Page 19 of Legal

How’s everything?

I thought you were in a meeting?I texted back.

Ended early. I swear.

I frowned at the screen. Man, she was acting strangely.

“Jillian?”

Huh? I raised my head and thought I’d lost my frickin’ mind. In what world was it sane to have him standing right in front of me? And what the hell…? He was Emily’s coach?

“You know her?” I noticed the once-pleasant feminine eyes narrowing.

“You could say that,” he said, and the entire vibe shifted further. “What are you doing here?”

“I… uh…” If my tongue didn’t untie itself soon, I’d bite it for acting like such an idiot. Both of them stared at me. Wasn’t there a practice to finish? “I’m picking up Emily today.”

“I thought you’d never been here before?” she said as if I’d just lied to her. As if I’d somehow orchestrated this entire bizarre scene so I could get her heartthrob to talk to me instead of her.

“I haven’t. Excuse me.”

I had Perry’s line ringing before I’d barely made it off the bleachers. I stormed over to the empty playground area, waiting for her to pick up. I disconnected as soon as it hit voice mail.

Why aren’t you answering?I texted.

Sorry. Meeting’s over but still at work.

Do you happen to know what I’m thinking right now?

It was a long shot, but I was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt. Much stranger coincidences had occurred. Perry could have had no idea of the coach’s identity. I stole a peek to see Chase back on the field and whatshername back to ogling, I assumed. I just wanted to get Emily and leave.

Thank you?she replied.

Goddammit.

WTF Perry?

You’re welcome.

Argh. I thrust my cell into my pocket, knowing I’d deal with her later in person. I sat on the swing, pumping my legs, surprised my stomach wasn’t rolling. I waited out the rest of the practice, zoning into the creak of the chains and wondering how I’d ever gotten myself into such a mess.

In the greater scheme of life, it shouldn’t have been that big of a deal. People hook up all the time. They have sex, they forget, and they move on.

But I wasn’t forgetting, and I wasn’t moving on. Because the damn fucker was right in front of me. Taunting his May to my December.

I’d made it this far being responsible, so why the screw-up now?

Finally. The girls rushed off the field and dive-bombed several coolers sitting off in the grass. I slowed the swing, digging my heels in the dirt, hopping off when I noticed Emily looking around. She spotted me and ran over with her water and little baggie of snacks.

“Auntie Jillian.”

“Hi, honey.” My heart got all warm and gooey. Technically, I’m not her aunt, of course, but I loved when she called me that. She slid her hand in mine, and I assumed we’d be heading to the car.

“I need to get my glove, Auntie Jillian.” I was about to tell her I’d wait when I spotted a black blob on the silver bench. Shit. Would it be wrong to ask Emily to pick that up too?

Yes, it would. Unless I didn’t care about being a wimp because I made a little girl retrieve the purse I’d left behind. “Okay, honey, let’s go, and then I need to get you home.”

I sucked it up, and we walked over, my pulse jacking higher the closer Chase came into sight. He wore a pair of athletic shorts, and it was the first chance I had to get a really good glimpse of the musculature of his calves, the hard curves leading up to thicker slabs. They’d been hidden in jeans, except for the time his thighs were bare and pressed against me….

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