Behind the Plate (The Boys of Baseball #2) - J. Sterling Page 0,38

world,” I said as I walked out of the office in search of the bathroom, but I ran into a rock-hard chest instead. “Oof, Hotshot. A little warning next time.”

“I was just coming to make sure my mom hadn’t kidnapped you or something. You’ve been gone too long,” he said, sounding way too sweet and sincere for the current state of my heart. It was vulnerable. He reached for my chin and tilted my face up to look at him, those green eyes filled with concern. “You’ve been crying.”

“Happy tears,” I said, and his face relaxed only a little. He didn’t like it when I cried.

“Promise? I mean, it’s my mom and all, but I’ll rough her up if she hurt you,” he said.

Cassie yelled that she had heard that from the office, followed by Jacey saying the same thing from somewhere deeper in the house.

“Your sister really can hear everything. That was exactly the kind of thing you should have warned me about,” I teased.

“I can still hear you,” Jacey singsonged, clearly enjoying eavesdropping on us.

“Go away, troll,” Chance yelled back in response.

I swatted his shoulder. “Don’t call her names.”

“She’s fine. Bounces right off her hard head.”

“Stop talking about me, or I’ll come to all your games in crop tops and booty shorts and flirt with all your friends,” Jacey shouted.

Chance visibly tensed. I made a mental note to make fun of him about it later when Cassie walked out of the office, holding a thumb drive between her fingers.

“Here you go, Danika,” she said, handing it to me. “I also emailed you the link. You can just forward it to whoever you want to share the pictures with. I’ll go finish getting dinner ready, but it’s still about an hour away.”

Chance looked at me. “We should probably study then.”

I nodded in agreement. “You’re right.”

“Show her to the bathroom first,” his mom said before she headed back toward the kitchen.

“This is crazy, right?” Chance shook his head, and a half-smile appeared along with his lone dimple.

“That your parents know mine?” I said in disbelief. “Crazy doesn’t even begin to cover it,” I said as Chance led me toward the guest bathroom.

He waited outside the door, refusing to leave me alone, even when I insisted that I could find my way back to the office by myself. His house wasn’t that elaborate. It actually felt more comfortable than I would have expected, which was nice.

I thought he sensed more that I was teetering on an emotional seesaw that I might fall off of at any moment, and he wanted to make sure he was there to catch me if I fell. And to be honest, I found myself wishing that I could allow that, that Chance could be the rock I used to lean on, but I couldn’t let myself go there. Depending on another guy while I had a steady boyfriend was beyond wrong. I needed to remember that, but Chance made it really fucking hard when he looked at me with those green eyes, all filled with concern and sympathy. He cared about my well-being, and I liked the way that made me feel.

Focusing on math was just the distraction I needed. It gave me a goal and a job to do. It was easier to focus than I’d expected, and we studied without stopping until Jacey let us know that dinner was ready. That hour had flown by.

“Think I’ll ace it?” Chance whispered, clearly joking, as we made our way toward the kitchen.

I laughed. “I’m not sure about acing it, but you’ll definitely pass. I know that much.”

“I hope so,” he said before adding, “Thank you for all the help. I still don’t understand it, but you make it a little less complicated.”

“Thanks”—a soft laugh escaped—“I think.”

The Carters were easy, comfortable, and kind. And boy, did they love each other. It showed in everything that they did. The way they interacted and talked, in the things they said. I wasn’t envious for what they had because I was lucky enough to have it, too, but it made me miss my dad and home. Chance must have sensed it at one point because he reached under the table for my leg and gave me a small squeeze before moving his hand.

I loved and hated how in tune he was with me. How did a guy I barely even knew seem to understand me so well? It was beyond all reason, but this night had already demonstrated that. The