Chapter 3
Sommer stared at me. Which gave me ample opportunity to look into her pretty eyes. They seemed to morph from a light emerald to almost gray, depending on her mood. When I was a kid, my grandmother had a ring like that. I’d look at it on her finger to see if it would be a good time to ask for something. And I guessed by the way Sommer’s eyes darkened she didn’t like my last statement.
“What do you say? Be my date. You’ll see that I’m not an asshole, and I’m not out to get into trouble. Unless you have a boyfriend.”
It wouldn’t have surprised me if that had been the case. Sommer Bennett had everything a smart man would want. Except he’d need to be exceptional to turn her head.
“Not that it’s any of your business, but no, I don’t have a boyfriend. And it’s also a no for going with you.” Her face puckered as though she’d just eaten a sour candy. “I don’t date players.”
I had a feeling she’d say that, too, but first, I needed to ask, “What’s that look?”
“I don’t have a look. Just stating the facts.”
“Fine, you didn’t have a look. How about this? Don’t call it a date. Come as my friend. We’ll go and hang out. And before you say that we’re not friends, because I know that’s sitting on the tip of your tongue, why couldn’t we be?”
“You want to be friends?” She scoffed, which irritated me. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Why, because you’ll eventually want to sleep with me?” When her plump lips parted, I couldn’t help myself. Continuing, I added, “I won’t touch you unless you want me to.”
“Don’t hold your breath.”
Her curtness had me smiling. “You say that now, but you don’t know me. You think you do, but you don’t. Yes, you know my stats, and I appreciate that, but there’s more to me than baseball. Here’s a quick list that you won’t find in an internet search: I’m smart. I was valedictorian of my high school class and graduated in the top percentile in college with a degree in architecture. I love to draw and sketch houses and buildings. I enjoy figuring out the math behind the walls and the engineering side of the project. Baseball comes naturally, and I love everything about it. When I put my mind to something, my plan is to be the best. Not just to surpass my best but to be better than everyone. Mediocrity isn’t in my vocabulary.”
“Is that why, when you let off steam, you do so in a grand fashion? Because you put so much pressure on yourself?”
“Great question. Maybe. I never really thought about it. My point is, once you get to know me—the real me—you might change your mind about being my friend.” I put my hands in the air in surrender. “But, hey, if you don’t think you can handle going to the gala with me, that’s fine. I’m sure you’ll get a ticket from your grandfather and be there anyway.”
She leaned forward, sliding her arms across the table, while I kept a challenging hold on her eyes.
“Yes, I will be at the event with the rest of the executive team. But I will not be your date then or at any time. Our relationship will always be professional.”
“I don’t believe that for a second,” I teased, a grin playing on my lips.
She raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. “Believe what you want, but I’m not here to make friends. I’m here to do a job.”
“If you say so.”
“I do.” Then, to my surprise, and I think hers, too, she blurted, “Good. I’m not your type anyway.”
Before she could tell me to ignore her, I smirked. “Oh no, you’re definitely my type—smart, beautiful, driven. But I understand what you’re saying.” Then, it was my turn to inch myself closer to her. “One thing you should know is that I don’t give up. I never have and never will. Once I set my sights on something, I do my damnedest to make it a reality. One day, you may even beg me to kiss you.”
She rolled her eyes, which made me even more determined. “And what are your sights set on?”
“Aside from making your grandfather not question bringing me into the organization, I’d say my sights were set on you.” Those pretty lips parted. “Don’t worry, like I said, I won’t touch you unless you ask me to.”
“You said beg.”
“I’d take polite requests too.” I winked before standing up. “Let’s face it. Neither of us expected to be in this situation, me having to coordinate my social life with you and you having to bank your career advancement on me. So wouldn’t it make the most sense for us to at least be friends?”
Sommer tilted her head and studied me. “I suppose there’s logic in that way of thinking.”
“I’m glad you think so. I have another workout to get to. I’m sure that you have more to talk about.”
“We do need to continue this conversation.”
“You have my number. Call me when you want to meet again.”
I had to get out of her office to think. I’d never opened myself up so quickly to a virtual stranger, especially one that could easily end my career or, at the very least, alter it.
Moving toward the table, I gathered the remnants of our lunch. “I’ll get rid of this.”
“Thank you again.”
“You’re welcome. I told you I was a nice guy.”
“Yes, you keep reminding me.”
“Because it’s true.” I could tell that she wanted to smile but wouldn’t let herself. “It’s okay; you don’t need to admit to agreeing with me.” I turned and took a few steps toward her until we were face to face. Sommer tipped her head to look up at me. “I should thank you for caring about me.”
“I care about the team and my family’s legacy.”
“As do I, Miss Bennett. Look, I know I can come on strong—it’s in my nature. If I offended you in any way, I didn’t mean it. I’m not used to having someone watch my every move.” I chuckled. “The last person who did that was my mother.” Sommer smiled, and I went on to say, “I know that this is the last thing you want to do, but it’s clear that we’re in this together. I won’t come on to you. In all honesty, I only said those things to get a rise out of you. Not that I don’t think you’re the entire package, but I’m here to play ball. And, like me, you’re here to do a job too. Don’t think I don’t understand the situation.”
“Thank you.”
“I do have one request, though.”
“What’s that?”
