Page 31 of The Third Baseman

I frowned at that unwelcome piece of news, especially as with every passing minute I was enclosed in a tiny space with her, my fascination grew. “I’m not that strange. You already met me this morning, and you know where I live.”

“No, it’s okay. I just get nervous around new people sometimes.”

For some reason, that didn’t make me feel better. It made me feel worse, in fact. “And I made you get in my truck. If you open the compartment, my license is in there. You can see I’m telling the truth…”

“Thank you for helping me this morning,” she replied, and I wondered if that was the only reason she had accepted the ride – that because I helped her, it was okay for me to take her home. The tension in my chest eased a little.

“You’re welcome. Josh is always a dick. I don’t know him very well, but what I do know I’ve never really liked.”

We carried on in silence for a while. I turned left into a leafy tree-lined road which I always counted as the unofficial entrance to our neighborhood.

“So you’re not new? And you tutor?”

She brushed her hands over the book again and rested them on her knees. I wondered if they were actually sore. Maybe I should give her some arnica. I usually had tubes of it scattered around the place for whenever I was injured.

“No, I’ve been here three years. I’ve only tutored since last September though.”

I scratched my head. “I’m surprised I haven’t seen you around more often.”

“We’ve passed each other a couple of times,” she murmured so quietly I almost strained my hearing trying to make out what she’d said.

“Really? You’ve noticed me?”

She snorted loudly, making me laugh. “It’s hard not to. You’re massive and loud, and usually surrounded by a gaggle of girls.”

My chest puffed. The only part of that sentence I’d heard was that she’d noticed me, and I was massive; I was taking it as a compliment whether she meant it as one or not. The gaggle of girls was… well… not exactly false. Not that I encouraged it.

I almost told her I didn’t encourage the attention, but then decided against it.

“And now you’re my new neighbor, so I guess I’ll be your driver for the remainder of the school year.”

Her laughter filled the front seats, which had my chest puffing even further. It was a perfect sound and I wanted to hear it again. In the space of a twenty-five minute journey, I’d built a list of all the things I wanted from her again.

“No, I think this is a one-off. But thank you for the offer.”

I wasn’t about to argue and tell her she was wrong, but shewaswrong.

“My place is just here on the right.” She pointed to a Spanish style house with a tiled roof and a wide lawn in front, similar to all the houses around this neighborhood.

I pulled up, and she rested her hand on the door before opening it.

“Thanks for the ride, Jupiter.”

“You’re welcome.” And because I wanted to see her blush again, I couldn’t help adding, “I didn't know geeks looked like you.”

“Like what?”

“Hot.”

Her cheeks flared pink as quickly as her eyes widened, and I was still chuckling to myself as she got out and slammed the door closed. I didn’t even complain she’d slammed it too hard.

“See you around, Stars and Stripes.”

She looked back at me twice with a quizzical frown as she walked up her front path, and it had me grinning until bedtime.

5

MARNIE

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