Chapter 20 Emmett
Emmett
Isaiah and Kennedy’s backyard is packed with all the players from the team, everyone from the Health and Wellness Department, the team photographers, equipment managers, and social media staff.
Essentially, it’s every person from the franchise who is involved in each game we play, both home and away.
All but one.
The Rhodes’ new house is stunning, and their sprawling backyard is just as impressive. There are plenty of tables and extra chairs for sitting, and lawn games are scattered across the grass. The weather is perfect, as is their view of the nearby lake.
I’ve been over a few times since they moved in early spring, but it’s fun to see them host their first gathering. They may have been an unlikely pair in the beginning, but they’re good for each other and I’m proud of the life they’ve built for themselves here.
“Can I get you another?” Kai asks, holding up his empty beer bottle.
I check the one I’m currently nursing. “I’m good. I’ll wait until we eat.”
“What did you bring?”
Shrugging, I bring the bottle to my lips. “I don’t know. Whatever Miller made for me.”
Kai chuckles. “Well then apparently you contributed a watermelon and feta salad, and I brought a corn and tomato dish I can’t pronounce.”
“How innovative of us.”
Kai looks around the busy backyard. “Reese isn’t coming?”
I down the rest of my beer. “Apparently not. I invited her last week, but that was also the last time I was alone with her to ask.”
I’ve seen Reese every day at the field, in that polished pencil skirt with her sleek blonde hair, fully in boss mode and focused solely on her job. We’ve hardly been alone since that kiss. It’s this torturous game of being in the same room with her but not being with her in the slightest.
Then there’s the reminder that this isn’t a game at all. This is her reputation at stake, and that’s enough to reinforce my resolve of keeping my distance.
At least that’s what I tell myself until the side gate to the backyard opens, and all that willpower I’ve been trying to muster since leaving Reese’s condo threatens to crumble at my feet.
Reese steps into the yard, serving dishes in her hands with that perfect pink manicure wrapped around them in a white-knuckled grip.
I’ve seen Reese outside of work enough times now that I shouldn’t be shocked when she’s not wearing her business attire, yet still, she somehow takes me by surprise.
She’s traded her usual pencil skirt for a pair of well-fitted jeans and light-yellow cardigan, unbuttoned at the top.
Casual but still completely put together.
She swapped her stilettos for a pair of Chucks and added a bend to her sharply cut hair, which is tucked behind one ear, showcasing those earrings my attention tends to snag on.
She looks fucking adorable, and I think she might cut my dick off if she ever heard me call her that.
The buzzing chatter of the backyard around me silences, and at first, I think it’s one of those cliché movie moments where the guy locks eyes with the woman he’s gone for and everything else around disappears to nothing.
And while, yeah, I’ve got my attention locked on Reese, the sounds around me didn’t falsely fade out. The backyard conversations and laughter truly did die down because everyone is looking in her direction too.
Reese glances up to find just about everyone staring at her and the panicked expression on her face cracks my heart in two. Her hands are full, her blue eyes are wide, and I’ve never seen her less confident than she seems right now.
I want to rush over to her, wrap her in a hug, thank her for coming, and tell everyone to be fucking normal about the team owner showing up to join us.
But I can’t because every person watching works for her. And that kills me.
I take Kai’s empty beer. “Go help her.”
The words are barely out of my mouth before he’s already taken off in her direction.
God, she looks so freaked out right now and I feel terrible. And helpless. I feel really fucking helpless. As someone who prides themselves on taking care of my people, just standing here doing nothing is torture.
I know people are staring in her direction simply because they’re surprised to see her outside of work, but if they can just go back to whatever the hell they were doing before she walked in, that’d be great.
Isaiah is the one to break the awkward silence, thank God.
“Welcome!” he says, loud enough for everyone to hear. Which isn’t all that loud because, again, everyone is just silently watching her.
He meets her at the back gate the same time his brother does.
Kai takes the dishes from her—three, to be exact—and Isaiah points her in the direction of the drinks, the bathroom, and where the food will be served.
The backyard is still way too quiet and I’m about two seconds away from grumpily growling something that will definitely out the fact that I’m more than a little smitten by this woman. But thankfully, Isaiah beats me to it.
