take their nights off so I can celebrate that I’m good at throwing a baseball.”

“Maybe we want to celebrate you,” I cut in. “Stop being such a little bitch about it and own it. My brother is one of the best pitchers in the game. I want to celebrate that.”

“Think about Max,” Miller says. “You’re his hero. Don’t you want him to see what you’ve accomplished? I know I do.”

Kai’s blue eyes soften, cutting to me then back to his fiancée. “Fine,” he relents. “But I’m only doing this for you three.”

Miller shoots me a knowing look because the two of us should win an award for our talents of teaming up against my brother.

“Thanks for going to the store, Isaiah,” Miller says as she digs through the groceries I bought her, pulling out fresh bags of sugar and flour. “Any requests?”

“Just send me home with all the leftovers.”

“With how many people came tonight, I’m not sure there’s going to be any leftovers, but I’ll see what I can do.”

I glance over my shoulder to the crowded living room, but still Kennedy and Max have yet to notice my presence, which is super fucking annoying because I’ve always been Max’s favorite and I was hoping I was getting close to Kennedy’s.

“I didn’t know she was going to be here,” I whisper to Kai and Miller.

A knowing smile hikes on the corner of Miller’s mouth. “I told her you were coming over and she asked if she could tag along too.”

“That’s interesting.”

“I thought so too.”

“And she knew that most of the team was going to be here?”

She nods, the excitement evident on her face.

I motion Miller to lean across the kitchen counter, meeting me partway as I keep my voice low. “Do you think she likes me?”

“Jesus,” Kai laughs. “You’re a thirty-one-year-old man. Get it together. Where the hell is my cocky little brother who would just tell a girl she was going to like him? I still have no idea how that worked so well for you.”

“Isaiah,” Miller whispers right back. “You’re married to the girl. I think that gives you the right to ask your wife if she likes you.”

Glancing over my shoulder, through the crowd, I finally catch Kennedy notice me. Those brown eyes slowly make their way to mine, a sweet smile following right behind. But Max won’t have it, pulling at her cheeks and begging for her attention again.

He had never really been all that comfortable with women until Miller came along, and though Kennedy has known my nephew longer and babysat when my brother needed help, it wasn’t until this season that Max has really grown attached to her.

I don’t blame him. I completely understand that sentiment when it comes to her.

Crossing the room, I meet them, squatting down, heels to ass so I can be at their eye level.

“Excuse me, Maxie. Are you not going to say hi to me?”

He shakes his head no, a mischievous smile on his mouth that looks a whole lot like mine.

“What?” I ask in faux shock. “But I’m your favorite uncle.”

“Ken,” he says.

“Kennedy is your auntie Ken, but that doesn’t mean I’m not still your favorite uncle.”

“Or your only uncle for that matter,” Kennedy mutters under her breath.

“Hey now,” Cody argues from the couch.

I shoot her a warning look, but it doesn’t hold much weight when I know I’m staring at her like she’s the best thing I’ve ever seen. She’s got this playful smile on her mouth and a sparkle in her eye as she teases me.

At that, Max melts forward, leaning into Kennedy, putting his head on her shoulder, and hiding from me.

“Hey, man. That’s my wife, not yours.”

“Mine,” he says, finishing with a giggle.

Travis bursts a laugh. “Wonder where the hell he got that from, Rhodes.”

Kennedy wraps a hand over his back before leaning her cheek on his head. It’s done in such an effortless way, as if any hang-ups she has ever had with the concept of hugging another human being don’t exist when it comes to Max.