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“He’s got a girlfriend,” Kershaw said. “But she’s the kind of gal who takes pity on waifs and strays, so there’s that.”
“The shelter lady?” Grey grinned. “I thought I saw her last night. Doesn’t she have a kid?”
“She does,” Dex said. “I invited her and Willa to the game. And she’s not my girlfriend.”
“Yeah, she friend-zoned him, remember?” Foreman’s contribution.
“Plus she has a kid,” Grey said, even more annoying than before.
“Why do you keep saying that?”
“Because that’s a lot of responsibility to take on.” Grey had that worried look he seemed to have a lock on. He was the most anxious player on the team. “Is that what you want?”
“You’re marrying him off already?” Kershaw laughed. “Give him a chance to actually score with her.”
Already have. So he hadn’t made it past second base, but it felt like he’d won big.
Only he didn’t enjoy Grey’s assumption that he wasn’t capable of handling a relationship with a woman with a kid. Better to downplay it. Keep expectations all around to a minimum.
“We’re just friends right now. I’m not dating her.” Even though he wanted to. Because as soon as he said the negative, he started thinking that was what he wanted. Needed. He didn’t care that she had a kid, but maybe he should? Maybe that was a huge consideration when a guy wanted to be part of a woman’s life. Because he wasn’t just dating Ashley, he was dating her family.
Her kid.
Her sisters.
One of whom was not a fan.
Just as those rain-heavy clouds descended he realized something else. They’d reached their post-morning-skate eating destination and it wasn’t the Italian deli.
“Thought we were going to Barzini’s.”
“Nah, I want the omelet they named after me.” Kershaw signaled to the hostess that they had five.
“You mean the one you insisted they name after you?” Callaghan observed wryly.
“To-maytoes, to-mahtoes. Of which there are plenty in the Theo, along with chives, ham, and feta.”
“Sounds like Greek to me,” Foreman opined.
Dex’s pulse had picked up. She might not be here. It was close to noon, so past the breakfast rush, and the place didn’t look that busy. He took a quick glance around. No sign of her. Maybe it was her day off or she’d already been fired, which wouldn’t have surprised him because she was an ex-con.
Things were going well for him, and he wasn’t going to let Ruby O’Malley ruin it.
As they sat down, he took another look around and—shit, there she was at the counter, talking to the hostess. Arguing with her, perhaps? She looked over, frowned, and said something to her colleague.
She didn’t want this table.
Perfect, he didn’t want to deal with her, either.
Apparently, she lost the fight because she trudged over with a stuck-on smile.
“Hey, guys, can I start you off with coffee?”
“Yeah, I’ll have a latte macchiato,” Callaghan said.
Kershaw rolled his eyes. “They don’t do that here, dummy. Ruby, I’ll have regular coffee. I’m guessing it’s the same for everyone.”
They all nodded except Dex who was trying to get his head around the fact Theo Kershaw was on a first name basis with his ex-con mother. Maybe during all the times in the last few weeks he’d cried off the diner run post-practice, Ruby had been insinuating her way into his life in another way.
