Page 36 of Reputation
Grayson Anderson, the team’s equipment manager, would drive their group to the Field of Dreams main shelter on the east side.The fourth member of their group was Bexel Klein, one of the fall semester interns.
As she waited, she watched the different groups try to get organized as everyone prepared to leave the office for the afternoon.She was distracted by the loud chatter of various conversations and didn’t hear the footsteps approaching.
“Cinderella,” came his voice from just behind her.
She froze, eyes closing as she drew in a deep breath, trying to quell the sensations his voice triggered in her blood.Her nerves thrummed with excitement beneath her skin as she felt his presence wrap around her.
Opening her eyes slowly, she continued to stare straight ahead.“Don’t call me that,” she said sternly, keeping her voice steady with a calm she certainly didn’t feel.
“Hey, if the shoe fits,” he said, a satisfied smirk in his voice.
She couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled past her lips, shaking her head at the cheesy,perfectline.She couldn’t deny he had his charming moments—ones she rather enjoyed.
Recovering from her outburst, she pinched her mouth together, pulling her face into a carefully pleasant mask.“Good morning, Mr.Morghan,” she said as stoically as possible.
She knew it was ridiculous to still address him as such, but it was one of the last defense mechanisms she had to keep herself in line.What she’d seen earlier this week had caused her carefully crafted walls to crack.She needed every shield she could muster to keep them from shattering.
He chuckled, and the sound shot straight down her spine.“You know, I enjoy this little game you like to play.”
“I’m not playing a game,” she countered, shooting him an arched look.
He smiled down at her, gaze tracking her face.The skin around his eyes crinkled slightly as they settled on her lips, which, despite her best efforts, twitched up at the ends.
“If you say so,” he answered, his voice low enough to make her belly clench.
He came to stand beside her, dressed casually in black athletic pants paired with a Royals hoodie.He wore a matching baseball cap on his head, hiding his dark hair, but some unruly ends curled around the edges, seemingly refusing to be tamed.
A few heartbeats of silence passed before she felt the need to break it.“Do people really not show up for this?”she asked, pointing to the group.“I mean, it’s only an afternoon, and it’s for a good cause.”
Jax smiled, shaking his head.“There was an…incident last year.Unfortunately, some people were unable to make their assignments.It didn’t reflect well on the organization, so marching orders were given for this year.”
“Oh,” she said, looking anywhere but at him.“So what charity did you do last year?”
“This one,” he said.
“You went to Field of Dreams last year?”
“Yep.I go every year that I’m home for Thanksgiving,” he said.“Even before I signed with the Royals.”
“Oh,” she said again and immediately wanted to kick herself for sounding like a broken record and an unimaginative one at that.
She was saved from her awkward attempt at trying to make conversation, something she was usually good at, when Grayson finally joined them.
“Everyone ready?”he asked, brown eyes glancing back and forth between them.
Grayson was medium height, with a dark coloring only broken by the trace of gray peppering his hair.He’d been with the Royals for years and was the direct result of a few goals from his stick-passing assists.The man was said to have piano fingers when it came to being ready for broken equipment.
“Absolutely,” Jax answered, clapping Grayson on the shoulder.He turned, shouting to Bexel that they were leaving.
The young guy practically ran over, blond, curly hair bouncing as stars danced in his eyes thattheJax Morghan knew his name.
Grayson rounded the front of the van just as Bexel reached for the front passenger door.Eavie went to climb in the back when Jax’s hand shot out, clasping the kid by his collar.
“It’s polite to offer the lady the front seat,” Jax scolded, moving Bexel out of the way.It would have been comical, the way Bexel stood on his tiptoes if it hadn’t been for the fact that people were staring.
“Of course,” he stumbled.“Sorry, Eavie.”
She gave him a pitying smile.“It’s alright,” she told the kid before turning her gaze to Jax.“I don’t mind sitting in the back.”
