Chapter 6
SADIE
SADIE: Okay, let’s share the basics. I’m born and raised here in the Vancouver area. My parents live out in Langley, I’m the oldest of two siblings. I love animals, reading, and swimming. Oh and I’m allergic to bees.
MAVERICK: Got it.
SADIE: It would help if you told me something about you?
MAVERICK: I’m from up north. No family. Baseball is my life. No allergies.
SADIE: Wow, I feel like I know you so well…
MAVERICK: Sarcasm isn’t a good look for you Specs.
SADIE: Don’t call me that. Anyway, moving on. How did we meet?
MAVERICK: Don’t care. Make it up. I hate text messages by the way.
I stare at my phone, wanting to scream and hit something. He’s worse than my younger brother at communicating, and that’s saying something since Simon communicates mostly in grunts.
I avoided contacting Maverick all weekend, needing a day to wrap my head around everything. But when I woke up today and realized I wouldn’t be heading into the office, I knew I couldn’t put everything off any longer.
Getting things started with Maverick is the only way out of this mess, and two days trapped in this crappy apartment worried the vultures that found me at work would find me anywhere, has me going crazy.
To say nothing of the guilt I feel, as I ignore the pull to check my phone for anymore headlines and the curious calls and messages from the few family and friends I actually care about.
Honestly, that second part has been the hardest. I hate lying, abhor it, really.
Which is going to make talking to my family and friends painful.
But Maverick insisted that no one can know.
I haven’t had the guts to tell him that Ali already knows…
But since his agent-brother person does, I figure it’s all fair.
My phone pings with a new text message. I let myself glance at who sent it, and when I see who it is, I click immediately to open.
WILLOW: Girl! Care to share why I came back from a weekend away with my family to have the mother of all news bombs dropped in my lap?
WILLOW: WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME?! Setting aside the whole, I’m head of media relations and this kinda stuff is literally my job to know, I thought we were friends…
How could you not say you started dating one of my guys.
I’m not mad, promise. Just surprised. Meet me at the diner by the stadium for lunch?
SADIE: The one the players go to?
I chew on my thumbnail as I wait for her to answer. On one hand, I’d love to see her. But I also have to keep up the lie. And there’s the media to contend with…
WILLOW: Yep. The owner, Maura, is great at keeping any press far away, she’s got a zero tolerance rule. You’ll be safe from the cameras.
Well, that’s reassuring. And I guess I can’t avoid her forever.
SADIE: Okay. See you around noon?
WILLOW: It’s a date. Can’t wait to hear ALL ABOUT IT!
I groan to myself. Freaking Maverick and his inability to hold a conversation. I have no idea what to say to Willow. What kind of a story to spin. And he’s useless. I debate texting Colin since Maverick gave me his number as well. But no, I’m going to have to figure this out on my own.
At least I have a good reason to leave my apartment. And if anyone can handle the press, should it be needed, it’s Willow.
When I reach the diner that’s right next to the Tridents’ stadium an hour later, Willow is waving at me from inside, a huge smile on her face. I walk in, hoping I don’t look as deer-in-the-headlights as I feel.
“Oh my God, I am in shock!” Willow says by way of greeting, dragging me in for a hug when I reach the booth. “You tamed Maverick King. Wonders will never cease.”
It baffles me how she could possibly believe it’s all real, but as we sit down, I see the excitement on her face, and I have to reconcile that what seems insane to me isn’t that way to everyone else.
“I wouldn’t say I tamed him,” I start slowly, and Willow giggles.
“Of course not. Where’s the fun in that?
” Her expression sobers as she reaches one hand across the table to cover mine.
“In all seriousness, I’m glad someone as good and kind as you managed to see the real Maverick.
He’s not what the media portrays him to be, but so few people bother to find that out. ”
My eyes widen. “I…I know. He’s a bad boy with a moral code,” I blurt out, repeating what I said to Maverick in my office last week. And Willow throws her head back in laughter.
“Oh my God, yes. That’s exactly it. It took me a while to see it, but Uncle Mike always did.
That’s why he’s had such a hard time trying to decide what to do with Mav.
I mean” — Willow leans forward, her voice dropping low — “Mav’s recklessness can’t continue, even if those of us that know him realize it’s coming from a good place.
It’s not prudent for the team to be seen supporting it or even allowing it.
But the last thing we want to do is abandon him.
He’s a good guy and a great player. He just needs to stop making dumb decisions. ”
I nod along with her, pretending I know exactly what she’s talking about. But inside, my head is spinning. I’m realizing I truly have no clue what I’ve gotten myself into.
A waitress comes over and takes our orders, and as soon as she leaves, Willow leans back in. “Alright, spill. When did you two start dating? Wait, did you meet at the hospital?” Her hands lift to cover her heart. “That’s so romantic.”
“Okay, slow down, lady,” I say, shaking my head. “Just because you’re happy and in love doesn’t mean everyone else is surrounded by hearts and rainbows.”
Willow looks confused and I immediately try to backpedal from that unintentional cynicism.
