Page 37 of The Love We Make

What he didn’t realize was that when his hand made its way under the hem of my dress, I was all in. I wanted more.

Nothing more came from that test. Ethan stopped his little game and went back to being “best friend Ethan.”

But now I kept looking at his dang hands like they were the holy grail.

We were sitting on the field, in front of the dugout, and I was watching Ethan’s hand run through the grass as he laughed with another player next to him. Apparently the home run derby was taking place. As a baseball fan, that should have interested me.

“What are you looking at?” Ali asked me from my other side.

“I have no idea,” I answered, truthfully. I knew I was looking at Ethan’s hand, but I didn’t really knowwhatI was looking at.

I needed to snap out of it.

Ali just laughed at me before getting up and chatting with someone else.

“EJ!” I heard being yelled.

“AJ!” Ethan responded.

I looked up in the direction of the voice and saw the centerfielder for the American League team, Aaron Johnson. I remember Aaron being on Ethan’s team when he first got drafted and played in the minor league. After a year on the same team, Aaron got traded to Anaheim.

Ethan stood up and bro-hugged Aaron, and then he pulled me into a standing position.

“Aaron this is Madison. Madison, Aaron,” Ethan introduced us.

“This is the famous Maddy?” Aaron asked as I shook his hand.

I had no doubt Ethan had talked about me and that Aaron knew how close we were. “That’s me.”

Aaron was Ethan’s age, blond hair, blue eyes. He had a bright smile and dark complexion. His hands were just ok if I am being honest. But he was fun to talk to and full of stories about Ethan.

We sat there together for a while, laughing, while the home run derby continued. Every once in a while, someone else would stop by and say hi, wish Ethan luck, and rag Aaron for being “friends with the enemy.” Two hours had passed before I knew it and the night was winding down.

“Oh, hey. You in Turner’s golf tourney next week?” Aaron asked.

“I was, but we have a game on the road that day,” Ethan responded as we made our way off the field.

“Damn, we have a day off so I told Chase I would fly in for it. I was hoping you would be there.”

“I will be there,” I interjected.

“Yeah, Maddy is volunteering,” Ethan explained.

“That is even better than EJ being there. Maybe you and I can have dinner or something?”

I laughed at Aaron’s flirting.

Ethan didn't.

“I don’t think so,” Ethan said, trying to sound lighthearted and humored, but actually sounding a little pissed.

“What do you care?” Aaron asked.

“I just do,” he said.

Trying to play off the sudden awkwardness caused by Ethan, I laughed and shoved Ethan in the shoulder. “He is just messing around. Definitely find me. We can hang out!”

All these dinner invites were for the best. Just what the doctor ordered. No way would I be pining after Ethan when I would be too busy having dinners with new friends.

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