Page 35 of The Double Play

“That’s her nanny. I’m not dating anyone,” I answer in a gruff tone. Just because I’m talking doesn’t mean I have to like it.

“What does the gesture mean?”

I love you.

Which Hazel most definitely does not know, and this reporter doesn’t deserve to know ever, much less before Hazel finds out.

I give a casual shrug. “It’s just something to let my daughter know I see her in the crowd and that she sees me.”

The reporter seems disappointed. You’d think they’d be used to that by now and would give up.

“Hey, Danica, I didn’t know you’d be on the field tonight,” Emerson says as he saunters up. Danica–the reporter–immediately deteriorates from a semi-professional journalist to a schoolgirl.

“I try to never miss a game where you play,” she titters.

Emerson tilts his head to the side, telling me to escape. I nod my thanks and jog over to the dugout for some water.

It seems like everywhere Hazel goes, she draws attention. Whether it’s from my teammates or friends or this reporter. Everyone seems to be pushing an agenda, one that can’t come to fruition.

My mind pulls up the image of her and June pointing my way. I shake my head. This isn’t good.

After the game and post-game talk, I allow myself a minute to sit alone in the locker room. Everyone else filed out a few minutes ago to celebrate in their own way. I turned down their invitations like I always do. June and Hazel are already back at the hotel watching a movie, based on the update Hazel just sent. I told them not to wait on me tonight since it was a later game. I’m sure they’ll both be asleep when I get back. It was a long day, one that I’m feeling in my aching muscles and drooping eyelids.

I’ve just closed my eyes when my phone begins to buzz on the seat next to me. I sigh before grabbing it. My agent’s name lights up the screen. My brow furrows. Brock’s not one to call me. He knows I prefer in-person meetings or email as communication.

“Hello?” I answer.

“Give it to me straight. Are you and Hazel a thing?”

I sit up straight. “What?”

“I saw the interview clip from tonight’s game, and there are only going to be more questions from here on out. We need to get ahead of this.”

Leave it to Brock to jump right into things. I guess I’d rather this than a useless preamble.

I run a hand over my face. “There’s nothing to get ahead of. Hazel is June’s nanny. That’s all.”

“Look, I won’t judge you, but everyone else will if we don’t get a story ready. No other woman has ever done that signal before. I don’t even think yourmomhas. The tabloids are going to eat this up.”

“Let them gorge on it. It’s nothing but hot air like everything else they spout. June probably asked Hazel to do it with her. There’s nothing between us.”

I wince a little at the lie. I’m not one to even so much as bend the truth, but this calls for it.

Brock sighs. “I’ll take you at your word because I know you wouldn’t lie to me. And I’ll do what I can to get them to leave the situation alone.”

“Even the tabloids will realize that there’s nothing there. It should blow over within the week.”

“Emmett, you haven’t dated anyone since your divorce almostfive years ago. People are hungry for a story. They might even bring up stuff from the past just to pad the narrative.”

My blood runs cold at the thought of my divorce being brought into the public eye again. It wasn’t that bad the year after it happened. June was just a baby, and reporters have never done anything more than annoy me. But now that June’s older and in school, I don’t want this hanging over her.

“Do whatever you can to keep the divorce out of it. Tell me if there’s anything I need to do, even if it’s a ridiculous interview to shut them up. There should be no mention of June or Shelby.”

“I’ll do my best, and I’ll keep you posted.”

“Thank you.”

“Just doing my job.”

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