Page 67 of Fielder's Choice

“You’ve got this, Lane,” Josh assures me. “And Sage will be well taken care of. Ella can’t wait to have her over tonight.”

“Pierce isn’t watching her?” Ari questions.

“Nah,” Cole breathes. “Tomorrow is my wife’s birthday. We’re starting off by having breakfast with Paul.”

“Should be fun now that he doesn’t hate you,” I tease.

“He hated me for like a day,” Cole chides. “We’re well beyond that now.”

“Come on,” Josh says, sliding off the counter. “Let’s finish off these pastries so we can let Lane get ready for his date.”

Josh ends up taking Sage with him when the guys leave this morning. That leaves me to myself to make sure I have everything ready for tonight. I buy Olive a lovely bouquet of pink roses from that local florist. I clean out all of the crumbs from my car. I jam to Taylor Swift. I’m relaxed and ready for this evening.

I’m picking Olive up around six to ensure we have enough time to get to Midtown in all the Friday evening traffic. It’s about time for me to leave to get her, so I look myself over in my full-length mirror.

Black ankle-length slacks, a black suit jacket, a black button-down with the top buttons undone, and a pair of black dress loafers. I look good, and I feel good.

I run a hand through my hair, laying it out exactly how I like, before I grab the bouquet and the keys and step onto the elevator.

Olive is at her brother’s right now, so I’m heading to Gramercy Park instead of Greenwich Village. His place isn’t terribly far, so it’s not long before I pull into Harvey’s underground garage.

Liv’s sister Violet, her wife Luna, and Harvey’s girlfriend Michelle are all helping her get ready. I’m not sure why it takes three people to get one person ready for a date, but I won’t question it.

Harvey buzzes me up, and I travel up to the twenty-third floor, looking for apartment four. I find it at the end of the hall, and the door swings open right after I knock.

“Hey, Lane,” Harvey says, trying to disguise his smile with nonchalance. It’s not working because he’s already clearly told me I’m his favorite player. I certainly don’t mind that ego boost.

“Hi, Harvey,” I say, stepping through the doorway. “Liv still getting ready?”

“Yeah. She’s with Chelle, Vi, and Lu in the guest bedroom. She should be out in a minute, though.”

“She’s coming out now,” a woman says as she steps into the living room. Based on how much she looks like Olive, I think it’s safe to assume that this must be Violet.

My attention now turns to the clacking of heels I hear against hardwood flooring as they pad down the hallway. Olive appears a moment later, and myGod.

She’sbreathtaking, absolutely breathtaking. She’s in a black dress fitted to her body. It has off-shoulder sleeves and a bit of a flare starting at her knees, hitting her mid-shin. She completed the look with a pair of black heels, pearl jewelry, and a pearl hairpin, pushing one side of her hair behind her shoulder.

Olive’s look is all old-school glamor and classical elegance.

And this woman agreed to go on a date withme.

I must stand there staring longer than I realized because everyone around us laughs, and Olive blushes, tinging her cheeks with a lovely shade of pink.

“I told you he’d be speechless,” Michelle jokes, bumping her hip into Olive’s.

I shake my head to compose myself. “Yeah. I mean…wow,Olive. You’re beautiful.”

“Thank you,” she replies softly as I cross the room and plant a kiss atop her head. “You know Harvey and Michelle, but you don’t know these two.” She points to the woman with brownhair. “This is my sister, Violet, and this”— She gestures now to the woman with bright teal hair. —“is her wife, Luna.”

“It’s so nice to meet you both,” I state, reaching out a hand for each of them to shake. “Liv has spoken highly of you. All four of you, really.

Violet laughs. “You wouldn’t be saying that if she told you the joke I made when I first heard about you.”

I look at her curiously. “What does that mean?”

“No!” Olive shouts. “God, please, no.”

Violet rears her head back in hysterical laughter. “I’ll be sure not to embarrass you before your first date.”

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