Chapter 17
MAVERICK
The sound of someone in my kitchen pulls me from asleep to awake. My groggy brain assumes it’s Colin; he’s the only one with a key other than my housekeeper, and she was just here. Then a distinctly feminine voice starts murmuring something to Cat, and reality slams into me.
Sadie.
Sitting up, I push off the blanket draped over my legs and look over the back of the couch toward the kitchen. She’s got Cat in her arms again and is slowly swaying back and forth with that fucking animal snuggled right in against her neck.
Great, now I’m jealous of a goddamn cat. And my dick is taking notice of the way she looks all adorably rumpled in a set of pajama shorts and a T-shirt that is falling off her shoulder, showing way too much of that pale smooth skin. Fucking hell.
A frustrated noise slips out and Sadie’s head darts up, her gaze meeting mine.
“Morning, I hope I didn’t wake you.” She gives me a hesitant smile, no longer swaying but still holding my cat in her arms.
“You didn’t.” I clear my throat to get rid of the sleepy gravel sound. Turning back around so I’m not looking at her, I recite as many of my youth stats as I can remember to try and get things to settle down so I can stand up without freaking her out.
But my self-control is put to the test when I hear her set Cat down and the familiar sound of coffee being poured.
Then it’s shot to hell when she walks over and sets two coffee mugs on the table.
I just barely have time to grab the blanket and throw it over my lap before she sits down at the opposite end of the couch.
Picking up her own coffee, she takes a sip and lets out a sound of contentment that does nothing to help my situation.
For ten years, I’ve woken up alone. Even at training camp, or on away game trips, I have my own room. Ever since leaving the group home at eighteen, I’ve lived by myself. I like silence. Solitude. I like not having to deal with people first thing in the morning.
But Sadie doesn’t say anything, just sits there sipping coffee in the quiet. And slowly, surprisingly, I find myself relaxing back into the couch. I lean forward, pick up my coffee, and take a sip, then look at her. “This is good. Thanks.”
She gives me a quick smile, but still doesn’t say anything. Just drinks her coffee at the opposite end of the couch, gently stroking Cat who hopped up between us to curl into a ball.
And fuck, it’s actually kind of nice.
Sadie finishes first and stands up from the couch. “I’ll just take a quick shower if that’s okay. I can go find a café to work at today.”
My confusion must be clear because she goes on.
“I haven’t been to the office since this started. The reporters…it got a little crazy that first day so my boss suggested I work from home.”
In an instant, that confusion is replaced with indignation. “Are you serious?” She nods. “You were working out of that shithole? For the last three weeks?”
Her eyes fill with fire. “Listen. That shithole was my home. I get that it’s not up to your millionaire athlete standards, and I’m not saying I love it there, but it was home.
I did what I had to do, after a man turned my entire life upside down.
And yeah, I hated working from home. Being stuck there all day, every day.
But once again, it was what I had to do after another man messed up my life even more. ”
The way she’s glaring at me makes it clear who she’s referring to.
And I guess I’m a sick bastard because the way she’s standing up and pushing back at me is fucking hot as hell.
It’s not hard to see that Sadie tends to think of everyone but herself.
That what she wants comes second to what everyone around her wants.
And I wish so badly I could tell her to stop.
To put herself first because fuck knows no one else will. It’s a lesson I learned the hard way.
But seeing that fire in her, even as she’s giving me hell, is a relief. Because maybe she won’t have to go through anymore shit to realize she’s worth being a priority in her own life.
“Sorry, Specs,” I reply, and I mean it. I am sorry my notoriety made things messy for her. But I’m not sorry for stepping up when her ex was being a fucker.
Sinking back down onto the couch, she lets out a long sigh. “No, don’t apologize. You haven’t done anything wrong. Heck, you’ve been nothing but good to me.” She grimaces, looking down at her empty coffee mug. “My life was a mess before you showed up, and you were just trying to help that night.”
I say nothing as she stands up again and reaches out for my mug. “Anyway. I’ll shower, then get out of here for the day so you can have some peace and quiet. I could probably just take my stuff back to my parents’ place for a while or go stay with my friend.”
“If those were good options, you’d have done them already, wouldn’t you?”
I see her swallow before she answers. “It’s not ideal, but I can’t crash here forever, either.”
I stand up to join her, taking both mugs and moving into the kitchen.
“No, but you don’t have to go anywhere yet.
” Reaching into a drawer, I withdraw something and make my way back to her.
“Stay. I’ve got to go to a rehab session at the stadium anyway.
But if you do leave, for the day or whatever, come back here after.
” I take her hand and place the spare key in her palm.
She stares at it, then slowly lifts her head to meet my gaze. “Why?”
Her soft question hits me, and I don’t know how to answer. I shrug instead. “Why not.”
Walking away, I go into my room, grab some clothes, and then walk back out. She’s still standing in the spot where I left her, staring down at the key in her hand. “I’ll just get changed quickly, then the place is yours.”
I get the barest of nods, and that’s it. By the time I finish getting changed and brushing my teeth, the door to my bedroom is closed.
