Page 44 of Rosie and the Beast Next Door

“Dylan has agreed to help me get Max to notice me. Including teaching me his ways and pretending to be my boyfriend,” Rosie said.

“To make him jealous.” Charlie nodded thoughtfully. “It might work.”

“Exactly,” Rosie said.

“Why anyone wouldwantMax’s attention is another question.” Based on Rosie’s glare, my opinion was not appreciated.

“So what’s going on here?” I motioned to the field, eager to change the topic. Charlie shot a too-knowing glance at me.

“Icy Asps practice,” Rosie said. “We’re playing our rivals next week, so it’s all hands on deck.”

“Especially with Hudson and Bennett both gone for work,” Charlie said grimly.

“Bring it in!” Rosie yelled, and everyone started walking toward them.

“The Icy Asps?” I whispered to Charlie.

“The restaurant sponsors our team.” Charlie straightened her shoulders as her fiancé, Greg, approached, softball in hand.

“Savage,” he said with a tough-guy nod. He dropped a protective arm on Charlie’s shoulder and eyed me like I was competition.Bro, I’m her cousin.

“How’re your shoes?” I asked.

He checked out his new-looking sneakers, confused. Clearly not remembering that we’d stuffed bananas in his shoes for revenge. “I got them from a specialty store. Expensive, but worth it.”

Be nice,Charlie mouthed with a subtle point at me.

I shrugged innocently and bit back my retort for Greg.

Rosie nudged me in the side with her hip and whispered, “She’s usually tellingmeto be nice. I don’t understand the dig but well done.”

I accepted her high five, which earned us both a glare from Charlie.

“Should we get started?” Greg asked loudly. “Since Bennett’s not here, I’ll act as team captain today.”

That earned a couple of quiet groans that Greg ignored. A few people cast subtle looks at me, but so far no one had thrown rotten food. Maybe because Rosie was stuck tight to my side, protecting me.

When had I started accepting protection from women half my weight? At least the guys on the Peaks couldn’t see me clutchingher hand like a kindergartner being dropped off for his first day of school.

“Run around the field ten times and then let’s break into teams.”

“He always makes us do this,” Rosie said with a groan. She dropped my hand to stretch her legs. “The power goes to his head.”

Everyone started in a jog, and she only made it a few steps before she glanced back at me. “Coming?”

I waved my hand. “I can’t play.”

“Only good at hockey?”

Competitiveness rose in me. “I’m good at baseball. I have a contract restriction against playing other sports.”

“We’re just running around the diamond. Are you allowed to do that?”

I knew where this was headed. Rosie was like that old story about the frog in boiling water I was told as a kid. Still, I couldn’t resist the challenge in her stare.

I kept pace with Rosie for the ten laps, and then we gathered near the dugout to listen to Greg be drunk with power. “You playing?” he asked me.

“I’m just here to watch.”

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