Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

BAILEY

“ A re you two sure you want to learn to throw from the slot? It’s an advanced throwing technique. Even some professional players don’t know how to do it properly.”

Harper and her best friend Andie look at each other wide-eyed and nod enthusiastically. “Yes. We want you to teach us.”

“You both have good overhand throwing mechanics. If you didn’t, I wouldn’t teach you this. Never stop practicing good mechanics. It’s so important to learn them while you’re young. How about your stomach muscles? You need a strong core to throw from the slot.”

They both lift their shirts enough to reveal their little bellies, looking at each other to try to figure out if they have strong muscles. I nod and inwardly giggle. “Okay, you guys look very muscular to me.”

They smile at each other and high-five. Andie says, “My daddy has a boxing ring at our house and sometimes I practice. I think that’s why I’m so strong.” She flexes her biceps.

A boxing ring? Oh right, he’s a billionaire. Andie is the sweetest, most humble kid. You’d never know that her father is one of the wealthiest men in America.

She returned home from a family trip to Italy this morning and the first thing she wanted to do was come see Harper. Their other best friend, Dylan, is at camp. Apparently, she doesn’t play softball. They want to practice before she comes over to swim later this afternoon. Tanner said he’d be home in time to give the girls dinner.

Andie has wild, dark curly hair that we wrangled into a messy bun. Harper is wearing her light brown hair in braided pigtails, as she was when I met her. They’re adorable together and I love hanging out with them.

“Alright, girls, throwing from the slot should only be used when you’re in a rush or on the move. You can’t throw it quite as hard or as far as a regular overhand throw, but it’s a quicker release and sometimes necessary. I use it at second base a lot because I don’t need to throw as far, but I do often need to get rid of the ball quickly.”

Harper toggles her head back and forth in contemplation. “Maybe I should play second base, like you. My daddy played shortstop when he stopped pitching. That’s why I do it, but I think I might want to try second.”

I cross my arms and lift an eyebrow. “When a coach asks you what position you play, what’s the right answer?”

Andie yells out, “Third base.”

Harper looks at me skeptically. I’ve learned in my short time with her that she’s very smart and very contemplative. Her wheels are always turning. She knows there’s a reason I’m asking the question. I see it in her face the moment she knows the right answer. “I think I’d tell them wherever they need me.”

I smile at her. “Correct. Always be a team player. You’ll play wherever the coach wants you to play. You should learn as many positions as you can while you’re young. You never know where you’ll be needed, and if you’ve learned every position, coaches will love having you on their teams. ”

We spend the next thirty minutes doing drills as they attempt to learn the advanced throwing technique. They fail miserably, but by the end there are a handful of good throws. It’s not easy to learn, but they’re determined.

At some point, we hear a voice from the balcony. “Softball time is over. The fun queen is here.”

I look up and see another little girl with dark hair holding her hands in the air doing a little twirl. Even from down below, I can see her piercing ice-blue eyes. Standing next to her is an exceedingly attractive man with dark hair and a huge smile. He’s in a business suit. He looks a little young to be her father, but who knows? Maybe he’s her older brother.

He shouts out, “Are you two going pro yet?”

They giggle as Harper waves to him. “Hi, Trevor. Is Cassandra with you?”

He shakes his head. “No, she’s at work. Sorry to disappoint.”

Andie smiles conspiratorially at Harper before shouting, “Where’s Brandon?”

Harper whispers to me, “Dylan’s twin brother, Brandon, is super cute. Andie has a crush on him.”

Trevor smirks. He knows why they’re asking. “I dropped him at a friend’s house. Sorry, Andie.”

He looks down at me. “Hildy, you look better than the last time I saw you. Have you lost weight? And the hump on your back is gone. Congratulations.”

The girls all start giggling uncontrollably, and he winks before he waves at me. “I’m Trevor Knight. You must be new. I’m Dylan’s dad.”

I wave back. “Hi. I’m Bailey Hart. Nice to meet you.”

Am I living in a sexy dad factory? Tanner, Trevor, and Andie’s father, Beckett, are all gorgeous men. I think I’m developing a daddy fetish. I know I am .

He gives a genuine smile. “I need to get back to the office. Thanks for having her. Andie’s dad will give her a ride home later. ”

“No problem.” I turn to Andie and Harper. “Do you two want to keep playing or do you want to swim?”

Harper begins to pick up the balls. “We need to swim. Dylan is super smart, but she hates sports.”

