Page 24 of The Fake Out

Brows pulled together, I set the paintbrush back down. “The Revs have a table. Are you not coming?”

He had his own life, and my event probably meant nothing to him. But an annoying little part of my brain was whispering its disappointment as I realized he wouldn’t be there. I ground my teeth. No, I wouldn’t let him have this effect on me. The last thing I needed was to develop a crush on my brother’s best friend. The sexy professional baseball player that half the city probably lusted over.

“Nah, they invite the big names to those things.” He shook his head, and I heard the popping of his knuckles, although I couldn’t see his hands on the screen.

“What?” Emerson Knight was a big name. No one got fans as excited when they walked into Lang Field as he did. He was great at getting the crowd on their feet and dancing, and when he was on base, the whole stadium held its breath, waiting for him to steal. Not to mention the man’s stupidly beautiful face peppered the Revs’ socials.

Yes, annoyingly, I was checking them for glimpses of him now. Another thing I needed to stop, since there was no good reason his dopey smile and silly antics should interest me so much.

“You know.” A single-shoulder shrug. “Price, Damiano, Martinez, Bosco, and Dumpty. The fan favorites.” He said it without a trace of emotion, but his matter-of-fact attitude was belied by the way he ran a hand down his face.

As I watched the way he shrugged off the topic, anger on his behalf coursed through me. Had no one ever told him he was in the same league as those guys?

“Anyway.” He moved on before I could say anything. “Maybe one day when I’m home, you can take me and show me the signs. I really do want to see them.” A soft smile graced his lips, but the light in his eyes had dulled. “But I’ll let you get back to your work. I didn’t mean to interrupt. I guess I just missed seeing the daggers you love to shoot my way.”

Shit. I schooled my expression. Yes, I’d been glaring, but it wasn’t directed at him.

“Have a good night, Mariposa.” That smile went even softer, and then he ended the call.

It sucked that he wasn’t going out. Not because I had these weird feelings about him, but because it seemed like he wanted to go.

My focus shifted to the black frame on the side table next to the sofa. Inside it was my painting of Puff, mid-jump off a rock. Emerson was as weirdly excited about that bird as my father was. And almost as much as Avery and Chris. What if I asked for a plus-one to the zoo event? I shook my head. I didn’t even know if Emerson would want to go. I glanced down at my phone and pulled up my friends’ group text.

Me: Would it be weird to ask to bring someone to the thing on Friday?

Linc: Ummmm ’scuse me? A DATE???

I blew out a breath, considering the best way to word it. But before I could respond, my phone was buzzing again. I sighed but accepted the FaceTime request and propped my phone up beside me.

“You are at your most adorable when you’re covered in paint.” The dreamlike sigh floated from Linc’s lips. “It’s so obvious that you were born to be an amazing artist.” He clapped his hands. “But more importantly, tell me the date is with the naked roommate.”

“He’s fully clothed all the time.” I growled the lie. Because, though I’d never seen him naked, he did wander around shirtless a lot. Enough that I was beginning to think the rumors about him not being big on wearing clothes might be true.

“It’s too bad. I’ve seen pictures, and that man is really good-looking.” Mila, who’d joined the call too, waggled her brows.

My hackles rose, though I wasn’t sure whose statement caused the response. Either way, I snapped. “He’s also really good at baseball and just a nice guy.”

“No longer claiming he’s weird?” Linc’s left brow rose almost in time with the corner of his mouth.

“Shut up.” I sighed. “He’s…” What was the best way to describe him?

Mila smiled, and Linc almost squealed.

“I love this so much,” he gushed. “It’s going to be the best roommates-to-lovers story ever. I totally prefer MM to MF, but if it means you getting a happily ever after, I’d be game for MF.”

I tossed my hands in the air. He would never let it go. “No. My comment about him being a good guy is just that. Don’t make this a thing.”

“You asked about a date,” Mila reminded me gently.

“No, I asked about bringing a…” I had no clue how to describe Emerson at the moment. “Friend?”

Linc scoffed.

Mila gave me a placating smile. “Linc,” she soothed, “give it some time and don’t push. Remember, she did just get out of a terrible relationship.”

“Thanks,” I muttered. Although that wasn’t the issue either. It had been almost a month since everything with Jake had gone from present to past.

“Best way to get over someone is to get under someone else.” He paused. “Or over them. Or beside them. Or inside them.” His eyes lit up and his mouth popped open. “Or?—”

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