AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I force down another sip of coffee and keep my gaze on the table as I speak up, trying not to wince as I admit, “I actually won’t be able to attend.”
“What?”
Everyone in the room has the same shocked expression. I don’t miss opening day. I just don’t. It was one thing to skip traveling down to Florida for spring training, but this is different. Can I even call myself a diehard fan anymore?!
“Why the hell not?” Luke demands.
Harper’s wholly unfazed by his mild curse. Growing up with a single dad until she was six means she has quite the colorful vocabulary herself.
“Yeah? Why the hell not?!” she echoes.
“Harper!” Luke and Chloe chide in unison.
Harper looks up to Daphne for approval, and Daphne shoots her a conspiratorial wink. Oh god, just what I need: Harper using Daphne as her role model.
“I have to work.” I hold up my hand as protests start to fly. “And before anyone says anything, I’ve already tried to get out of it, but we’re seriously short-staffed right now while Kara is away on maternity leave.”
“Who cares?! Quit!” Daphne says like this is a perfectly reasonable thing to do.
I don’t even deign to respond to her suggestion.
“This is opening day! Opening day!” Sophia adds with despair.
I cradle my head in my hands. “I know. Guys, don’t make me feel worse than I already do. You think I want to be working at the hospital while y’all are basking in the sun, cracking peanuts, and cheering the guys on? I want to be there! I will be, just not at this one game.”
“You’re going to miss the new guy!” Harper adds, as if it’s not bad enough already.
I frown and turn back to look at her. “What?”
“The new guy. Navarro.” She tilts her head to the sky with a faraway look, like she’s in the midst of a daydream. “He’s soooo cute! Like a real prince! Ask Chloe!”
All heads spin to Chloe.
She blushes deeply, clearing her throat and fumbling over her words. “I-I merely said that he’s attractive, Harper.”
“Oh really?” Luke taunts, enjoying this way too much.
“I mean, come on.” She jostles Luke. “Just because I’m wholeheartedly, blissfully in love with you doesn’t mean I don’t have eyes, okay!”
Daphne finishes off her pastry and swipes the crumbs off her hands. “All right, all right. What does this guy look like? I need to know what we’re dealing with if I’m supposed to sweep him off his feet and convince him to fall madly in love with me.”
“Yeah, is he really that cute?” Sophia asks. “I didn’t get a good look at him when I was down in Florida. Someone pull up a picture before I have to rush off and get ready for work.”
Chloe takes her phone out of her purse, and I assume she’s Googling him. My suspicions are confirmed when Harper runs around the table so she can peer over her shoulder.
“That picture,” Harper says, pointing down at Chloe’s phone. “Show them that one. Oh he’s so dreamy.”
Luke groans in agony over this conversation.
Then Chloe turns her phone to show us the photo that’s blown up on her screen. It’s a close-up image of a guy in a baseball uniform and hat, looking to the left so that he’s slightly in profile. Behind him, the field is out of focus. He’s smiling at something out of frame, and there’s a deep-set dimple curved along his supple lips. The severity to his chin and sharp jawline is softened by the humor evident in his brown eyes. Not much of his hair peeks out from beneath his hat, but I know what color it is.
Midnight black.
Inky dark and luxuriously thick.
I just about lose the contents of my stomach as I stare at it. Surely, this is a mistake. She’s Googled the wrong person.
“Who is that?” I slowly and meticulously stress every word so I can be sure she hears me correctly.
She frowns. “Grant Navarro. Haven’t you been listening? He just got traded to the Pinstripes. He’s amazing. He’s going to be the reason we win the World Series this year, you wait and see.”
“Hello, some of us are also very good at baseball,” Luke says, waving his hand.
Chloe pats his shoulder. “Sure, sweetie. You’re very good too.”
They haven’t noticed yet.
The silence.
Daphne, Sophia, me…we’re all too dumbstruck to speak. I can’t look at my roommates; I’m scared their expressions will be too telling. Mine surely is. I’m slack-jawed and wide-eyed as I internally freak out.
Mystery man is Grant Navarro. Grant Navarro is Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome. I kissed Grant Navarro last night! He’s a professional baseball player! On the same team as my brother, no less!
Oh, this is bad.
This is very bad.
“That—”
Daphne gets only that one word out before I cut her off. “No! Ha ha! Don’t know him!”
