Chapter 22

CHAPTER

TWENTY-TWO

DANI

“So you left it with a maybe?” Jenny’s looking at me like I’m crazy. Maybe I am.

“Yeah. It’s a big night for him. I don’t want to be a distraction. Besides, he said all his family and friends would be there. He seemed to think that was a big deal.” Although I’m curious about his inner circle, I’m not sure I’m ready for that. Or would getting to know him in a group setting be better? Because alone? He’s intense. Every time it's just been the two of us, I feel like I'm on the verge of bursting into flames. Maybe the group setting is better. But I’ll make sure there’s a fire extinguisher nearby, just in case.

“Girl, it is a big deal. To introduce you to his people? That’s huge.”

“But I’ve already met his brother and sister.” I shrug.

“And they were great, right? I think you should go.”

“Do you want to come? He said he’d leave credentials for both of us.” Why am I nervous about this ?

“I’ll go if you want me there. You know I’m always your ride or die. I won’t hover, but I can be your escape plan.”

“Do you think I’ll need an escape plan?” It’s a baseball game. There will be other people. He’ll be busy. Maybe I need to prepare for all scenarios, just like him.

“No, but I’ll be there anyway. Besides, I’d love to see Luis play, so see, win-win.” She acts nonchalant, but that’s a dead giveaway. Jenny is usually all in with guys, and she falls hard and fast. I’m not sure why she’s keeping Luis at arm’s length.

“Okay. So do I let him know I’m coming?” I know he’d like to be prepared. It’s what’s best for him, but suddenly, I think he might need a little spontaneity to keep him on his toes. Besides, plans are more of a wish list if he’ll be part of my world. I guess it’s time to see how he does.

“Up to you. My initial thought? No. Surprise him. Although, I’d bet he has surveillance and will know as soon as you step onto the premises.” The thought of him waiting, wondering, gives me butterflies. It’s a new, scary feeling, but I like it.

Parking is insane, so after a long drive getting nowhere, we return to my place and take the light rail in. Unfortunately, that means we’re late, and the pregame has started. We spot the VIP window, and Corey greets us right away. He breaks into a huge smile.

“Hi, Corey. Can you do me a favor and not announce my arrival? I want it to be a surprise.” Corey and I became friends when we did a little breaking and entering on my last visit to Reaper Stadium.

He looks a little conflicted, but agrees. “Yes, ma’am. Is this Ms. Atkins?” He reaches out to shake Jenny’s hand.

“Hi, just call me Jenny,” she says as she takes his hand. Corey’s smile widens as he checks her out. She’s wearing Luis’s jersey tied into a crop top with leggings that fit her like a glove. Her long dark hair is down in soft, sexy waves. Her eyes are bejeweled with red rhinestones, and she looks hot. Luis is going to flip when he sees her .

I went with a more subtle look of jeans that make my ass look good and a red sweater set, rocking the Reaper’s colors without looking like a super fan. I left my hair down and tried to tame my curls, but my hair usually has a mind of its own. My sandals have a slight heel, giving me a little extra height.

He hands us both lanyards with personalized badges that say All Access . Wow. So many questions.

“I need to ask, were you going to stand here all night if I didn’t show up?”

“Yes, ma’am. I’m under strict orders not to leave until I deliver you to the owner’s suite.” Did he assume I’d come tonight?

“And if I didn’t come?”

He gives me a friendly wink. “I was prepared to wait, but knew you’d show.”

“Am I that predictable?” How could he be so sure?

“No, ma’am. There’s just something,” he starts. “Never mind. If you’re ready, I’ll take you through the back entrance to avoid the crowds.”

“It’s really packed, isn’t it?” Jenny asks.

“They have a chance to take it all this year. It’s exciting.” When Corey and I were hanging out last time, I learned he’s a lifelong Reapers fan who hopes to work with the organization after graduation.