“I just mean, it’s new between Maverick and me. Yes, we met at the hospital, but we’re so different. We didn’t want anyone to know until we figured out if it was going to work between us.”
There. That’s as close to the truth as I can make it.
“You know they say, opposites attract.” Willow smiles. “You’re just what Maverick needs. Someone calm and steady to show him he can relax and let down his guard.”
Our lunch is delivered, saving me from having to fabricate a response to that. But part of me wonders what Maverick is guarding himself from.
Willow fills the time while we’re eating with updates on her relationship with Ronan Sinclair, the new first baseman for the Tridents. They’re so happy together, even though I know they had a couple of bumps in the road not that long ago.
When we’re finished, Willow grabs the bill with a wink aimed my way. “Business expense, girlfriend. We discussed the media situation surrounding one of my players.”
I choke out a laugh, but don’t argue with a free lunch. As we leave the diner, I start to turn toward my parked car when Willow gestures toward the large stadium. “Are you coming to see Mav? When I left, he was almost done with his rehab session. I can show you where to find him if you want.”
“Oh, um,” I try to come up with an excuse but fail as Willow looks at me expectantly. “Yeah, sure. That would be great, thanks.”
I fall in step beside her, and we cross the short distance to the stadium grounds. She opens a back door and leads me through a maze of corridors that has me feeling dizzy. But then we come to a stop outside large glass doors with the Tridents’ logo. And there he is.
Walking toward us, his shirt is wet with sweat and a towel is draped over his neck.
His arm is in a sling again, and a scowl is etched across his face.
His intense masculinity has me swallowing down the rush of unwelcome attraction I feel.
Fine, he’s an attractive man. Doesn’t mean I want to do anything about it.
“Mav, look who I found,” Willow calls out, and his head snaps up to look at us. To his credit, he doesn’t falter, walking straight to us with an emotionless face.
“Hi,” I say softly, waiting to see what he does.
“Hey, Specs,” is his gruff reply. Then, to my utter shock, he leans in and his lips graze my cheek, making me shiver. He moves beside me, and as if I wasn’t stunned enough, I feel his hand grasp mine. “Hi, Willow. I didn’t realize you know Sadie.”
How the hell is he so calm right now? I look at his face, and it’s still unreadable. Willow, on the other hand, is grinning so wide, I can’t imagine her face doesn’t hurt.
“Okay, I’m sorry, but this is freaking adorable. I’m so happy for you two.” She claps her hands together.
“Who are we happy for?”
We all turn at the new voice, and an unfamiliar older man wearing a suit comes striding down the hall.
“Hi, my girl. Mav,” he greets Willow and Maverick, then turns to me, his hand outstretched. “Mike Cartwright. Are you one of Willow’s friends?”
“She’s dating Mav!” Willow blurts out before I can say anything, and I feel Maverick’s hand tighten around mine.
The man, Mike, raises his eyebrows as he glances from me to the man next to me. Then his eyes drop down to where Maverick is still holding my hand.
“Right. You’re the one from the photo.”
Just then, everything clicks. This is Mike Cartwright. As in, Willow’s uncle. As in, the owner of the team. I gulp and nod.
“Yes, I am. Nice to meet you.” Everything is on the line for Maverick. I have to sell this. Dropping his hand, I lift mine to shake Mike’s hand.
“Well, I hope our guy treats you right.” There’s no mistaking the intense stare he turns on Maverick, and I slip my arm around his waist, leaning in with what I hope is a smitten expression.
“He does, I promise.”
Mike’s face softens as he looks back at me. “Good. Nice to see you, Mav. I hear I’ll be getting an update on your recovery from the team later today. Hope it’s good news. I’d better run, Willow, we have that budget meeting. Are you coming?”
“Yup.” Willow wraps me in a hug, whispering in my ear, “So, so, so happy for you. We’ll catch up soon.”
Then she’s gone, along with her uncle, and I’m left standing there, arm in arm with Maverick. I step away instantly, and to my surprise, I miss the feel of his solid body against mine.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to ambush you here. Willow and I were out for lunch and she assumed I was coming to see you. I couldn’t figure a way to get out of it.”
“Sadie, stop.” Maverick’s firm tone halts my ramble. “It’s fine. It’s honestly probably a good thing. They seemed to buy it, that we’re together.”
My head bobs up and down. “Okay. Cool. Yay! Mission accomplished.”
He gives me a hard look. “Not yet.”
I gulp again. “I know. But it’s a good start.”
At that, he seems to deflate slightly. “Yeah.” Lifting his hat from his head, he runs his fingers through dark blond hair before setting the hat back down. “C’mon, I’ll walk you to your car.”
He’s silent the entire way back to where I parked outside the diner. But once I’m sitting down, instead of walking away, Maverick stops and leans down to look at me. “What did you tell Willow about us?”
I raise my eyebrows. “Oh, so now you want to discuss our backstory?”
His lips actually tip up for the briefest of seconds. “Just so we’re on the same page.”
I click my seat belt in place before answering with a wry smirk of my own.
“I’ll text you.”