The Change Up, page 1
THE CHANGE UP
INDIANAPOLIS LIGHTNING SERIES BOOK 4
SAMANTHA LIND
The Change Up
Indianapolis Lightning Series Book 4
Copyright Samantha Lind 2022
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, distributed, stored in or introduced into any information storage or retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic, photocopying, mechanical or otherwise, without express permission of the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages for review purposes.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, story lines and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons, living or dead, events, locales or any events or occurrences are purely coincidental.
Trademarked names appear throughout this novel. These names are used in an editorial fashion, with no intentional infringement of the trademark owner’s trademark(s).
The following story contains adult language and sexual situations and is intended for adult readers.
Paperback ISBN: 978-1-956970-02-9
Cover Design by Jersey Girl Design
Cover image by Wander Aguiar
Cover Model Eddie
Editing by Amy Briggs ~ Briggs Consulting LLC
Proofreading by Proof Before You Publish
Created with Vellum
CONTENTS
1. Matt
2. Hannah
3. Matt
4. Hannah
5. Matt
6. Hannah
7. Matt
8. Hannah
9. Matt
10. Hannah
11. Matt
12. Hannah
13. Matt
14. Hannah
15. Matt
16. Hannah
17. Matt
18. Hannah
19. Matt
20. Hannah
Epilogue
Coming Soon
Also by Samantha Lind
Acknowledgments
About the Author
ONE
MATT
I relax on a beach chair, soaking in the hot sun as I take in my surroundings. The past season was tough; playing professional baseball is starting to take its toll on my body. I glance over at my friend and teammate, Lucas, and his new girlfriend, Carmen, our team’s PR manager. The love that radiates off of the two makes me long for that kind of connection with a woman.
I look away, taking in my surroundings on the beach. The water is calling my name, so I get up and head closer to the shoreline. I see a young boy throwing a baseball at a beautiful woman as I approach. The smiles that fill their faces cause one to tug at my lips. The carefree way they play as the water laps at their ankles has me longing for that kind of contentment. For that fulfillment that a wife and kids would bring to my life. At thirty-two, I did not have many years left playing baseball. I’ve had the time to live the bachelor’s life, a wild one, at times, with my profession, but that kind of lifestyle isn’t sustainable and isn’t how I want the rest of my life to go.
The young boy attempts to toss the ball back to his mother, but he misses as the ball sails my way, landing in front of my feet. I pick it up and walk it a few feet over to them.
“Here ya go, buddy,” I say, handing the ball over to the boy.
“Thank you.” He smiles up at me, his toothless grin making me chuckle slightly.
“I’m so sorry about that,” the woman says. “Not the greatest aim when you’re five years old.”
“It’s no problem, ma’am. I’ve tossed a few balls in my day; sometimes they go where you want, and sometimes they don’t.”
“Thank you. I’ve been working with him; he’s obsessed with t-ball, but I’m not all that great with it,” she says.
“I could give him a few pointers, if you’d like,” I offer.
“I wouldn’t want to interrupt your vacation,” she says, glancing behind me. “I’m sure your wife or girlfriend would want you with them.”
“No wife or girlfriend. I’m here with a few friends, more like the third wheel,” I find myself telling her. “No pressure or anything; I wouldn’t want to step on your husband’s toes, either.” I noticed a quick flash of pain in her eyes at my last statement and could kick my own ass for obviously bringing up something painful for her.
“If you truly don’t mind, then Brayden would love it, I’m sure,” she says, smiling up at me.
“Matt,” I tell her, holding out a hand. The moment her tiny hand is in mine, an electrical current zings up my arm. She quickly shakes my hand, then drops it, and I have to wonder if she felt the same current.
“Hannah, and this is Brayden,” she says before crouching down so she’s closer to his height. She places her hands on his shoulders, turning him to face her. “Mr. Matt has offered to give you a few throwing pointers; how does that sound?” she asks him. His face lights up as he starts jumping up and down.
“Yes!” he exclaims, and Hannah and I both laugh at his excitement.
“Do you mind if we move a little further down the beach?” I ask Hannah. “Just over there.” I point to a larger open space. “That way, we have room and don’t have to worry about hitting anyone.”
“Sure, let me grab our stuff,” she says. I follow them to a couple of beach chairs. She stuffs a few toys into a bag. I grab the chairs before she can and start heading for the clearing. Once there, I set up the chairs, grab the baseball, and move out ten or so feet in front of them.
“Here, buddy, show me what you’ve got,” I tell Brayden, tossing him the ball. I crouch down, making myself as close to his size as I possibly can, being since I’m over six feet tall. I watch as he pulls his hand back, then releases the ball as his hand passes his shoulder. The ball goes flying, way to the left of me as I go lunging for it. It hits the sand, as does my body.
