His piercing blue eyes sent a secret shiver down her spine as he gazed at her.Shewished she had her sunglasses on and was too proud to put them on now and give him a hint of the turmoil he was creating.
“As you said.Riley’steam didn’t make regionals, soIknow he meant your team.Look” he pushed a hand through his hair, cut his eyes to the cluster of interested women out on the ball field, and said, “Iknow this might be a bit awkward, butRileysaid you really want to pull off the state championship this year.”
And just like that the stench of graduation night rose around them like a dark cloud.Herquestions, his lack of answers or any acknowledgment that anything had happened at all for that matter.Didhe really think he could just show up back here all these years later and all was forgiven without any words being spoken.
From the pitcher’s mound,Ginnycalled out, “Who’sthe snack?”
Rose spun on her heel, angry energy coursing through her veins.Lordsave her from young, nosy women.
“Focus,Ginny!”
And then felt bad about taking her own emotions out on her pitcher.Ginnylooked surprised by the vehement reply to her teasing question and quickly got busy studying her gloved hand.Dammit.Shedidn’t need this emotional trauma floating around in her head.
Acen chuckled, bringing her attention back to him.“Gladto knowIhaven’t lostallmy charm.”
“Keep talking and you might.”Shesnapped.
But she was already calculating.Thegirlsdidneed help if they were going to make it to state champions.AndAcenwasa professional player.Thatdidn’t mean she wanted him here.Itjust meant she had to decide which mattered more: her pride or her team.
After a beat her team won out and she tossed him a glove from the equipment bag at her feet.“Youdroponeball, andI’mkicking you off this field.”
He caught it one-handed, grinning.“Deal.”
The next hour passed in a blur of drills, fly balls, and shouted instructions.Rosehated to admit it, butAcenstill had it—fluid, confident, encouraging without coddling.Thegirls responded to him like he was a magic charm, and by the time practice wrapped, they were laughing and high-fiving like they’d won something already.
Rose leaned on the dugout bench, arms crossed, watching him joke withMaggieandTashalike he’d never left.Sheignored the twist in her gut.Nothinggood for her heart was going to come from this deal with the devil.
Acen high-fived all around once more and loped to his truck parked in the adjacent lot.Tashacame to the dugout and sat down, nudging her elbow.“So… you gonna keep pretending he’s not fine as hell?”
“I can acknowledge a man’s face and still want to throw a bucket ofGatoradeat it.”
“Sure,”Tashasaid, smirking.“That’shealthy.”
When the playershad cleared out,Roseturned to findAcenwatching her, glove in hand.
Startled, she glanced around but everyone else was gone.“Ithought you left.”
“I forgot to ask you about practice scheduling.”
“You’ve still got that arm,” she said, nodding toward the diamond.
He shrugged.“Musclememory.”
“Not all muscles forget,” she said without thinking.
Silence stretched between them.Nottense exactly—but heavy.Loaded.
“You were good with them,” she said finally, brushing a hand over her arm like it could wipe the past off her skin.
“I missed this,” he said softly.“Notjust the game.Thepeople.You.”
Rose looked away.“Youdon’t get to say that like nothing happened.”
“I know.”
“You left,Acen.Youdidn’t just chooseBriana.Youleft.AndIhad to stay here and?—”
“I know.”