The crowd is electric, and the concourse is wall to wall people making their way to their seats, buying food, and shopping. I hear the announcer say, “Play ball,” and realize the game is starting. Being late is going to drive him crazy, but our tardiness was unintentional. I didn’t account for traffic at all.

“You think we can make a slight detour before we head to the suite?” Corey cringes a little, but agrees.

“Your wish is my command,” he says as he offers his arm to both of us.

Corey is a gem and helps me with my errand. True to his word, he doesn’t let anyone know I’ve arrived. When we open the door to the suite, all conversations cease, and silence fills the space.

All eyes turn to me. I swallow and smile as I scan the room, looking for my host. Each person greets me with a welcoming expression. It’s Ashleigh who breaks the awkward stares and comes to give me a warm embrace.

“We were afraid you wouldn’t come,” she whispers, so only I can hear. “I’m so glad you did.”

“Thanks.” I’m grateful Jenny is by my side to give me strength.

She hugs Jenny, and everyone pretends their attention is anywhere but on us. A tall, handsome, dark-haired guy comes up and puts his arm around Ashleigh.

“Hi, I’m Cole Davidson. I’m Leigh’s fiancé.” He extends his hand, and I shake it. He’s wearing a Liberties hat with a Matt Hartman Reaper jersey. Regardless of the score today, he can’t lose.

“Leigh?”

“Long story,” Ashleigh says. “You can call me Ash.”

“It’s nice to meet you. This is my friend, Jenny.” Cole shakes her hand.

“Rodriquez, huh?” he comments.

“Yeah, he’s a friend,” she says, blushing slightly.

“That’s not what I hear,” Darcy says as she joins us. She gives Jenny a teasing wink. “I hear he might be crushing on a certain teacher.”

“When did that happen?” Julian says as he greets us. He gives me a light kiss on the cheek and a wink. He reaches over to hold Jenny’s hand and steps back. “Damn, girl.” He gives a low whistle. “I’m a fan.”

Jenny giggles and bats her eyelashes at Julian. He holds out his arm to her, and she takes it. “Come on, let me get you a drink.” Their locker room escapades clearly bonded them for life.

They approach another gorgeous guy sitting at the bar. I think that ’s Chance Fuller. “Is this the girl that helped you prank Tripp?” His deep, throaty laugh fills the suite.

“This is Jenny,” Julian says as he introduces her to Chance. So much for my ride or die. I look around the suite and see the rest of the people from the picture on Xander’s desk. I don’t know the couple sitting on the couch, but the cast gives me a hint that it must be Trevor, Xander’s best friend. He’s next to a petite, cute girl, and both are smiling at me.

And then I see him. He’s standing by the railing at the back of the suite. His eyes smolder as he gives me a slight smirk. It’s not one of his full smiles, but a new look I’ve yet to see. I’m not sure what it means, but I think he’s happy to see me.

He’s wearing a white button-down that looks tailor made. His dark pants accentuate his lean torso and trim waist. His usually coiffed hair is slightly disheveled, like he’s been running his hands through it. This is becoming my favorite version of Alexander.

He saunters toward me like a lion stalking his prey. All eyes are now focused on him.

Ash, Cole, and Darcy fade away until I’m standing alone near the suite’s entrance. The butterflies are going crazy in my stomach as he approaches, and I consider bolting because I’m so nervous.

“Hey.” His voice covers me, making me feel warm despite my body shivering. Treacherous body.

“Hey.” Well, this is going well.

“I was worried you wouldn’t come.”

“Parking was an issue, so we took the light rail. I wasn’t thinking I’d be walking that far when I picked out these shoes.”

“You walked from the rail station?” His smile is gone.

“Yeah, it’s not a bad walk.”

I’m learning his scowls, and this one says he’s not happy. Maybe I should leave? “I could have made arrangements,” he starts.

“And ruin my grand entrance?” I tease and give him a playful punc h in the arm. I shake out my hand. I feel like I just punched a wall. “I’m fine.”

