Read Begin Again for Free Online Page B

donated?”
    “Of course. Maybe I can get this one.”
    As they threaded their waythrough the exhibit, they passed the Aidan O’Neil photograph. Once again, Adam’s interest was piqued
.
    oOo
    Planting her feet, adjusting the angle of her body, Paulina held up the bat. The ball flew to her and she swung. The smack was loud, and the sphere bulleted past the pitcher’s head. Past the second baseman. And finally beyond the fence. “Yay!” Nia called out from the sidelines
.
    Two boys also yelled, “Yay, Mommy!”
    “Yay, Aunt Paulie!”
    Smiling broadly, Paulina took her victory lap in long, powerful strides. As always, the feel of the wind in her hair, the bases under her feet and the joy of victory consumed her. Her teammates waited for her at home plate, and she slapped hands with them. God, she loved sports
.
Since this was a local-businesses league, Frankwas up next and struck out. The other team came in to bat, and hers jogged out to the field. Frank grabbed her hand. “Nice job,
    Pettrone. You still got it.”
    “Sure I do. You’ll do better next time.”
    At first base, Paulina situated herself behind the white square, to the left of the other team’s base coach
.
    “Nice hit,” the guy said.
    “Thanks.” Since he was staring at her, sheintroduced herself. “Paulie Pettrone.” “Steve Lowden. I own an electrical business and I’m a friend of Frank’s. We grew up together.”
    “Then you must be okay.”
    Play at the plate was slow. Paulie tried to keep her mind on the game, until the opposing team finally netted three outs. As it was the bottom of the ninth, Pettrone Partners won.
    Thoughts of Donnie when he named the team encompassedher.
All the workers here make the company successful. They
are
our partners.
He’d played shortstop, and sometimes, she forgot and looked for him between second and third.
    The kids came running out to her after the teams partook of the end-of-the-game protocol. Her guys hugged her, and Salvador hung back. “Did you enjoy the game, sweetie?” Paulina asked the boy
.
    “Yes, Aunt Paulie.”
    “No, he didn’t.” This from Ben, who earned a grimace from Paulina because of his sour tone. “He drew the whole time.”
    Paulie ruffled Sal’s hair. “Maybe you can show the pictures to me when we go get ice cream, honey.”
    Dark-as-night eyes lit up. Peter’s only child had become introverted after his father died. He’d been a sunny two-year-old when his dad was alive, but he’d gone into himselfafter the accident, as if everybody’s grief was too much for him.
    Paulina searched for Nia, who’d come to watch, too, and saw her talking to one of the other team’s players. She led the kids back to the bleachers to wait for her, but Ben rushed over to his aunt and tugged her away. Paulie heard him say something about ice cream.
    When Nia joined them, Paulina asked, “Who were you talkingto?”
    Her sister’s face was flushed, and it wasn’t from the early evening sun. “A man from a company we deal with for flooring.” Paulie raised her eyes brows. “And?”
    “Not now.” Nia spoke in a hush
.
    Ten minutes later, the team gathered at The Ice Age, a shop near the field that sold their favorite custard. They got cones for the kids, and Paulina eased back in line to get hers and Nia’streats. Someone said from behind, “Hello, again.”
    She turned. “Hi, Steve.”
    Motioning to the table where Nia sat with the three boys, he said, “Your kids are adorable. Triplets?”
    “What? Oh no. Two are mine, twins, and one’s my sister’s.”
    “I have a son. He’s seven and lives with his mother. Maybe I’ll try to bring him to one of my games. Like you did.”
    “He could sit with ours.”

    “Hmm.” He watched her. “Or, we could take them all for pizza sometime.”
    “Together?”
    “Well, we could sit apart if you want to.” His tone was dry, making her realize he’d asked her for a date.
    She laughed. “No need.” As she’d told Magdalena,