Anything but Minor - Kate Stewart Page 0,56

of a ukulele in her bedroom last week and had a horrible time not breaking down hysterically as she awkwardly strummed it while I showered. She was doing everything in firsts and seemed to have no limits. If she was curious about it, she wanted to experience it, and I found myself jealous of all the time I had to spend away from her. My last two-week stint away, she’d reported that she went on a nine-hour road trip alone to D.C. just to see the cherry trees blossom. I would have been uneasy if I hadn’t gotten a dozen photos every three minutes with a “Did you know!” text. Half of them I’d saved to my phone and studied over and over until I could make it home.

Jesus, I was in deep.

She’d already planned a deep-sea fishing excursion while I was at my next series of away games. The thing was, I wanted to do these things with her, and she seemed unaffected to go alone. I wanted to protect her, from whatever, and she seemed to not want or need any protection for herself. I set down the glass of champagne in front of her as she chatted with Andy at our table.

“Doll, you look beautiful,” he said to her with a wink.

“Thank you,” she said with a slight blush. “And you,” she said as she looked up to me with a grin and grabbed her champagne. “I’m off to the ladies’ room.”

“Don’t get lost.”

I meant that seriously.

I looked over to Andy as he scanned the crowd and then looked back at me.

Our relationship remained changed despite our tussle in the dugout, and I’d been using Alice as a buffer. If I went to his bar, Alice was with me. I tried to do it on the nights Kristina didn’t work, but Alice had insisted we go a couple of times to keep her company. It was starting to wear on me and so was Andy’s indifference. I felt the anger start to build as he sat without a word. Fed up and ready to wash my hands, but knowing it would hurt Alice to leave, I spoke up, anyway.

“Fuck you,” I said under my breath. Andy’s eyes shot to mine. “Seriously, fuck you.” I stood to meet Alice when Andy gripped my arm.

“Chill out, man. I was just about to eat shit and apologize.”

I pulled my arm away and gripped his shoulder. “You keep eating that shit.”

“Alice has been talking about this all week,” he warned.

“I don’t know why I haven’t told her...this bullshit is between you and Kristina. I was better off not knowing.”

“I can say it in Spanish if you didn’t get it the first time. I’m fucking sorry,” Andy pushed out. “Sit down, cabron.”

“He just called you an ass,” Alice pointed out to me as she sat next to Andy with a wide smile.

“And what do you think of me?” I asked seriously but with a playful wink.

“Honestly?”

Shit.

“Is there any other way with you?” I asked sarcastically. She laughed. I studied her neck and the whisper of blonde hair around her shoulders. Andy leaned in, enthralled, and I was sure he was waiting for a punchline only Alice could deliver. I braced myself. She studied me closely, and I began to regret my question.

“I think you’re the most beautiful man on the planet. I think you’re a superior athlete. I think you play dumb a lot to keep from having to explain yourself. I think you’re passionate and considerate. I think you’re an amazing lover. I think you’re all heart on the ballfield and have a guarded heart off it.” I swallowed hard as I realized the whole table was listening. She looked around and noticed as well, and I felt her slip in her resolve only slightly as she downed the rest of her glass and looked dead at me. “I think you’re incredible, Rafe Hembrey.” She continued to stare at me for a reaction as I sat completely...fucking...stunned.

“Excuse me. I think I’ll go get another champagne.” She moved to get up as Andy and the rest of the men at the table followed suit. I fumbled to keep up as Alice turned back to look at me with a smirk and eye roll. “But, you are no gentlemen.”

My chest expanded in that moment, and was full of her—full of Alice.

“If you aren’t in love with her,” Andy said in a whisper as we resumed our seats and we both watched her walk