I have no idea if she’ll stay or not. But I do know if I find out she’s back in that fucking apartment, I’m gonna lose my shit. And then Colin would be mad at me.
She better be here when I get back from the stadium…
My entire body is aching the entire drive home from the ballpark several hours later. Lark and the rest of the training staff fucking tortured me, and holy fuck, am I feeling the exhaustion, but Doc made my goddamn day when he said I can start throwing again in a week.
I pull into my spot in the underground parking garage and ride the elevator up to my floor, slowly rolling my shoulders.
As I approach my apartment, the door across the hall opens.
“There’s a woman in your apartment.”
I give Ralph a rare grin. “Yeah, I know.”
“What’s that all about?”
“I’ll let you know when I do.”
Ralph harrumphs and closes his door again. But my grin doesn’t go anywhere. She’s still here. It’s weird as fuck how excited I am by that, and when I unlock the door and push it open, I’m hit with an incredible aroma of tomato and basil. She’s here…and she cooked?
But Sadie’s not in the kitchen, where I look first. Then I spy her red hair piled on top of her head, peeking out over the back of the couch.
Setting my keys down, I walk around the end of the sofa and find her with Cat tucked into her side, her laptop on her legs, and an adorable look of concentration on her face. Her lack of acknowledgment makes sense when I see the earbuds tucked in her ears.
“Holy crap!” She slams her computer shut when she notices me.
“Sorry, didn’t realize you couldn’t hear me come in.” I glance down at her computer. “You don’t have to stop working on my account.”
She blushes furiously. “It’s fine. I was done.”
“What were you working on?” I sit down in the chair next to the couch instead of heading for my bedroom to change.
“Nothing.” She’s fidgeting with her hands.
“Really.” I arch my brow at her and wait. “Nothing?” Her blush deepens. Interesting… “Sadie. What were you doing?” I don’t honestly know why I’m pushing this, but now I really fucking want to know what she was doing.
“Promise you won’t laugh?”
“Well, now I’m not promising anything.”
If she could shoot daggers from her eyes, she would be right now. “Maverick.”
“Specs.”
Letting out a little huff, she opens her computer up again. “Fine. But if you start to judge me, I’ll…” she trails off.
“You’ll what?” I can’t hide my growing grin; this is too much fun.
“I don’t know. So don’t judge me.”
I lift my hands up. “Fine. No judging.”
The computer comes to life with some random couple on the screen. “Reality TV? That’s your dirty little secret?”
“No judging.” She narrows her gaze at me. “And yes. I like to watch these ridiculous dating shows to unwind sometimes.”
I move to the couch, sitting down on the other side of Cat. “Okay, show me.”
The incredulous look Sadie gives me is honestly funny as shit. “You’re joking.”
“Nope. But can we eat at the same time? Something smells amazing.”
Sadie jumps up off the couch. “Oh! I made dinner.”
I follow her into the kitchen and watch her bustle around the space as if she’s been here for years, not less than a day.
She plates some pasta with a red sauce that is clearly the source of that aroma I noticed when I got home.
Then she pulls out two small bowls of salad from the fridge and sets them on the counter.
Taking a step back, she looks at me. “I’m hoping you like pasta. ”
“I do.” Closing the distance, I pick up a fork and take a bite. Flavours explode on my tongue, and I quickly swallow only so I can take another, larger bite. “This is really fucking good, Specs.”
She stands up straighter, her head ducked, but I can see the smile my praise brings.
“I’m glad you like it. I called Willow to see what kind of food you might like; I wasn’t sure if there was a diet plan or something during the season.
But she said anything was fine as long as it was high protein.
So I thought my mom’s Bolognese would be a good option.
I remember my brother eating tons of it when he was on the track team in high school. ”
God, she’s so fucking cute when she rambles. But I can’t let myself think that for too long. Especially when it’s clear I need to make damn sure she knows her staying here doesn’t come with strings attached.
“I appreciate the food, but you know you don’t have to cook for me.
I have premade meals in the freezer.” It’s clearly the wrong thing to say, as her face falls slightly, and I scramble to recover.
“Not that I don’t like it. I do. I just don’t want you feeling like you have to.
” Good fucking God, now I’m the one being awkward.
What is it about her that makes me all mushy and shit?
I know if I don’t get it together, she’s gonna realize I like her more than I should. And that…can’t happen.
“You’re giving me a place to stay, the least I can do is cook. Besides, I like feeling useful. I like doing things for other people.”
“When’s the last time you let someone do something for you?” The question is out there before I can overthink it. But goddamn it, I want to know. And I want her to know it’s okay to just let someone else take care of things for once.
She bites her lower lip, and it takes all of my restraint not to reach over and free it. But after a few seconds, her answer is exactly what I was hoping to hear.
“When I let you bring me here.”
“Good answer,” I say gruffly. Then I set the bowls of salad on the plates and pick both up, needing to do something before I get stupid and kiss her. “Now let’s go watch this show of yours.”