Page 51 of Saving Her Heart
"What did you hear?"
"They're planning something. Building inspections. Fake violations. Safety hazards."
His jaw tightens. "When?"
"Tomorrow. They’re going to try to frame me for all of this."
"Then we'll be ready." He hands me the water, his fingers brushing mine. The simple touch makes me shiver, remembering those same fingers on my skin hours ago. "You good to play?"
"Yeah."
"Good. Because the guys have been giving me hell, and I need you to help me shut them up."
"How?"
He grins. "By kicking their asses at kickball."
The game is ridiculous. The Bad News Babes versus The Good News Guys—a rivalry that goes back years, though no one can remember how it started. I'm at home-base for the Babes while Jax is playing shortstop for the Guys, which means we keep making eye contact and forgetting what we're supposed to be doing.
"FOCUS, KENDALL!" Grace shouts from the dugout. "Stop making googly eyes at the enemy!"
"He's not the enemy?—"
"He's literally on the opposing team!" Riley calls from first base.
The Walking Ladies have set up camp along the third-base line with lawn chairs and what looks like an entire tailgate spread. They're wearing matching t-shirts that say "TEAM KENJAX" and waving pom-poms.
"GO KENDALL!" Gladys shouts, then immediately switches to, "GO JAX!" when she sees him. "We're rooting for love, not points!"
"That's not how sports work!" Hudson yells from centerfield.
"Sports are boring, dear. Romance is forever!" Florence adds, taking a suspicious sip from her lemonade’.
I notice Valerie and Brad standing across the parking lot, Brad holding up his phone, clearly recording everything. They're trying to look casual, but Declan keeps positioning himself between them and me whenever possible. Even during a fun game, I'm still under protection.
"Your turn, Kendall!" Kate calls.
I step up to the plate. Reid is pitching for the Guys, and he's got that competitive gleam that means he's taking this way too seriously. Reid is like that, though. In all aspects of his professional life as a doctor and his personal life as one of Hooplas owners.’
"Easy out!" Kane shouts from third base. "She hasn't played in months!"
"Excuse me?" I shoot back. "I was MVP two seasons ago!"
"That was before your drought!" he teases.
"He means athletic drought!" Jax quickly clarifies, glaring at Kane. "Definitely just sports-related! Right, Kane?"
"Sure it was," Brooke mutters from behind me.
Reid rolls the ball, and I nail it, sending it sailing between Jax and Hudson. I run, rounding first where Eli gives me a mock salute—even though he's on the other team—past second, and I slide into third just as Jax gets the ball.
"Safe by a mile!" Betty shouts from her lawn chair. "That's our girl! Wait, which team are we cheering for?"
"Whoever's winning!" Joan responds.
"So... the Babes!" Gladys adds, causing the Guys to groan.
The game continues with more comedy than competition. Nicholas, playing for the Guys despite being six and technically not on either roster, manages to get a hit off Grace, who dramatically accuses him of cheating by being ‘too adorable to pitch strikes to’.
