Page 108 of The Shake Off

“What’s going on?”

“Just taking a break from playing catch with a future pitcher of The Lions.”

“Is that right?”

I nodded with a grin. “Yep.”

“You like kids?”

I shrugged. “Yeah. I don’t know many, but they’re funny. What about you?”

She nodded. “I have a goddaughter who’s two, and will inherit my shoe collection.” She smiled, making me wish I could take a picture of her. “And my half-sisters. My dad remarried and had another family.”

I didn’t like the way she said ‘another family’, but I ignored it. “Do you see them?”

“Yeah. I fly down twice a year, but I talk to them on FaceTime. They’re ten and eight, so I’m a bit cooler to them now than I was a few years ago. I’m their cool older sister,” she laughed.

“I bet you’re a great sister. I always wished I could’ve traded my brothers for one.”

She laughed loudly. “Oh yeah? Which brother?”

“Stevie, most of the time. Sometimes Coby,” I winked, making her laugh louder.

I glanced down at where her hands were resting near mine, and slowly so I didn’t scare her, I slipped mine into hers and placed it on my knee. I held my breath, waiting to see if she’d move it, but it stayed in place.

“How’s the party been for you? Has Nathalie realized how amazing you are, and promoted you to be her deputy or something?”

Payton giggled – a sound I wanted to keep in a locket around my neck. I’d never take it off.

“No, but she’s told me that she loves the manuscript I’ve been working on.”

“The one you got sent by accident?”

She nodded. “Yeah. She’d asked me to send her the first few chapters, which I did. It’s way below her paygrade, but she wanted to read it.

“Because you told her it was good. She trusts you.” I held her gaze, watching the reflection of the twinkly lights flicker in her brown eyes until she looked down to where her hand was still laced with mine.

“This is a big deal to be here, it means a lot to me that you came. Thank you, Ace. I’m truly grateful.”

“I wouldn’t have missed it,” I replied truthfully.

“You haven’t been bored?”

I shook my head. “No way. I’ve learned all about The Booker Prize winner, and some other new book I forgot the name of already. Plus, we debated on the merits and pressures of a follow up novel.”

Her face split with a wide smile, her big eyes sparkling again in amusement as her hand flew up to cover her mouth. “Oh God, I’m so sorry.”

“Hey, it’s okay. I’m good, seriously,” I replied, kissing her cheek, relishing in the way she leaned into me.

“Shall we stay at your place tonight?”

“Why?”

She shrugged. “We’re always at my place, and it’s so small.”

“Babycakes, wherever you are, I’m happy. And your place isn’t small, it’s cozy,” I replied, suddenly desperate to get her alone. I was done sharing her, and I certainly didn’t want to share her with my roommates. “But the best thing? It’s private, and I can get you to scream my name as loudly as I want.”

Her eyes widened and her cheeks flushed, which in turn had me grinning. It seemed she could always make me grin. “Yeah?”

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