Page 29 of Rounding Third

“Oh, I needed my dad to sign something for Scott Powell and Coleman. I swung by on my way into the office… Are you ok? You seem kinda…” she trails off, not finishing her sentence.

She pays close attention to people, just like Owen and Cord do. It helps that we’ve spent a lot of time together outside of work. I think she’s gotten to know the entire starting lineup pretty well.

“Sad? Depressed? Maybe miserable? Melancholy? I can keep going if you’d like.”

“I think I understand the gist of it.” She flashes me a sympathetic smile in my direction. “Why don’t we grab a table at the restaurant and you can tell me what’s going on while I eat something before I lock myself in my office for the rest of the day?”

“I have to get to practice.” I point in the direction of the locker room.

“Umm… No, you don’t. I just texted my dad and told him you’ll be shit at baseball right now. I said I’d fix you before sending you into practice late!” She grins as she wraps her hand around my bicep and turns me in the direction of the restaurant.

“What’d he say?”

“He said to have fun and not to let you flirt with me.” Cici grins up at me. “Somehow I don’t think that will be an issue.”

“Why do you say that?” I frown as we continue walking.

Cici’s gorgeous. She has long blonde hair, but it’s twisted into a bun at the nape of her neck. She looks every part of the successful business woman she was born and raised to be. Her bright blue eyes are framed by long, dark eyelashes. Any man would be lucky to have her attention on them.

She’s exactly what most men are looking for. Exactly what I’d want if I wasn’t head over heels in love with Liliana.

“You’ve never flirted with me, Smithy. I know you aren’t interested and that’s fine.”

I tug her to a stop and stare down at Cici. She can't think I wouldn’t be interested in her… if Liliana didn’t exist.

“Cici, you’re gorgeous and any man would be interested in dating you.”

“Except you.” Her smile softens and she squeezes my arm. “I think that’s part of what we need to talk about while I eat.”

“You want to talk about why I'm not interested in dating you?” My brows pinch as she tugs me the rest of the way to the restaurant and over to a booth. Once she’s ordered her breakfast and we’re waiting, she turns her attention back on me.

“Spill it.”

“Spill what?”

“You have like twenty minutes of my undivided attention, then I'm walking away. I can't help if I don’t know what’s going on.”

“I'm in love with Liliana,” I blurt out before I can stop myself.

“Yeah, everyone knows that.” She rolls her eyes. “Do you want to tell me why that’s making you sad, depressed, miserable, and melancholy?” She grins as she repeats my words from earlier.

“She’s going on a blind date tomorrow and I don’t want her to go.”

“Is there a reason you haven’t told her how you feel yet?”

“I'm afraid she won't think I'm sincere. I know if I make too sudden of a move, she’ll think I'm being impulsive instead of telling her the truth.”

“So… you’re going to…” She trails off.

“I need to ruin her date.”

“You can't ruin it! Liliana’s the sweetest woman ever. You can't do that.”

“What if you go to dinner with me and we just happen to eat at the same restaurant Liliana will be at?”

“How will that help? Then she’ll think you have a crush on me!” Cici sits back in her seat and stares at me.

“I don’t know! Shit, why does this need to be so difficult?” I run rough fingers through my hair and tug on the ends.

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