19. Feral Caveman Mode #2
Liz’s grin could rival the Cheshire Cat as she flips it around so I can see the large 7 in the middle with the name Fletcher across the top.
“You’re not joking me.”
“Put it on!” Jordan chants.
“I am not wearing that,” I argue, shaking my head.
“You have to!” she begs.
“What? No. Why?”
“Haven’t you ever read a sports romance?” Liz asks.
“Why on earth would I have ever read one of those when I didn’t know the first thing about sports until recently?” I reply dryly.
“It’s not about the sports; it’s about the romance! It just happens to take place in a sporty setting. But that’s not the point. The point is that the guy always reverts to factory settings when they see the girl in their jersey,” Liz rambles on with literal heart eyes.
“Excuse me?”
“What Little Miss Sunshine is trying to say is that the man goes all feral caveman when they see their name across the girl’s back. Makes them want to take you back to their cave or something,” Jordan explains with complete seriousness.
“And that’s… a good thing?” I ask, genuinely confused.
“YES!” they scream at me in unison, making me wince.
I let out a resigned sigh, knowing they’ll never let up. “Fine. I’ll put on the jersey.” I snatch the black jersey from Liz’s hands and throw it on over my top, leaving it unbuttoned down the front.
“You’ll thank us later,” Jordan says with a smirk.
Liz wasn’t joking when she said she snagged some incredible seats. We’re only a few rows behind the home dugout. I’m settling into my seat when the guys run out for batting practice.
Jordan sighs, a note of wistfulness to it as she makes moon eyes at the players. “I’m so glad we came early enough for batting practice. More time to admire their asses in those baseball pants.”
“Jordan, don’t objectify them,” Liz scolds.
“Ugh, fine. I’m going to get a beer,” she says as she stands from her seat. “Anyone want anything?”
“I’ll come with you!” Liz says, popping up next to Jordan.
“Isa, you want anything?”
I don’t take my eyes from the field where the guys are still trickling out. “I’ll take a cider if they’ve got it.”
“Your wish is our command,” Jordan says.
I hear their retreating steps, but I’ve finally spotted Ryan, and I can’t seem to pull my eyes away. I rarely get the opportunity to simply watch and admire him without him knowing. Or my crew. It’s nice. And the longer I look, the more I realize how attracted I am to this man. How much I want him.
He’s following along with Austin and Cooper as they head toward home plate, but his focus isn’t on them. Instead, his eyes track across the field, looking for something.
Or someone, a voice in the back of my head teases.
I see him deflate a fraction when he doesn’t find what he’s looking for.
Batting practice flies by with Jordan and Liz still off getting their drinks and concessions.
I slide down in my seat a bit as I watch the guys file off the field so that Ryan doesn’t spot me.
Not yet at least. I don’t let myself straighten up until they’ve disappeared into the clubhouse.
With nothing else to occupy my attention, I pull out my phone and start scrolling my various social media feeds.
My phone buzzes in my hand.
Ryan
Dick’s working the game again tonight :’(
I snort a laugh at his message
Isabella
I’m sorry, who?
Ryan
You should be!
Richard
You know, because Dick is a nickname for Richard
Isabella
Maybe in the 1970s when Nixon was president, yeah
Ryan
I’m sure he was alive then so you could ask him
Isabella
Richard isn’t that bad. He’s actually really nice and great at his job
Ryan
That’s good for him. But he’s not nearly as pretty to look at
My cheeks heat at the comment.
Isabella
*eye roll*
Don’t you have a game you should be focusing on?
Ryan
Yes! Which is why I’m disappointed you’ve left me with little Dicky tonight
What are your plans for the night off anyway?
That’s two in a row now, they’re spoiling you
Isabella
Oh, you know. Just watching a bunch of guys in tight pants hit balls and run around a field
I see the three dots of him replying appear and disappear a few times before they disappear for good.
My shoulders drop in disappointment when he doesn’t reply.
Maybe he got yelled at by his coach for being on his phone right before the game.
I slip my phone back into my pocket and look out over the field as the ground staff prep it for game time.
It’s as I’m letting my eyes drift back down that I see Ryan’s head pop into the dugout.
He’s scanning the stands looking for someone.
Oh, who are you kidding. You. He’s looking for you.
His gaze skips over me, but it doesn’t make it far before it snaps back to me.
Even from this distance, I can see the grin that overtakes his features.
I give him a shy smile and small wave. His eyes take in my appearance and my skin heats along the path that his eyes travel.
They round out for a quick moment before he ducks his head and looks down at something in his hands.
His head snaps back up right as my phone buzzes in my pocket.
I furrow my brows at him in confusion as I fish out my phone.
Ryan
Stand up.
Oh. Oh.
I look back up to him and smirk, acquiescing to his request. Or I suppose demand.
I chew on my bottom lip as I watch him take in the jersey.
His hand rubs across his jaw and he stares for a full minute.
Eventually, he drags his eyes back up to mine.
He lifts a hand and makes a circle with his index finger, asking me to turn around. Once again, I oblige.
I make a show of slowly turning until I have my back to him.
I reach back and pull my ponytail over my shoulder and turn my head back to look at him.
He’s got both hands braced on top of his head now, his knuckles white as he grips his hat.
Almost as if he needs to grip something, anything since I’m not standing in front of him.
I smile to myself as I pull up our conversation again.
Isabella
Something wrong?
I turn back around in time to watch him read the message. I see his lips move as he talks to his phone and types out a reply.
Ryan
Everything is so very right
You’re going to kill me
In fact, it’s entirely possible I may already be dead
Did you drive here?
Isabella
No, I rode with Liz and Jordan
Ryan
Good
You’re leaving with me
I feel the blush heat my cheeks as I watch him pocket his phone. We stare at one another for another several moments, only breaking when Liz and Jordan return.
“Wow, that man looks like he wants to rip your clothes off,” Jordan muses as she passes me a cider. Liz just looks amused as her head bounces between Ryan and me. He gives a quick salute to them and a wink for me before he jogs back into the clubhouse.
“So, you may have been right about the jersey,” I mutter as I drop back down into my seat and take a sip of my drink.
The only response I get from them is their cackling.