Lost Cause

Chapter 7

An hour and a half after I finished throwing to almost every player on the team, the boys got hungry so the girls and I plus Jordan were deciding on a place to eat.

"We could go get pizza?" Rosie suggested.

"As if the guys are gonna wanna go anywhere else but Richies." I told her.

"So Richies?" Vi asked.

"Richies it is." I confirmed. "Uncle Ricky, you wanna come with us?"

"No you kids go ahead, I have to make up a few more plays to incorporate Castillo's ability. Let Brett know he has to be home by 10:30." Uncle Ricky pulls me in for a hug.

"You got it. Thanks for letting us crash practice." I tighten my arms around him.

"I could try to stop you girls from coming but I don't think that would work out so well." He chuckles, giving Rosie and Vi a quick hug, ruffling Jordan's hair as he passes him.

Whenever it gets hard not having dad around, I always run over to Uncle Ricky's to feel closer to him. Uncle Ricky has so many photos of the two of them in high school, fooling around after practice, or skipping school to go down to the lake and partying till they were sober enough to drive home.

My favorite picture though is one that Uncle Ricky has framed in his living room, it's of them and the rest of their team after they won states. They're all gathered around dad who's holding the trophy high above his head with the biggest, brightest smile on his face that I haven't seen since Jordan was born. The skin around his eyes are crinkled to the point you can barely see his eyes, but it's one of his happiest memories and I'll never get tired of hearing the story of how they won.

I'm pulled out of my head by someone nudging my side. I look over to see Jaxon pulling his hat down over his eyes.

"Penny for your thoughts?" He tilts his head.

"It's nothing, just thinking about my dad that's all." I give him a small smile.

"Hm," He looks like he wants to say more but decides against it. "So who taught you how to throw like that?"

"Dad, and Uncle Ricky. They knew from a young age that although I didn't wanna play any sports, that I loved watching them and I liked knowing how everything worked. Every weekend they worked on my aim and how to throw, even though my hands couldn't fit around the ball. So knowing that dad wasn't gonna be around much I wanted Jordan to at least have part of that experience." I explained.

"You taught him well, he's got a good arm for a six year old."

"Oh I know, hopefully it gets him somewhere if he decides that's where he wants to go in life." I smiled looking at Micah who was giving Jordan a piggy-back ride in front of us.

"I gotta admit, that was probably one of the hottest things I've ever seen." Jaxon smirks down at me.

I rolled my eyes. I was expecting this from at least a couple guys mainly Micah so I'm not fully surprised, just a little that it was Jaxon to say it first.

"Let me guess it would have been better if I was wearing nothing."

"You said it hermosa, not me." He grins.

I look at him in confusion, "Did you just call me beautiful?"

He rubs the back of his neck, "Uh it kinda just came out, if it makes you uncomfortable I won't use it."

"I was just surprised to hear it, but it doesn't make me uncomfortable." I reassure him.

He gives me a small smile back.