Chapter 19
We’re only a month into the season, but I’m already exhausted.
Baseball is my life, and I love it endlessly, but being away so much is growing harder every year. Don’t get me wrong, the time spent on an airplane is worth it. There’s nothing I would rather do with my life than get to play the greatest sport on Earth.
We won three of the four games against Texas, and Roman was smiling the entire flight back to Vancouver, so there isn’t much to complain about.
The team was happy and relieved after losing our last series against them.
I played great yesterday and know that a night at home in my own bed will soothe the aches in my body better than any amount of stretching ever will.
Yet something still feels off.
I’m not going straight home from the airport to soak in an ice bath and order from my favourite sandwich shop before going to bed before the sun has set.
Instead, I’m sitting shotgun in Wes’ brand-new Bentley on the way to eavesdrop on Aubrey’s next date.
The same one I set up from my hotel room this morning.
“Can I be honest about something?” Wes asks, cutting through the silence.
“Of course, man.”
“I never thought I’d see the day when you took to setting Aubs up with a man of your choosing. It was surprising when you let her go out with the guys we suggested, but this? Are you really that unbothered?”
I look across the white-leather interior and arch a brow at him.
His smile is coy, wicked in a way that tells me he’s got a lot more to say.
Considering how silent he was on the drive to the restaurant recommended to me by Kellan earlier this week, I should have seen this coming.
He’s been cooking this up for the last thirty minutes.
“Well, was I supposed to let you try again? She can date who she wants to.”
“No, that’s not what I meant. I actually quite like having my balls intact.”
“So?” I press.
“So, isn’t this weird for you? At all? Not even a little bit?”
I roll out the lactic acid pooling in my shoulder and wince at the lingering soreness. “I don’t see why it would be. This isn’t the first time I’ve set her up with someone. It’s just been a while since I got involved like this.”
“Stop playing, Finn.”
“I’m not playing anything. What’s up with you?”
“How long have we known each other?”
“Seven years.”
“And how long have I known Aubrey?”
I narrow my eyes at the knowing tone of his voice. “The exact same length of time, Wes. Why does this matter?”
“Do you remember the first conversation we ever had in the clubhouse? Because I do, and I also recall the way you lit up when you used about two-thirds of our time together talking about her. Nearly everything you said was about how excited you were to play for the Havoc, but also how your best friend, Aubrey, couldn’t wait to come and meet everyone, too.
She was such a big fan of the team and hadn’t stopped talking about how excited she was to watch you play here for the first time. ”
“I remember. And if my memory serves, you and everyone who was close enough to hear us gave me a hard enough time about it then.”
With a jerky motion, Wes steals an empty spot not too far from the restaurant. When he puts the car in Park, he clicks his tongue on the roof of his mouth. When he twists in his seat, it’s a flat expression that greets me.
“Clearly, there is. I don’t want to bag on you, but I don’t know what the hell you’re doing here.”
“It’s pretty self-explanatory. This is what she wants, so I’m helping her. Sure, I’d prefer her go on dates with men she’s actually interested in and met herself, but you know what’s going on. There isn’t really much time for that.”
His groan is heavy and has my defenses rising. “Cut the shit. That’s not what I’m talking about.”
“Stop with the mind games, Wes. I’m exhausted.”
“You’re seriously not at all bothered by her doing so much dating? It doesn’t make you feel jealous at all to be the one responsible for her spending the night with some random guy?”
“I don’t think she’s going to be spending the night with him,” I snap, surprising myself with the venom suddenly flooding my mouth and chest cavity. With a low clearing of my throat, I shove that reaction away and push forward, ignoring Wes’ probing gaze. “This is for her job.”
My initial reaction doesn’t escape him, and I know exactly what he’s going to say before the words escape.
“And if she did? You wouldn’t be upset?”
I unbuckle my seat belt, avoiding looking at him. “Why would it? She’s a grown woman, and we’re both far from virgins.”
It isn’t until I’ve felt the seat belt snap across my chest and reached for the door that I realize how slick my hands have gotten.
My stomach folds itself in half as I try putting an end to the discomfort now free bleeding into my subconscious.
