“How’s that working out for you?”
“Terribly,” she says. “Everyone views me as the competition.”
“Can you blame them?”
She taps her glass. “Only if I try really hard.” I chuckle. “I’ve given you my name, but I didn’t catch yours,” she says.
“Cooper Kellogg.”
“What do you do, Cooper?”
I grin. I’m not used to being a stranger to people, especially at a baseball event.
“I’m a player. But I injured my elbow, so I’m working with the front office this next season while I rehab.”
“Are you good?”
I can’t help laughing. “Ask my not-girlfriend.” We both look at Liesel, who gives a tinkling laugh at something the dork she’s talking to says. At least it’s not Braden now. I glance back at Kayla, who’s as well dressed and upscale a woman as I’ve ever seen. The idea ofherowning the Mullet Ridge Mudflaps is hilarious. “I’m sorry, but you don’t seem happy to be here.”
“I’m notunhappy.”
“I can see that.”
She purses her lips. “Let me put it this way: I don’t know anything about baseball, but my dad thought buying me a team would be a good birthday present. I would have preferred a pony.”
“Do you ride?”
“No. And I’m allergic to horses.”
I cough a laugh. “Do we have a Ted Lasso situation on our hands? Are you looking to hire someone terrible so you can tank the team, but you’ll end up coming around and showing us all you have a heart of gold?”
“Excuse me? I happen to have a heart of gold already. It’s huge. Everyone loves it,” she says in mock outrage. Liesel glances at us, a thin line between her eyebrows. “And no, I don’t want to tank the team. I don’t know what to do with the team. We’re evidently the laughingstock of the league.”
“Yeah. Your name has two mullets in it.”
“I fail to see the problem,” she deadpans.
“Ha. I see what you did there,” I say. I like this woman. I don’t want to flirt with her or date her, but I like her. “Well, I can tell you this much: you need a good GM and an even better coach.”
“Okay.”
“And pitchers. Get yourself some all star pitchers. I’ll deny this if you tell mynot-girlfriend over there, but as much as I think runs win games, pitching wins championships.”
“Pitchers. Those are the guys who throw the ball at the other guys?” she asks. My eyes turn into saucers. “I’m kidding.” The corner of her mouth raises. “Thank you. Now, if I were going to find good pitching …”
“I can’t help you there. I just recommended Colt Spencer over the Fischer brothers. Willingly. I clearly can’t be trusted.”
She nods, looking deep in thought. “Well, thank you, Cooper. I appreciate you taking a minute away from ogling your date.”
“Oh, don’t worry. I still ogled her a lot.”
She laughs, showing a smile worthy of a young Julia Roberts. “Good luck,” she says, and she walks off.
And my attention turns right back to Liesel. Liesel talking to some probably-attractive-if-he-weren’t-so-punchable dude. There are a fair number of women here, but Liesel puts them to shame, which explains all the men flocking to her.
Darn it.
Things would be so much easier if she weren’t so … flirt-able. Tease-able.
