Cole: Red, Hot & Blue, Book 5 Read Online Free Page B

his brow with the back of his hand. The sun-bleached blond highlights of his hair glinted in the sun. She laughed to herself. Everyone with Barton blood had dark hair and blue eyes, except Mikey. Instead, he looked just like his father, with his hair the color of wheat and golden brown eyes. Didn’t that just figure?
    It always amazed her that the town hadn’t figured out who his father was just by looking at him. The resemblance was so obvious to her. But no one had guessed, so maybe it was her imagination. Of course, why should they suspect it was Cole Ryan? She’d never breathed a word of that one night to a soul, or even told anyone that she was emailing him every day when he’d first gone away. What they had together had been so precious to her, she hadn’t wanted to share it with anyone, not even Anna. As it turned out, it had been a good thing she hadn’t.
    Eventually, Bobby had guessed the truth, but that was only because he’d been there the night Cole had called drunk and angry that she’d broken up with him by email. But Bobby didn’t judge her or reprimand her. In fact, they never discussed it again. Bobby had just accepted it and offered her silent support. He’d been there with money and a ride to the abortion clinic in the nearest city. And when she couldn’t go through with it, he’d been there with a strong hand to hold when she’d told her parents she was pregnant but refused to name the father.
    Bobby had been there for her then and was still here for her now, acting as surrogate father to her son for things such as coaching little league games. There were just some things moms couldn’t do, and this was one of them as far as Mikey was concerned. She supposed “the talk” would be another one of them. That was probably only two or three years away now that Mikey was almost ten. God, he’d grown up so fast.
    She shaded her eyes from the glare and watched Mikey powder his hands, get the feel of the ball and throw another strike. She had to smile. He had his father’s pitching arm too. Those Ryan genes sure were strong. There was barely even an ounce of Barton in Mikey. If she didn’t know she’d given birth to him, she’d wonder if he was really hers.
    At least she wouldn’t have to worry about not being able to afford a good college for her son. Lizzie could practically see the baseball scholarships rolling in. But even so, she worked as many hours at the diner as she could to save up money. And living with her parents rent free helped not only financially, but in the child-care department too.
    She’d made a good life for them both, even if she had given up her dream of going to college and becoming a teacher. Mikey would go to college for both of them.
    Mikey—actually, Mike—she’d have to remember he didn’t like being called that any longer—struck out the batter and waited for the next one to take his place. In this level of little league, they weren’t allowed to pitch an entire game, but Mike routinely retired every batter during his innings without allowing a single hit.
    “Wow. That kid has some arm. Who does he belong to?”
    She jumped nearly out of her skin. Although she may not have heard his voice in ten years, there was no mistaking it. She knew she would see him again someday, no avoiding it with his parents still in town, but she’d hoped it would be later rather than sooner. Guessing ten years was probably more reprieve than she should have expected, she turned and looked into the golden brown eyes of Cole Ryan.
    She swallowed. “Hi.”
    “Hi, Lizzie.” Tilting his head to look at her, he smiled. “You look exactly as I remember you.”
    Her heart contracted painfully. She realized even ten years hadn’t erased her feelings for him. No wonder she’d never been able to seriously date anyone else. The teenager inside her still loved Cole. “Thanks. Um, you look great too.”
    He laughed bitterly. “Yeah, thanks.”
    She couldn’t help herself and