“Get to know me. I’m sure you know what it’s like to follow in the footsteps of greatness. We have that in common. We also have our own goals. The best way for you to achieve yours is to put me in a good light, which in turn does the same for the Hawks. Am I guessing correctly?” Her pink-tinted lips rolled between her teeth. “I thought so. Trust me, Miss Bennett, once this is over, you’ll probably be sitting pretty in the corner office.”
“All because of you?”
I shook my head. “No, because of you. Enjoy the rest of your day.”
On that note, I slowly turned and walked out of her office, leaving the door open behind me. I heard her let out a long, exasperated breath before I dumped our trash in the bin in the break room.
* * *
I lied. I had nowhere to go except out of her office. Rather than head home, I drove to Remington Thorne’s house. He played catcher for the Hawks and was my best friend. The guy knew me better than I knew myself. Maybe it was the connection we had on the field, but whatever the case, he kept it real.
Pulling into his driveway, I pressed the button for the gate, which opened seconds afterward. Remington’s home was larger than mine. But it was just me in my place. He was married and had a three-year-old daughter who owned my heart.
Before I rang the bell, he opened the door and stepped aside to invite me in. “Hey, I had a feeling you’d come over.” That didn’t surprise me. “How was the meeting?”
I followed him across his foyer, past the family room, and into the kitchen, where he grabbed us each a beer. He popped the caps and handed me one. After taking a sip, I explained everything that happened.
“Sommer is a great person. I’ve met her a few times at team events.”
Remington had been with the Hawks for almost eight years and was a fan his entire life. When I joined the team, he confessed he’d always wanted to catch for my dad. I didn’t blame him. Cash Jameson had been my childhood hero before I even knew we shared DNA.
“Yes, she’s something.” I raked my hand through my hair. “I hate social media.”
He nodded. “It’s scary the power it wields. The best thing to do is take away its sword, or it could gut you. As far as what you’re going through, you know my thoughts on that.”
I did. He had been the first person to call me and tell me about the pictures that popped up. At the time, I didn’t care much because, in my mind, what was done was done. It wasn’t as though I could deny it’d been me.
“Yes, I know. Your thoughts are the same as Sommer’s. You know I’d never do anything to bring down the team, right?”
“Of course I do. It’s different for me, though. Meg and I have been together since high school. I didn’t have the groupie thing going on. She’d kick my ass and theirs.”
“You got that right,” Meg said, walking in with Ariel on her hip. “Don’t forget, you’re babysitting tomorrow.”
I stood as soon as I heard her. “Hey, Meg. Yes, I remember.”
Ariel wiped the sleep from her eyes with her fists. “Hey, angel girl.”
“Uncle Yimmy!” She wiggled out of her mother’s arms and came over to me. Lifting her, I pecked her warm cheek. “Did you have a good nap?” Her light-blonde hair tickled the underside of my jaw when she nodded. Ariel melted my heart more and more each time I saw her. Especially when she rested her head between my pec and my shoulder. She called it Ari’s soft spot. The sweet girl brought her thumb to her mouth and began sucking.
“Sorry to interrupt, but someone heard voices.” Meg walked over and placed her hand on Ariel’s back. “Honey, let’s go get a snack. Daddy and Uncle Jimmy are talking.”
“Ari talk too. I wov Uncle Yimmy.”
“Wow, what am I chopped liver?” Remington joked.
Ariel tilted her head as she looked at her dad. Meanwhile, I chuckled and pulled her closer to me. God, I loved this little girl. She reminded me of when my sister Riley was her age. And I didn’t care what anyone said, I was her favorite babysitter. Knowing that I did want to finish this conversation and that Meg had Ariel on a schedule, I loosened my hold and looked at her pretty blue eyes. “Why don’t you go with Mommy? I promise I’ll play with you before I leave.”
“Baby dows?”
Ignoring Meg and Remington, who both looked as though they wanted to laugh, I nodded. “Baby dolls sound great.”
In an instant, she was out of my arms and into her mother’s. I watched them walk away before sitting back down with my beer.
“Maybe I should take pictures of you playing with dolls and post that on social media. Of course, I’d pixelate my daughter’s face.”
From the kitchen, we heard, “Bad idea. Ovaries will explode. You’ll have more dates than you know what to do with.”
Oh, I’d know what to do with them.I was about to ask how she even heard us but brought my focus back to Remington. “Unnecessary. Miss Bennett will be handling all my social media from now on. She’ll basically be handling my off-the-field life.” Although if she got the promotion she wanted, then she’d control that too.
“And you’re okay with that? Wait, did you say Miss Bennett?”
I half chuckled. “Yes, I’ve been instructed not to call her Sommer. So Miss Bennett it is.”
He smirked. I knew he had been dying to say something about a woman not falling for my charm, but he simply stated. “Wow, she must really not like you.”
I shrugged. “She’ll come around. And I don’t have a choice in the matter. Eventually Miss Bennett will see that I’m not the horrible person she thinks I am.”
Before he could warn me about what not to do, his daughter came running up to us. “Uncle Yimmy”—she tugged on my shirtsleeve—“pway time.”
Her little legs moved backward, doing her best to pull me up. Helping her, I stood and took her tiny hand in mine. “Lead the way.”
She giggled, and for the next two hours, I played with my pseudo niece and, for a while, forgot about the stress in my life.