I place my hand on my hips. “You can be both. You’re smart. I think I’m pretty smart, and my sister is probably the smartest person I’ve ever met. She got straight A’s her whole life.” I whisper, “Don’t tell her I told you. She likes to keep it a secret.”

Harper laughs. “Her secret is safe with me. Let’s go swimming. I’m hot.”

The four of us change into our bathing suits and head into the gorgeous pool, complete with a slide and waterfall. The three girls are so much fun. They’re all smart and a little sassy, but Dylan is the sassiest. Not in a disrespectful way. She’s very witty and confident. I wonder what her mother is like.

I ask her, “How old is your dad? He looks so young.”

“He just turned thirty-four. We had a big party for him. Our family is huge, and everyone wanted to celebrate him and his twin brother.”

“Only thirty-four? Your parents had you fairly young.”

She shakes her head. “My mom isn’t young. She’s old. Even older than Andie’s dad. She said she’s a cougar.”

I can’t help but laugh. “Can’t wait to meet her.”

As dinnertime nears, Tanner isn’t home and the girls are all hungry. I find a few frozen burgers in the freezer and fire up the grill. With the way the house is set up, I’m able to flip burgers from the deck and still keep an eye on them in the pool.

At some point, I hear a noise behind me. I turn to see Tanner practically drinking me in. I’m suddenly feeling exposed in my bikini, though his lingering gaze fills my body with tingles.

He’s in a business suit, looking sexy as sin. I’ve never been with a man who dresses like him. It’s so mature and manly. It’s like I’m being taunted to find out what’s underneath the suit.

I blink my eyes to break myself out of the daydreaming and smile. “Hey. The girls were getting hungry. I hope you don’t mind.”

“I was going to order them pizza.”

“Harper said she had pizza with you last night. She should eat healthier. I have some peppers on the grill too.”

He smirks. “Schooling me on day one?”

“I’m sor—”

“I like it.” He licks his bottom lip. “You’re right. I should do a better job with her diet. I’m a terrible cook. I do have some ingredients for a salad. Why don’t I go make that? You’ve got your eyes on the girls, right? Or do you need to leave? I know I said I’d be home by now. Sorry I was running a little late.”

I shake my head. “My friends are at the Cougars’ game tonight. I’m in no rush. I’ll meet them out after the game.”

“Do you guys go to Screwballs?”

I nod. “Most nights.”

“You must get hit on all the time.” His eyes widen. “Sorry, that’s none of my business.”

I smile. “It’s okay.” Though I don’t answer the question.

It’s awkwardly silent for a minute before I say, “I’m more than happy to do some grocery shopping if you want. Harper and I can go tomorrow. I love to cook. Your kitchen is fantastic. I could make some healthy meals and leave them in the fridge for you both.”

He nods. “That would be great. I’ll leave a credit card with your keys on the kitchen counter. You’re always more than welcome to join us for those dinners.”

“Perfect.” I look through the windows into the house. “What are those paddles I saw in the kitchen? I’ve never seen anything like them.”

“They’re pickleball paddles. Have you ever played?”

I shake my head. “No. What’s pickleball?”

“It’s to tennis what softball was to baseball. It was invented to be played in smaller spaces than tennis. It’s a marriage between tennis and ping pong. You’re obviously a natural athlete. You’d be good at it. I’ll take you to play sometime. I taped out the court on my basketball court so I can teach Harper how to play, but I play at a local club. It’s a nice way for an old man like me to keep competitive.”

“You’re not that old, are you?”

He gives me a sexy smile. “Older than I’d like.”

I resist the urge to ask him exactly how old by looking down and flipping the burgers. I manage to shout back toward him, “They’ll be ready soon,” without making any more eye contact.

“Right. I’ll be back in a few with the salad.”

He returns ten minutes later without his suit jacket and with his sleeves rolled up. So sexy.

He places a salad bowl on the table, sits, and lights up a cigar. I’m about to say something about it but bite back a snarky response. I already gave him one tonight.

I yell down to the pool, “Girls, dinnertime.”

They get out of the pool and wrap themselves in towels. Harper looks up at me, and I silently motion that her dad is smoking a cigar. She smiles and nods conspiratorially.

I turn and look at him. He leans back in his chair and smokes as if in deep thought. I can’t help but drink him in. He oozes sex appeal. The way he crosses his legs, the way he holds the cigar, the way he fills out the chair. Every single thing he does.

I’ve never been around a man who smokes a cigar. As unhealthy as I know it is, it’s so hot when he does it. His dark beard has a few gray hairs at the bottom. His big red lips wrap around the cigar. I’m jealous of the damn cigar.

