Page 5 of Pitcher Us
“Is there a reason the meeting for these apartments couldn’t have been made at nine? Or any reason you felt I had to be included?”
“You’re going to need somewhere to stay, and this was the only one of Shannon’s listings that had places open. Excuse mefor thinking you might not want to stay in a hotel all season,” Adam huffs as we wait at the crosswalk.
Jamming my palm to my forehead, I try to ease the oncoming headache. “I could have?—”
“Oh, that place looks good,” Callie says low, under her breath. I’m sure she was only talking to herself as she fidgets with her oversized Yale sweatshirt and stares at the doors behind us.
Following her gaze, I see a small sign that says “Freshly Brewed” in the window. I don’t even really like coffee but if I see her shiver one more time I might cuss Adam out for not getting a car.
Glancing at my watch, our meeting with the property agent isn’t until eight and it’s just past half past seven now. “If you’re dragging me along, I’m going to at least grab a cup of coffee.”
Blame it on my brotherly instincts, but I’m not letting Callie walk another block without at least a warm cup of coffee in her hand.
Not giving Adam any room for a protest, I turn heading straight for the shop with the purple door that Callie was locked in on. I knew I couldn’t take her by the hand and drag her in with me, but I hoped the temptation of a warm drink was enough to make her follow.
Looking back, I can see she’s hesitant but the moment I open the door and the smell of the caffeine is stronger, she caves.
“Cals, we—” Adam starts, but she ignores him.
“Thank you,” she whispers as we enter the small shop.
Her smile is different from what I normally see from her. Instead of a wide grin accompanied with a loud personality, this one is subtle, softer… I’ve only seen this smile one other time and my only thought iswhy does this one seem more genuine than the others?
I try not to read too much into how much I like this smile more, and how I’m the reason it’s there…maybe this wasn’t my best idea. “I need some caffeine if I’m going to have to deal with your brother. It wasn’t anything?—”
“I meant thank you for holding the door.” Callie’s eyes narrow and the soft smile leaves.
Oof, okay, that wasn’t my smoothest move. Just because I know I came in here for her doesn’t mean she knows that. Pull it together, Anderson.
We walk up to the counter and the barista greets us with a voice way too chipper for the morning I’m having. “Hi, what can I get started for you guys?”
“Hi,” Callie says, matching the girl at the register with that full smile I’m more familiar with. “I’ll have a sixteen-ounce ginger tea, and I’m paying separately.”
Callie pulls her bag up on the counter digging for her wallet. I should let her pay, there’s no real reason I shouldn’t let her pay for her own drink. Adam said she got the photographer job. She’s a big girl, she’s not one of my sisters, or my mom. She’s not my girlfriend. She’s my teammate's little sister—an acquaintance at best.
“No, she’s not,” I blurt out, despite every thought that just passed through my head. Maybe this is that brotherly instinct taking over again.
“Wi—” Callie starts, but I talk over her.
“I’ll have a small coffee with a little bit of cream, please.”
The girl behind the counter scrunches her face. “We don’t have coffee. This is a tea shop.”
Callie looks up at me with a confused look. “Did you not read the sign? It’s calledSpilled Tea.”
Oh, well this is great, double embarrassment. How am I supposed to respond to this?“No, I didn’t look because all I could see was you shivering.”Fucking hell.
“Didn’t you hear me say I wanted coffee before walking in. Did it sound like I read the sign?” Shit, too snappy. Great, if this is any indication on how making friends with my teammates is going to go I might as well kiss that no-trade clause goodbye.
Callie quirks an eyebrow. “No, I didn’t hear you. I was just standing there, freezing my ass off, thinking man, I really want a hot cup of tea. Then next thing I knew you were walking in.”
Callie watches my blank stare, then just laughs and turns back to the barista. “He’ll take a sixteen-ounce Chai latte.”
Callie moves to pay again, but I toss some cash on the counter. “I said I would pay.”
Rolling her eyes, she brushes some of her red hair away from her face. “You also said you were getting coffee. I wasn’t going to make you pay for something you might not like, but you and I both know you have to walk out of here with some sort of drink unless we want to see Adam blow a gasket.”
“Don’t tempt me,” I mumble. Sliding my change back, I put the rest in the tip jar as we step to the other end of the counter. “So, what did you order for me?”