“Is he misbehaving already?” the guy from the couch calls to me.

As if the comment flips a switch, his scowl is erased, and a slight smirk appears. “Come on, let me introduce you to everyone,” Xander says. He puts his hand on the small of my back and guides me toward the couch.

“This asshole is Trevor, my best friend and temporary roommate. Trevor, this is Dani.” He glares at him. “Behave.”

The tall, dark, and handsome man gives me a charming smile. His dark skin accentuates his white smile, and his scruff further ups his hotness factor. Shamar Moore has nothing on this guy. Damn.

“My apologies, Dani. I’d get up to greet you.” He waves his hand down his body. “But it’s a production. It’s great to meet you.” His eyes are warm, and his smile is disarming. I relax and give him a full smile in return, immediately put at ease.

“I heard about your accident. I’m glad you’re on the mend.”

“He would be if he followed the doctor’s orders. But you can’t tell T anything,” the girl says as she hits him with a throw pillow.

“And this scary girl is Emma. She’s Ash’s best friend and a fellow teacher.” The adoration in Xander’s voice is evident as he introduces her. He may call her scary, but it’s obvious he loves her.

She waves from the couch and places another pillow under Trevor’s leg. “Hi, Dani! It’s nice to meet you. Are you enjoying your class this year?”

“Absolutely. Exhausting but worth it.”

“One hundred percent. Got your Erin Condren planner stickered out?”

“Absolutely! Was that you?” Another teacher understands the importance of a good planner and stickers.

She covers her face, realizing she might have spilled the beans. “We ll, I love my room and can’t tell you how this team has impacted the students. It’s been an epic start to the year.”

“Can I get you anything? A drink, food, a foot massage?” Xander interrupts.

“Foot massage?” Where did that come from?

He looks at my feet, and I remember the walking comment.

“I’m fine. Really.” Everyone is watching me, even Jenny. “What? Do I have a wardrobe malfunction or something?” Everyone quickly looks away, avoiding my confused look. They all go back to their conversations. A crack of the bat and the crowd’s roar fills the suite.

“There it is,” Cole yells. “Great play!”

I’m not sure who did what, but Darcy is hugging Cole, so I assume Matt did something good.

“What happened?” I ask the room.

“Double play,” Xander says.

I quirk my eyebrow. I’m not ignorant about baseball, but it’s not really my thing.

“Two outs on one at bat,” Xander explains. “Now we’re up.” He seems to relax a little. I wasn’t thinking about how stressful this game would be for him. Maybe my presence is just adding to his stress.

“Hey, I know this game is important to you. If I’m in the way or something,” I start.

His scowl returns. Yep. I said the wrong thing.

“I’m sorry,” Xander says. “It’s important, but it’s my job to ensure the fans have a good time. That includes you. So how can I make this a memorable experience for you?”

Wow. The way he shifts from not so grumpy to grumpy. I look around at the fancy suite with all his friends and realize he needs to relax and enjoy the game. A spark of an idea forms.

“Let’s go for a walk.” I take his hand and tug on his arm to move back toward the door.

“But your feet?” He looks down at my shoes and scowls again .

“I’m good. I promise.” He looks skeptical. “We aren’t going for a run, just a leisurely stroll through the concourse. That is, if you can leave?”

“He’s the boss,” Trevor says. “He can do whatever he damn well pleases. So take your guest on a walk, Xan.” Emma pinches Trevor and he grimaces. Trevor looks at me and winks.

I blush. I’m so caught up in Alexander that I wasn’t aware anyone was paying us attention. My mistake. Several sets of eyes still watch us. All the more reason to leave the suite.

I take two steps toward the door, turn, and hold my hand out. He puts his hand in mine, and my heart speeds up. I take another step, and he quickly moves to open the door for me, dropping my hand.

“Where do you want to go? Something particular you’re looking for?”