He’s lost in thought when I see the girls slowly tiptoe up the stairs. I motion for them to spread out, which they manage to do quietly.

Holding up my fist, I slowly lift one finger at a time until I reach three. When I do, they all run toward him and squirt his cigar with the water guns I bought.

Tanner chuckles as he wipes his face and looks at me. “This was your plan all along, wasn’t it? ”

I shrug as I unsuccessfully bite back my smile. “Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time.”

The corners of his mouth raise in amusement. “You’re a bit of a brat, aren’t you?”

My whole body flushes at the comment as I imagine all the ways I want him to punish me. Wait, what? Where did that come from?

Before I can respond, he quickly grabs a giggling Harper, takes her water gun, and then starts squirting it at me. “Get her, girls!”

They all turn on me and squirt me until I can only stand there and cover my face. I inadvertently yell out, “Oh shit,” and all the girls freeze.

I cover my mouth. My damn sister and her potty mouth are rubbing off on me. “I’m so sorry. No more cursing. I promise.”

Harper shakes her head. “That’s ten dollars in the swear jar.”

My mouth opens in shock. “What? That’s an expensive swear jar.”

“Daddy says inflation is a bit—”

“Harper,” Tanner warns, “you don’t want to give up your entire allowance, do you?”

She does a big, exaggerated zipping of her lips and shakes her head.

He turns back to me. “Since Bailey didn’t know the rule, we’ll let this be her one warning.”

I do the same exaggerated zipping of my lips that Harper did.

He smirks and mouths, “Brat.”

Maybe it’s just me, but everything he says to me feels sexual. And I like it.

We’re finally seated for dinner. Tanner looks at Harper. “What were you and Bailey up to today?”

She smiles. “Bailey taught us how to throw from the slot. ”

He chokes on his whiskey. “Wow. That’s advanced stuff. I don’t think I learned how to do that until I was fourteen or fifteen.”

I nod. “It’s a work in progress, but they wanted to learn. I think they were better by the end. Harper said you were a shortstop. Did you play in college?”

He nods. “I played at a small division three school. My dream was to play in the big leagues. At some point, I realized it wasn’t going to happen for me, so I focused on getting into law school in hopes of being a sports agent.”

“I guess it worked. You’re one of the biggest agents around. You probably have athletes lined up to sign with you.”

“It took time. I worked for a big sports management agency in New York City for years, building my reputation and client base. That’s why Layton, Cheetah, and Trey are special clients to me. They all signed with me out of high school. They’re among the first few clients I signed myself. When I left the big company and went out on my own, they were my first three calls. All said yes without asking a single question. They blindly followed me. They’re more than clients. They’re friends. Hell, they’re family. Harper calls all three of them uncle.”

I smile as the girls happily chat quietly among themselves. “That’s nice. When did you move here from New York?”

“When we got divorced. Fallon is originally from Philly. Her parents live here, and they help her with Harper when she works. Frankly, they help both of us. I wasn’t thrilled about the move at first, but I’m happy we did it. It’s best for Harper to be near family.”

“Where does your family live?”

“Dad is in Florida. Mom passed a few years ago. My brother is kind of a drifter. I’m never sure where he’s living, and we rarely see him. Harper doesn’t know him at all.”

I want to ask more questions, but I don’t. I’m not sure why I want to know more about him. Nonetheless, I switch gears. “ Arizona said you’ve been helpful to her. She’s excited to have signed with you.”

“I’m sure she’s in shock over the number of sponsorship offers she’s had. I feel like it exploded overnight. She’s one of the most popular female athletes in the world at this point.”

I nod. “Yep, we’ve all had an increase in offers, but she’s certainly got the most. By far.”

He steeples his fingers. “I see. Well, better you ladies get the offers than reality stars. You’re the ones we want our daughters to look up to. Not people famous for S-E-X tapes.”

Dylan giggles. “We can spell. We’re not two. You just said sex tapes. What are those?”

Tanner’s lips twist and he mumbles, “Ask your mom.” He looks back at me. “What offers have you had?” His jaw tics. “Let me know if you need help.”

“Thanks, but no thanks. I’ll never model again. Our mom had Kam and me modeling at a young age. Apparently there’s a big demand for twins.”

“Gorgeous twins. That’s the demand,” he grumbles.

Harper giggles. “You just called Bailey gorgeous, Daddy. Do you want to K-I-S-S her?”

He playfully narrows his eyes at her. “Watch it, Harper.”

All the girls giggle while I imagine what it would be like to kiss him.

Yep, I officially have a crush on my boss.