I can’t find where it’s coming from, though. It’s pooling and pooling—
“Don’t be na?ve, Finn. I’m not saying you need to be into her if you’re not. Just tell me I’m wrong, and I’ll let it go. I didn’t mean to upset you. I’m just looking out for you so you don’t wind up hurting yourself over this.”
I give my head a rough shake and shove the door open. My phone’s buzzing in my coat pocket, but I can’t get myself to check who’s calling. One look up the sidewalk and I have my answer, anyway.
Aubrey’s already here, and from the darting of her eyes as she scans the walkway outside the restaurant, she’s obviously still waiting for her date.
Her phone’s pressed to her ear, but her lips aren’t moving.
When the buzzing in my pocket stops, she lowers her phone and bites down on her lip.
It’s glossy enough that I can see the sheen from here.
There’s a tightness in my chest that has me tugging at the zipper of my jacket, moving it up and down.
One look at her and I know she’s spent hours getting ready for tonight.
Not only is her makeup flawless, but she’s curled every strand of long black hair and braided the front sections.
Her black dress only reaches the middle of her thick thighs and has these beautiful lace sleeves accented with tiny butterflies.
I grind my teeth together and force my eyes away once they get to her signature black heels.
“Just come with me, bro. You don’t need to be here to chaperone her date. Aubrey’s a big girl, and I’m sure she’ll give you the rundown after,” Wes pleads from the car.
I meet his stare. His brow twitches at whatever he finds in mine. I don’t bother telling him that I’m here for me more than her because I know that he’s more than aware of that. Maybe more so than I am.
The idea of leaving her here looking the way she does sets me off. A savage heat boils high in my chest. If I have to share her with another man for a few hours tonight, so be it. But I’ll be the one taking her home.
“Thanks for the ride. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
***AUbrEY***
“My brother is actually a lawyer, too.”
“Really? What kind?” I ask, taking a casual sip of my martini.
“Corporate. We get a kick out of teasing him about taking the most boring path,” my date says.
The moment I saw him rushing up the sidewalk outside the restaurant a half hour ago, I was expecting the worst. Other than the photo Finn shared with me from his social media yesterday, I had no idea what I was going to be walking into tonight.
Malik is very, very handsome and seems to have a decent sense of humour.
He hasn’t interrupted me or shown a sliver of sexism or toxic masculinity.
With dark brown skin, deep chocolate eyes, the perfect amount of groomed facial hair, and a suit that’s been fitted to perfection over his tall, bulky body, he’s a bombshell himself.
It’s hard to believe he was interested in being set up on a date in the first place, when I doubt he’s ever had trouble finding his own.
According to Finn, he’s his pitching coach’s nephew, and from the few times he’s met him, he’s been polite and genuine.
His coach sings his praises, which isn’t surprising, considering they’re family, but I still said yes when Finn offered him as an option.
There wasn’t really much else out there for me unless I was considering having one of the men from the hotel gym in Texas fly over here to try to sweep me off my feet.
Malik takes a swig of his lemon water and flashes me a grin when I set my martini down. The energy at our table is relaxed, yet still a bit heightened as I fidget in his presence, trying not to say the wrong thing or read too far into every little thing he does.
“Corporate isn’t boring, per se. I couldn’t do it, but I’m also the type of person who would wind up kicked out of a business meeting full of stuffy rich men for mouthing off.”
He laughs deeply, humour warming his eyes. “That doesn’t surprise me, actually.”
“Oh? Do I come off as a loudmouth?” It’s a light tease, but I still wince slightly after, realizing how abrasive that could come off to the wrong person.
“A loudmouth? No.” His hand touches mine across the table, and I stare at the gold watch on his wrist for a beat longer than normal. He smooths his thumb over my knuckles. “More like . . . charismatic. The take-no-shit type.”
The contact isn’t bad. I’m not considering snagging my hand back and tossing what’s left of my drink across his expensive suit. Instead . . . the unease filling my stomach is for an entirely different reason. I felt it when Malik put a guiding hand on my back when we stepped inside earlier, too.
I shift my gaze in search of Finn. He was late tonight.