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“You used to blame it on me or one of my brothers or sisters.”
“Well, you guys didn’t exactly help,” he jokes.
“Isn’t that a kid’s job? We make lives difficult for parents.”
“Yeah, I guess it is.”
“And that right there is why I’m never having children,” I laugh.
“That’d be a shame.”
My head jerks up, my body rigid, my face surely reflecting surprise. “What are you doing here?” I ask before I can stop myself.
“I’m here to celebrate your birthday, Ace,” Slater says. “Also, did you know there’s a cow out front wearing a party hat and a pink boa?” he asks, looking behind him with a look of shock on his face, shaking his head.
I ignore his question about Hamburger. I don’t really know how to explain my mother’s pet cow and it’s not like Slater and I will ever be more than passing acquaintances.
“How did you know about the party?” I ask instead, my eyes narrowing.
I didn’t want to see him again. My body reacts in strange and tingly ways whenever he’s around. Slater’s bad news. I’m not going to be stupid enough fall for a player who will end up sliding into my heart and breaking it. He could do that. The man is just off limits. You can’t travel the world when your heart is back in Texas smashed into a million pieces.
“That’d be me. He’s my plus one. I told him I prefer my dates to wear pretty dresses, but the bastard refused. Happy Birthday, Mary,” Parker says, coming in to kiss my cheek and give me a hug.
“You should have brought Faye,” I grumble. “She would look better in a dress.”
“I tell you what, Ace, if you agree to go out with me, I’ll show you how good I can look naked instead,” Slater purrs, making me shake my head.
“Mary,” Jansen says, his voice in that growly and grumpy tone that tells me he’s close to snapping. It’s a timbre that I’ve become very familiar with over the years. It would probably serve Slater right if I turned him loose.
“It’s okay, Dad. Bat-Boy thinks he’s being funny, but he’s harmless.”
“Bat-Boy?” Slater responds, and you can tell he doesn’t like the name—which proves I’m my mother’s child because I plan on using it constantly now.
“Yeah, it’s what we call baseball jocks who are way too cocky and like to stick their bats anywhere they can get it wet—not bothering to worry about wood rot.”
Parker and Dad laugh. Slater doesn’t. He studies me. His stare makes me feel uneasy, but rather than continue letting him set me on edge, I give him a smile and walk away.
I’ve always hated these parties. I’d like to say that’s why I sneak out of the back of the restaurant. I can’t. If I did, I’d be lying. I’m leaving because Slater scares the hell out of me.
CHAPTER5
Marigold
Two Months Later
There should be an award that you can win for how often you can avoid one person in the span of eight weeks. I’m certain that I would win it. No, seriously, I’m completely positive. I have mastered that particular skill into an art form. I haven’t missed a game. I’ve gone to parties thrown at the clubhouse and even several practice scrimmages. Through all of that, I’ve yet to be alone with Slater. Trust me when I tell you that he’s worked hard to get me that way. I didn’t know how resourceful I could get. Thankfully, Kage, Faye, and even my brother, Green, have been available to help me.
Ialmostfeel guilty for that last one. Green has been inventing reasons to keep Slater busy. I think he’s even enjoying it a little more than he should. I just told him that Slater hit on me, and I really don’t want to be alone with him. Yet, I have a sneaking suspicion that Parker or one of the other guys told Green exactly what Slater said to me. I say this because last week after yelling at me across the field—asking me to go out with him—Green showed up out of nowhere to make Slater run laps around the damn field. Slater didn’t talk back or even call Green on his shit—which I guess is wise considering Green is in charge of Slater’s career. Still, I felt guilty. I made sure that Parker jogged alongside of him and gave him plenty of Gatorade.
The problem with that is every single time he took a drink, Slater’s eyes would find mine and I’m pretty sure that Parker ratted me out. That means, Slater probably thinks I like him and damn it all to hell…he’d be right.
Idolike him. Iamattracted to him, and Iwantto be alone with him. That means I’m in deep doo-doo.
I let out a sigh. I thought my time would run out today. To be honest, I was kind of relieved. We’re having a huge cookout to celebrate the new facility for Green’s team being completely finished and him signing a brand-new contract to head the team. We were going to have it there, but Mom wanted to do a huge cookout at the house and Green said he’d rather do it there, too. I knew Slater would be here. I knew that we would finally have to talk. I prepared for it and really was glad the waiting was over.
Yet, it hasn’t turned out like I thought it would. Slater hasn’t tried to approach me once. Honestly, he seems like a different man today. It’s almost as if my family intimidates him. I could have sworn that he was the type that no one could do that to.
My gaze roves across the yard. It doesn’t surprise me when I zero in on Slater almost instantly. I’m drawn to him like a moth to a flame. The tension between us is getting hotter and hotter. I know I’m going to get burned. The thing is, I’m almost to the point that I just don’t care. I’m starting to think a taste of Slater might be worth the pain.