I toss the ball with Brayden for a good half-hour, maybe even forty-five minutes before he tires out. I’ve laughed more during our time playing than I probably have in the last few years. “I’m tired. Can we take a break, Mr. Matt?” he asks, walking the ball over to me rather than throwing it.
“Of course, we can,” I tell him, dropping my hand to the top of his head and messing up his wind-blown hair. I followed him back to the chairs, where Hannah sat, watching us the entire time. He sits down on her lap, leaving the second chair empty. “Do you mind?” I ask, nodding my head in the direction of the second chair.
“Of course not. Can I offer you something to drink?” she asks. “Actually; I only have water,” she corrects. My eyes lock on how she worries her lip, waiting on my answer. My dick hardens at the sight, and I get instant flashes of her lips wrapped around my cock. Where in the hell did those thoughts come from?
“Water’s great,” I tell her, clearing my throat as I’m suddenly thirstier than I should be.
We make small talk for a few minutes, mainly about the resort and pleasant weather.
“I should get going; let the two of you get back to your vacation,” I tell Hannah before standing. I brush off some sand that somehow made it into my lap.
“Thank you for playing with Brayden. That was very kind of you. It was nice to meet you,” she says before I can walk away.
“I had fun, and I hope he did, as well.” I watch as Hannah cuddles her son against her chest, running her hands through his hairas he watches something on her phone.
“He’s definitely going to sleep well tonight, which means I should be able to sleep well tonight, so thank you for that.”
“Anytime. I’ll be here for a few more days, so if I see y’all out here again, I’ll stop by to see if he’s up to tossing the ball around again.”
“I’m sure he’d love that, but please don’t feel like you need to miss out on time with your friends to play ball with him,” she tells me.
“Keeps me from being the third wheel. I still don’t know why they insisted I come along,” I tell her honestly.
“They sound like good friends.”
“Some of the best,” I tell her, meaning every word.
“Well then, I guess we’ll see you around. We also will be here for a few more days.”
With that, I take off down the beach, heading towards my room. I need a beer and a nap, not necessarily in that order.
I stop at one of the resort bars just off the wing where my room is located and order a beer. With the cold bottle in my hand, I make my way down the corridor to my door. After flashing the key card in front of the lock, I push my way inside. I tear off my sandals and rub my feet on the mat to try and get rid of the sand that was stuck to my skin.
I walk further into the room, set my beer down on the nightstand, before I collapse on the bed. I turn the TV on, flipping through the channels, trying to find something that holds my interest. With not much on, I pull my phone out and scroll through the news headlines before getting sucked into TikTok videos.
I startle awake; my vibrating cell on my chest wakes me up as it rings. I wipe a hand over my face before picking the device up and looking at the screen. When I see who’s calling, I hit ignore and toss the phone on the bed beside me. It’s an old friend with benefits. I haven’t heard from her in months, back when she cut things off because she’d met someone and was going to see where that led her. Her calling me now tells me that things didn’t work out, and she wants to resume what we had before. Which I’m not interested in right now.
; My stomach starts to grumble; a quick glimpse at the clock tells me that it’s dinnertime. I get out of bed and head for the bathroom. A quick piss and some water splashed on my face, and I’m awake and ready to take on the night.
Making my way to one of the dining areas the resort has to offer, I noticed Hannah and Brayden just about to enter, as well. I pick up my speed, catching up to them just after they reach the door.
“Evening,” I greet. Hannah’s eyes flash to mine, and I can’t help but be drawn to them.
“Hi, how was your afternoon?” Hannah asks as we wait in line for the hostess.
“Pretty relaxing. Took a much-needed nap. How was yours?” I ask as we step forward.
“We stayed down at the beach for an hour or so, then went to the pool. We were starving when we got out, so a quick shower and change of clothes, and here we are.”
“How many?” the hostess interrupts our conversation.
“Three, please,” I say before Hannah can answer. She quirks a brow in question, but doesn’t refute my answer. We follow the hostess to a booth, and I wait to let Brayden and Hannah pick a side before I slide in across from them.
“I hope you don’t mind having dinner together,” I offer as an apology once the hostess walks away.
“It’s fine; I don’t want to impose on your vacation,” she says.
“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t want to be.”
“Good evening, I’m Beth, and I’ll be taking care of you tonight. Can I start anyone off with a beverage? Maybe a cocktail or glass of wine?”
“Can I get a chocolate milkshake, Mom?” Brayden asks. The look of hope is evident on his face.
“We are on vacation, so I guess so.” She smiles down at him. “A small.” I can’t help but chuckle at the way she emphasizes the word small to the server. “Chocolate milkshake for my son, and I’ll have a lemon drop martini and a glass of ice water, please.”
“Would you like whip cream and a cherry on top of the milkshake?” Beth asks.
“Yes!” Brayden answers her, bouncing in his seat.
