Some Like It Charming - By Megan Bryce Page 0,7
a lot of balls get hit there.”
The crowd chuckled and Mackenzie said, “You’re not making this better.”
“And I want to let everyone, and especially my mother, know that even though she looks like she’s going to kill me, she has already accepted my apology–” Mackenzie snorted, “–and is going to make me lose so bad that I won’t be able to show my face in the L.A. office for a year.”
Everyone laughed again and Mackenzie muttered, “I’d prefer two years.”
“So, Stacy and Dan, wipe those worried expressions off your legal faces– she’s not going to sue me. And let’s go back to playing some ball.”
He chuckled again and walked her back to third with his arm still around her.
She said, “I’m really starting to sympathize with your ex-girlfriends. The society column seems a little tame to me.”
“But listen to how much fun they’re having. Isn’t it worth it?”
“I’m charging you a thousand dollars every time someone says balls to me in the next month. And you’d better pay me out of your own pocket, not the company’s.”
He turned them around and watched everyone laughing and having a good time. “I guess it’ll be worth it.”
Then he looked down at her and found her still frowning. He took his arm off her shoulder and patted her butt.
She elbowed him in the side. “Do you have a death wish, O’Connor!”
“It’s just so hard to get you all riled up and I want to keep you that way as long as possible.”
“You keep your hands to yourself or you’ll find yourself flat on the ground. And if you even use the word balls I’m going to deck you.”
He laughed, hard. “God, Mackenzie. This is turning out to be a great day. Who would have thought.”
Two
If anyone had told Ethan this morning that today would turn out this good, he would have told them they needed to fix their crystal ball. But he’d forgotten that wherever Mackenzie Wyatt was he was bound to have a good time. She cracked him up. She stood there with no expression on her face, but he knew she was laughing inside. He also knew he really would get a bill from her if anybody said balls to her. He just hoped it wouldn’t cost him too much.
And God knew he shouldn’t have patted her behind but it was right there, and when would he ever get the chance again? He hoped she was joking about that lawsuit because any lawyer could chew him up and spit him out for the remarks and touching. Not to mention the continued jokes from everybody else. She could probably retire a wealthy woman if she had a mind to.
And he’d never have as much fun coming to L.A. if she left.
She eyed him warily as she walked up to bat and he couldn’t help his chuckle. He asked over his shoulder, “Hey, Ref. You got any money on this game?”
Mackenzie glanced at Anderson, an accountant from the fourth floor, and said, “Of course not. That would go against rule number one for referees. Thou shalt not upset the players by placing money on a game you’re refereeing.”
Anderson crouched down and said, “I would never do anything to make either you or Mackenzie mad at me. Especially when there are balls flying around everywhere. A man could get hurt.”
Mackenzie stepped into the box. “That was the easiest thousand I ever made. Got any more balls jokes?”
The pitcher lobbed the ball way outside, into Ethan’s waiting hand, and Anderson yelled as loud as he could, “Ball one!”
The crowd hooted and laughed and Ethan smiled. Mackenzie pointed at the ball with her bat. “You have got to be kidding.”
He threw it back to the pitcher. “Honey, the bases are loaded again. You know I can’t let you hit that ball.”
“So you’re just going to walk me? There’s a man on third who’ll score.”
“Better one than four.”
Ball two came sailing way outside and Ethan didn’t even bother to crouch.
“Ball two!”
A few people in the crowd booed and Mackenzie was pretty sure one of them was Ethan’s grandmother.
Mackenzie said, “I might strike out.”
“You couldn’t strike out if you tried. That first hit was a thing of beauty.”
Mackenzie smiled. “Thank you. You do know that this little escapade is going to cost you four thousand dollars, right? Anderson is having a little too much fun yelling ball.”
“He’s just doing his job, you can’t charge me for that.”
Anderson yelled in a sing-song voice, “Baaaaaaaaaalllllll three,” and Mackenzie raised an