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“Olivia is here to pick up the jersey I signed earlier.” Trey rounds the island I’m standing next to.
“For the kid?” Buck takes a swallow of water. “I was on the phone just now arranging club seats for game one of the series for him and a guest. We’ll have a gift pack waiting there for him.”
“A gift pack?” I ask, looking at Buck.
“The autographed jersey and a ball signed by the team.” Buck smiles, tugging a phone from the pocket of his jacket. “We’ll throw in a cap and a varsity jacket. This kid is going to have a birthday he’ll never forget.”
This goes above and beyond what I requested. “I don’t know what to say.”
“What’s the boy’s name?” Buck’s gaze drops to his phone. “We’ll give him a Hale jersey, but we’ll personalize the jacket for him.”
“I don’t know his name,” I confess softly. “I know his uncle’s name. He’s the one who had his autographed jersey stolen.”
“What’s the uncle’s name?” Trey asks.
“Alexander Donato,” I answer quickly.
Buck’s head pops up, his brown eyes searching my face. “The conductor? It’s his nephew?”
I nod.
“Who?” Trey’s brow furrows. “I’ve never heard the name before.”
“Learn it quick.” Buck’s mouth slides into a wide smile. “You’re going to do a meet and greet with Donato and his nephew before the big game and with any luck, a video capture of that will go viral.”
Shit. My well-intentioned gesture is turning into a publicity stunt.
“When you talk to Alexander about this, can you give him my number?” Buck holds up his phone. “Trey will text it to you.”
Trey’s fingers tap out something on his phone before mine buzzes.
I look down at it and the New York based number my cousin just texted me.
Sucking in a deep breath, I lower myself onto one of the stools next to the island. “I’d prefer if Alexander didn’t know I was involved in any of this. Is there a way we can do that?”
“She’s humble.” Trey looks back and forth between Buck and me. “Olivia has never been one to shine a spotlight on herself.”
It’s a welcome compliment, but it has nothing to do with my desire to stay out of this. I don’t want Alexander Donato to know that I went to any trouble for him. He strikes me as the type of man who would misinterpret a helping hand for something more.
I don’t need him to jump to any conclusions about my good intentions or me.
All I wanted was an autographed jersey to replace the one his one-night stand ran off with.
I was going to shove it in a plain envelope, address it to him in care of the Philharmonic, and mail it to their administrative office.
That was before it turned into a baseball lover’s dream gift.
Buck stares at me. “I’ll have my assistant take care of all of it. She’ll never bring your name into it.”
“Thank you.” I breathe a sigh of relief. “Thank you both for everything.”
Chapter 5
Alexander
“Is this a joke?” I stare at the tall blonde woman standing in front of me. “Who the hell sent you here?”
“I’m not joking,” she says, her voice trembling. “I told you that my boss, Buck Remsen, asked me to contact you. He represents Trey Hale.”