“I got you, buddy!” Beth tells him, winking at the kid. “And for you, sir?” She turns her attention to me.
“I’ll take a blue moon with a slice of orange.”
“Would you also like a glass of water?” she asks.
“Sure, that’d be great,” I tell her.
“Did you want any appetizers, or do you need a minute to look over the menu?” she asks.
“Can we get some of the pretzel bites and the mozzarella sticks?” Hannah asks.
“Sure can; I’ll get them put in right away,” Beth says before stepping away from our table.
“He’s going to get hangry soon, so I figured some easy appetizers were a good start,” she tells me as she fidgets with the edges of her menu.
“It’s all good,” I tell her, hoping that she catches on to my calm demeanor.
I take my time checking out the menu. This isn’t one of the fancy restaurants that the resort has, more like a diner or national chain back home. They have a mixture of just about everything; steaks, pasta, burgers, tacos. My mouth waters as I read over everything, making it hard to decide what I want to get.
“Do you know what you’re getting?” Hannah asks a few minutes later.
“I think the brisket tacos, what about you?”
“The shrimp scampi with extra shrimp,” she says just as our server returns with our drinks. I can’t help but smirk when she sets the shake glass down in front of Brayden. The thing is enormous and topped with probably three inches of whip cream covered with sprinkles and a cherry on top.
“Sorry, this is the only size we offer,” Beth says apologetically.
“It’s okay,” Hannah says as she laughs it off. I can’t help but be impressed at how easygoing she is taking it. I know some parents who’d blow a gasket over it, but she’s as cool as a cucumber.
“I guess that’s the beauty of vacation; we can eat ice cream for dinner, if we want,” I chime in.
“Guess so,” Hannah agrees.
“Are you ready to order?” Beth asks. “The apps should be up in a moment.”
“I think we are,” Hannah says, looking to me to confirm. I nod my agreement and let Hannah order for the two of them before I give Beth my order.
“How long have you been here?” Hannah asks once Beth has left our table.
“Just got here this morning. Took the red-eye flight last night. How about you?”
“We got here a few days ago, so we’ve had time to explore and have fun.”
“And how long will you be here?” I ask.
“Another couple days,” she answers. “And you?”
“Four days,” I tell her. “Are you here celebrating anything special, or just a week away from the hustle and bustle of life?”
That same flash of pain that I noticed when we were on the beach quickly passed through her eyes. She looks over at Brayden and runs her hand through his hair. He’s busy trying to figure out the maze puzzle on the kids’ menu.
“This time of year is always hard for us; my husband passed away three years ago this week,” she says, looking back my way.
“I’m so sorry for your loss,” I tell her, now understanding the flashes of pain I noticed.
“Thank you; it was a sudden car accident,” she says. “Each year gets slightly easier. Brayden and I left town the week of the first anniversary, and it was the best spur-of-the-moment decision I ever made. After that trip, I’ve planned a vacation for us each year.”
“Making good memories to overshadow the sad ones sounds like a good idea,” I say, not sure if it is the right thing, actually, to say.
“Yeah, I also like being away, just the two of us. It helps us unplug and not be available for all the people who are trying to be nice by checking in on the anniversary of his death to make sure we’re doing okay. Sometimes getting all those messages all at once makes it hard to breathe, hard to cope, and function. But by being gone and unplugged, I can control when and if I even look at them. Absorb them in small amounts when I’m ready for them.”
“Makes perfect sense.”
“What about you? Are you here celebrating anything special?”
“Not really, just needed to get away,” I tell her.
I hold back the information that I’m a baseball player, and it’s the offseason, so this is my time to relax and recharge before the grueling season starts again when we report to camp in February. I like the idea that she has no clue—or, at least, hasn’t suggested she knows—I’m Matt O’Riley, star first baseman for the Indianapolis Lightning.
TWO
HANNAH
I sit across the table from Matt, still a little apprehensive about this man, yet also finding myself very smitten with him. The way he played with Brayden on the beach, showing him how to throw the baseball, melted my mom’s heart all the way. As much as I miss Ryan and always will, the one thing I hate the most is that Brayden is missing out on growing up with his dad. Learning all the things that Ryan dreamed about teaching him. We’d talked at great length when I was pregnant about all the things he couldn’t wait to do with our son. All the trips and experiences he was so ready to have and bond over. Brayden was only two when Ryan died, so they didn’t accomplish many. I also hate the fact that Brayden doesn’t really remember Ryan. He recognizes him in pictures that I keep around the house and knows things about him that family or friends have told him, but he doesn’t remember him from his own memories from when Ryan was alive.
I shake out of my thoughts, not wanting to zone out during dinner.
“I’ve got your appetizers for you,” Beth says, setting down the two plates I’d ordered. Brayden immediately reaches over to grab a mozzarella stick, dipping it into the marinara sauce so hard that it sloshes over the side of the ramekin.