“Okay, everyone. You all see her literally every day. Stop being weird and go back to whatever you were doing.”
There’s a nearby speaker system that hasn’t been used yet today because it’s been so loud back here, but Isaiah turns it up and the music is enough to ease the uncomfortable void.
I know I didn’t raise those boys or anything, but there’s still a swell of pride for them handling the situation how I hoped to handle it myself.
The people around me slowly get back to their previous conversations, and I give myself to the count of ten until I’ll allow myself to go see her. By then, enough people will have found something else to focus on rather than the team owner.
One.
Two.
By the time I get to three, Miller steps out of the backdoor slider and spots Reese slowly and unsurely migrating to join the party. And my daughter, my beautiful, sarcastic, doesn’t-give-a-shit-about-making-anyone-uncomfortable daughter beelines right for my boss and wraps her in a hug.
Reese is stiff as a board, and I can’t help but laugh from my spot across the yard.
But that’s Miller for you. She has no boundaries in the same way she has no filter.
You feel uncomfortable and unwelcome? Well, she’s going to hug the shit out of you until you realize you’re wanted here.
Either that or she’ll make some inappropriate joke at your expense that’ll break the ice real freaking quick.
Finally, I watch as Reese’s stiff shoulders loosen, and she hugs my daughter in return.
I’m always proud of my girl, but I could not be more thankful she is who she is, that she doesn’t have a shy bone in her body or give a shit that she just caught my boss off guard. Because I can already sense that Reese is a bit less guarded.
I don’t know what number I’m supposed to be counting, but it’s got to be past ten by now, so I toss the two empty bottles in a nearby recycling bin and take a step in her direction right as Isaiah places the last platter on the food table.
“Food is ready!” he announces loudly enough for everyone to hear.
An instant swarm of people head in that direction, but I’m just trying to get to Reese.
I veer through bodies, pushing my way through the crowd, trying to find her. Every once in a while, I catch a glimpse of blonde hair or a peek of that yellow sweater. But there’s so many people here it feels as if I’m swimming upstream and unable to make any progress.
Until I do, and realize I’ve passed her, finding her in the middle of the line to get food along with everyone else.
Cutting into the line, I slip in right behind her.
“Um, Coach.” Cody taps my shoulder. “You cut in front of me.”
Reese’s back is to me, not acknowledging that I’m standing directly behind her, but I see her body move in a silent laugh and know that she’s aware I’m here.
I look over my shoulder at my first baseman. “I’ve got to be honest, Cody. I truly could not care less.”
“Yeah, totally. Me neither. It’s not like I’ve been waiting all day for this or anything.”
Reese has this stunning smile on her face, trying to hold back her laughter when she turns back to Cody. “Do you want to go ahead of me?” she asks him. “I don’t mind.”
“Oh, no. That is so nice of you, Reese, but to be honest, I just really want to hold this over his head for a while. Thank you, though.”
She turns back to walk forward with the line, and Cody looks at me, pumping his brows a couple of times like a fucking idiot.
Shut up, I silently mouth.
“I just love that you can read my mind, Coach. We’re so connected.”
I step forward in line, keeping myself only a few inches behind Reese, my chest real close to her back. But we’re simply in line for food, so this is an innocent enough position if anyone were watching.
“So, what did you bring?” I ask quietly.
The corners of Reese’s mouth turn up, keeping her focus ahead of her.
“I brought a loaded focaccia with prosciutto and arugula. But then I got worried that people might be vegetarian, so I also made a caprese salad. But then that has dairy, and some people are dairy-free, so I also made this cucumber and avocado dish, just in case.”
“You brought three separate dishes?”
“I was nervous no one would like the one I brought. At least now I have better odds.”
I do my best not to tease her, but my cheeks hurt from the splitting grin I’m trying to bite back. Business Barbie is fucking endearing, and she has no idea.
My fingers are itching to touch her, to place my hand on her hip and give her a squeeze. To wrap my arm around the front of her shoulders and reassure her that she’s doing great.
But I can’t. Because I work for this woman along with everyone else at this potluck.
Instead, I keep my voice low and my mouth close to her ear when I say, “I’m glad you’re here.”
She looks up at me over her shoulder, brows pinched. “Are you sure it’s okay?”
“Without a question. You’re a part of this team too.”