Her mom gave her a hug.
“I’m surprised to see you here,” her mom said. “Dad’s over talking to one of the sponsors he invited to join us tonight.”
“That’s okay.” She grabbed some water and took a seat next to her mom. “I’ll chat with him when he’s free.”
She checked the score. The Rivers were up by one run, and it was the bottom of the third. The Rivers had one man on base and no outs.
“Did you just get off work?”
Aubry nodded. “I didn’t have anything going on, so I thought I’d catch the rest of the game.”
“It’s a good game so far. Tucker Cassidy is pitching.”
That’s why she was here. “Looks like he’s held them off so far.”
“Philadelphia has a good team, but yes, no runs on their side yet.”
Just then, Trevor Shay hit a triple, scoring the runner on first base. The owner’s box erupted with cheers. Aubry stood and yelled, too.
Tucker had a nice three-run lead when he took the mound at the bottom of the third.
“So, Mom,” she said while there was a lull in the action and her dad was busy with clients. “What if I asked to bring a guy over to dinner?”
Her mother gave her a sideways look. “I assume this isn’t simply a ‘what if’ situation. You have a certain someone in mind.”
“I do.”
“You know you’re always welcome to bring someone over to meet your father and me, Aubry. Who is he?”
She debated telling her mother. She’d been debating this for a while now. But it was time. She looked around to check her father’s whereabouts. He was seated at the far end of the owner’s box, talking up the sponsor, so he was out of earshot. “Tucker Cassidy.”
Her mother beamed a smile. “Good choice. Nice young man.”
Aubry relaxed her shoulders. “Thanks. I think so.”
“How long has this been going on?”
“A little while now. I like him, Mom.”
“Obviously you do, since I don’t recall the last time you brought someone over for dinner.”
“Dad’s not going to like it.”
Her mother dismissed that statement with a wave of her hand. “Your dad wants you to remain single—and his baby girl—forever. He’ll get over it.”
“He’s always talking about how I should focus on medicine, to the exclusion of a social life.”
“He worries about you, and your father is a career man. That’s always been his priority. But he likes Tucker. I don’t see this as a problem.”
They talked dates that would work, and she felt a lot more at ease about asking Tucker to officially have dinner with her parents.
“Hey, sweetheart.” Her dad finally came over, leaning down to kiss her cheek. “I’m sorry I was tied up earlier.”
She smiled up at him. “It’s not a problem. I knew you were busy.”
“Shouldn’t you be getting some rest, or studying?”
She patted her father’s arm. “I’m good, Dad. I wanted to catch the game.”
“Well, I’m glad to see you. Just don’t stay up too late.”
When he walked away, she looked at her mother and rolled her eyes. “It’s like I’m eight years old. He’ll never see me as a grown-up.”
Her mother laughed. “He’s always worried about you. And it’s his prerogative as your father. Indulge him.”
“Fine.”
She settled in to watch Tucker pitch. He looked good tonight, in more ways than one. In typical fashion, he looked hot as hell in his Rivers uniform, commanding the mound with his body. He’d given up several hits, but overall his pitches were hitting their mark.
Aubry had always watched games with a detached, slightly disinterested concentration. Now, with Tucker pitching, she took more of a vested interest, her stomach tied up in knots each time Tucker took the mound. She leaned forward, observing his movements, the release of the ball and the batter’s reaction to it.
It was nerve-wracking. She didn’t know how Tucker did this.
By the middle of the seventh, the score was six to two in favor of the Rivers. It was a comfortable lead for Tucker, but Aubry was still nervous. She got up to stretch and grab something to drink.
Her father came over to stand next to her as she looked out the windows.
“How was work today? Anything interesting?”
“We had an appendicitis attack, a few broken bones, a chronic migraine, someone who had fallen off their stepladder at home and strained their back and a woman pregnant with triplets who came in with premature labor. A pretty routine day.”
He put his arm around her. “You’re doing so well, Aubry. But I’m worried about you.”
She tilted her head back to look at her father’s face. “Why would you be worried about me?”
“You work so hard and such long hours. And here you are at the game tonight when you should be at home sleeping.”
She smiled and leaned her head against his chest. “I’m fine. If I’d been exhausted, that’s where I would have gone.”
“Still, it’s unusual for you to come to so many games.”
She laughed, then stepped away. “Maybe I’ve taken a sudden interest in baseball. And maybe I just need to spend a little less time working and sleeping, and get out more. See my family. Is that okay?”