Second Chance Dad. Pamela Stone

Ashton needed.

      “The only time I’m wasting is any time you’re around.” Kenzie tossed the ball to Ashton, and Vince could see the concentration and focus but nervousness won out and he missed.

      Billy guffawed. “You suck worse than a girl.”

      “If girls suck so bad, then why do I always get picked before you?” Kenzie boasted.

      Vince put his hands in his pockets and turned to Billy. “So, you any good? Maybe you could show Ashton?”

      “Dad! We don’t want Bully Baer here.”

      Vince removed his cap, stuck it on Ashton’s curly hair and took the ball from Kenzie. “Come on, Billy, let’s hit a few.”

      Laying his bike down, Billy eyed Vince suspiciously. “Sure. Why not? I can hit better with my eyes closed than the nerd can.”

      Vince threw a couple of balls and allowed Billy to hit them. “Good job,” Vince said as the ball sailed past the makeshift second-base sycamore tree.

      Billy’s smug expression grew as one of the other boys retrieved the ball and tossed it back to Vince. He let Bully Baer hit one more and his two buddies clicked fists. “See, nerd. That’s how it’s done.”

      Kenzie paced with Boo dogging her heels and Ashton looked downright miserable. Vince put a slight spin on the next throw and Billy barely made contact. The ball fouled off to the right just missing the mailbox—uh, first base.

      “No fair, you didn’t throw it right. One more time.”

      Kenzie tossed the ball back to Vince.

      Adding more spin, Vince curved it directly over “home plate” and Billy swung, missing the ball as it curled to the left and bounced down the drive.