Page 120 of Wild Pitch
The result was anything but: the second a bunch of Orlando Wild baseball players walked in, the locals pounced to take selfies, get autographs, try to get any info they can use for betting, or to get them to join their tables. O’Brian and Miller are in the middle of a pool game with an older couple. Logan is at the bar casually trying to ignore two women who have been trying to flirt with him for the past hour. Lucky Rivera is tearing up the dance floor, even though I wouldn’t have pegged the Boricua for someone who jams to ‘80s hair metal. Rose is next to him, exchanging dance partners halfway through every song—there’s actually a line of men waiting for their turn.
And then there’s Cade.
First, he got caught by a group of elderly men who wanted to talk about ball grips in detail. Then, when Cade managed to excuse himself, he fell in the grip of a small bachelorette party of five very tipsy women. He hasn’t made eye contact with me in ahelptype of way, and the women have only been chatty, so there’s nothing I can do but sit in my corner at the bar, nursing a glass of lemonade.
My straw makes the gurgling sounds that indicate I’m now trying to suck the bottom of an empty glass. Perfect timing to set it down and take a restroom break. That’s what I get for drinking like three glasses while waiting for Cade to be free.
I also wash my face because the place is hot and stuffy from being so packed, and a couple of women from the bachelorette party walk in right then.
“Do you think Jeff would get mad if I cancel the wedding because I want to propose to Cade freaking Starr right now?” the bride asks her friend with a laugh. They both take the sinks adjacent to mine.
The other woman shakes her head. “No, I think Jeff would abandon his bachelor party and come propose to Cade instead.”
I nod to myself, but the motions of washing my face camouflage it. Cade’s pretty damn lovable so yep.
“Oh my gosh, and did you see his eyes?”
“Did you hear his voice?”
“Did you see hishands?”
“Do you think his?—”
I rise abruptly, water dripping from my face to my grey T-shirt, and blink at the women through the mirror. The chagrinned looks on their faces tell me that yes, their minds were going in the gutter.
“Ahem.” I turn the faucet off and walk around the presumably bridesmaid to get some paper towels.
“Anyway. Stacy, you should go for him,” the bride suggests.
Stacy sighs so big she deflates. “I already tried. He said he has someone he’s interested in already.”
I trip on my literal own two feet.
Obviously, the attention of the two women turns to me. Credit to the bridesmaid because she makes a move to steady me until it’s clear I’m not really at risk of body injury here.
“Sorry.” I give an awkward laugh. “Maybe I had too much to drink.” Of lemonade but whatever.
“No worries, hun. Love your top, by the way.”
My T-shirt from Target? Sure. Smiling I say, “Thanks, and congrats on the wedding, Jeff’s a lucky guy.”
“He really is.” The bride’s expression grows genuinely content. “But then so am I.”
“Aww. One day I want to have what you guys have,” Stacy says, finally forgetting about me.
The bride begins a pretty speech about how her friend’s special man is surely out there, and this is when I slip out of the restroom.
Until a hand pulls me into a dark threshold right next to it.
My squeak is drowned by Cade’s voice. “It’s me. Sorry. I just couldn’t find another way.”
No complaints from me, especially when he’s got me pressed up against him. Both of his hands are wrapped around my wrists gently—in fact, I don’t even know if he notices how they’re lightly caressing my forearms. I splay my hands on his chest and feel the steady beat of his heart underneath.
My eyes are getting used to the weak light and I start to make out the curl of his hair that’s fallen on his forehead as he looks down at me. Somehow his eyes stay brilliant even in the dark.
“Hey,” he says like a sigh.
“Hey,” I return in just the same way. I bite my lip for a second and release it to add, “I heard that you apparently have someone you’re interested in. Is that so?”