That’s a loaded question. I wasn’t looking for anything but may have found an unexpected treasure. “Let’s walk the concourse, and I’ll let you know.” I shrug a little and walk to the elevators.

Alexander is a man that does everything with purpose. His intentionality and focus are defining personality traits. My wanting to wander must be driving him crazy. He reaches for my hand and takes it, his palm connecting with mine, sending a shiver down my spine.

We enter the elevator, and neither says a word. The announcer calling the game fills the gap in conversation. When the doors open, we’re assaulted by the sounds of the stadium. The crowd, the concession stands, the beer guy walking up and down the aisles. Now that the game is underway, the concourse isn’t as crowded as when I arrived. People are still walking about, but it’s not shoulder-to-shoulder anymore.

I head right and walk counterclockwise. If I’m going to push his buttons, I might as well push them all. He hesitates for a split second and joins me on my walkabout. My heels click on the concrete as we stroll. He slows his pace so that I’m not taking two steps for every one of his.

We walk in silence for a few minutes as I take in the sights and sounds. We come out from the covered concourse and are near the outfield. To our left is a hot dog vendor watching the game, probably grateful he doesn’t have any customers at the moment.

“Oh, a hot dog,” I exclaim. “Let’s get one.” I pull to the left, and Alexander dutifully follows. I reach for my purse with my free hand, and Alexander scowls at me. Was this not a good idea?

“Hi, Franco,” Alexander says as we approach the vendor. At the sound of his name, the vendor turns around and sees us standing there.

“Hi, Mr. Decker.” The boss catching him watching the game doesn’t surprise him at all. I wouldn’t be surprised if Alexander makes the rounds during games.

“What’s your prediction for the night?” Alexander asks. There’s no reproach for his game watching.

“Well, Stevenson is off to a good start, but he needs to watch his slider with Kurtz. It won’t be a shutout, but it should be a win,” Franco responds.

I’m fascinated by this man beside me. He runs this entire operation and still knows the concession stand employees. He’s involved. All in. Is that how he operates?

“What can I get you two?” Franco asks.

Alexander looks at me, waiting for a response. “Two dogs, please. And two Reaper beers.” I smile up at him and squeeze his hand.

Franco looks at Alexander for confirmation, and he gives a slight nod. Franco reaches into the steamer for the two hot dogs and the cooler for two beers on ice. He wipes down the side of the cans and sets them on the small counter in a carrier. Alexander releases my hand to grab the food, and I reach for my purse .

“No, ma’am,” Franco says. “The boss has a tab and is good for it.” He gives me a wink. “Enjoy the game.” He turns his back to us and continues watching the game.

“Where to now?” Alexander asks.

“Come on,” I say as I walk toward the grassy corner between the outfield stands and the first baseline. This is the family section, where people can buy a cheap ticket, bring a blanket, sit on the hill, and watch the game while the kids run around. I asked Casey about it last time I was here, and I’m curious to see it up close.

I find us a spot and sit down, grateful I didn’t wear a dress tonight. My shoes might have been the wrong choice, but my jeans are perfect for this.

He looks down at me, sighs, and sits on the ground beside me. “What, will we get in trouble for sitting here without a ticket? I assumed this,” I wave my lanyard at him, “all access means I can sit here, can’t I?”

“Of course. I’m just wondering,” he starts.

“Wondering what?”

“Why here?”

“You mean instead of the suite, where everyone was watching me, and we were waited on hand and foot? Because this is more my speed. And you, Mr. Decker, need to see that you’re doing a darn good job. Look at all these fans having a great time.” I lean in and bump shoulders. “So relax.” I grab a hot dog from the carrier on his lap.

I can’t believe I’m lecturing him, but it’s probably because I’m a nervous wreck. My false bravado comes on strong when I’m nervous. If I’m not careful, I’ll double down and kiss him. To stop myself from doing that, I take a big bite of the hot dog and let out a moan. Damn, this is good.