A Complete Game (Washington DC Soaring Eagles #3) - Aven Ellis Page 0,8

the infield.

“I always heard they smell,” Brady admits. “But he kind of smells like grape juice.”

I laugh. “They’re like people. They can have all different kinds of scents. Some smell like corn chips.”

Brady laughs. “No.”

I grin. “Yes. Willy smells like grape juice, and Petey smells like maple syrup.”

“That’s crazy.”

“I see Addison is bubbling over with all kinds of ferret info,” Elisa says from behind.

I turn over my shoulder. She’s about five feet back from us and obviously eavesdropping.

I hate how insistent she is on making digs about me being the crazy ferret lady. Why does she care if I know a lot about ferrets? And why does she feel the need to affiliate that with me being crazy?

Brady stops walking and turns around to look at her. “I asked her,” he says bluntly.

Elisa comes to a halt mid-stride. She does her rapid blink.

“Oh, I was just kidding.”

Humph.

We resume our walk, and Neil, the photographer, has Brady stand on the mound.

“Do you think Petey is okay for me to hold?” Brady asks.

Before I can answer, Elisa speaks.

“We don’t need two, one will be great,” she says.

Brady shoots her a look. Oh, Lord, I don’t know him, but that look tells me he’s had enough of Elisa’s two-cent contributions today.

“I don’t want to leave his sibling out without trying,” he says.

My mouth drops open slightly. I wonder if this stems from him being a twin. Of having his identity so closely linked with Brody. Is he transferring those feelings to this situation?

I approach Brady, moving directly in front of him. His citrus and woodsy scent washes over me again with the breeze. Brady’s tanned skin smells delicious. Like a drink I’d like to sip.

Wait a second.

Did I compare his scent to a drink I want to sip?

Lord, what is wrong with me?

I shove the thought away and gently hand him Petey, who accepts being placed into his large hand.

“Hey, Petey,” he says. “How are you?” Then Brady shifts his gaze to me. “Man, these guys are cool. I can’t believe I’ve never been exposed to them before.”

“I know, right?” I reply.

I step back, and Neil goes to work taking pictures. I watch with pride as my boys behave perfectly in Brady’s capable hands. Other outlets are taking pictures and video, and I snap my pics to release on social media, which will get a lot of play because of the ferrets.

“Addison, can you see if they will allow Brady to hold them in his mitt?” Neil asks.

I nod. I place my phone on top of my bag and retrieve the glove, which is next to Neil.

I smile as I stand in front of Brady again. “I’m not sure how to make this transfer.”

Brady chuckles. “Me, either.”

“George, why don’t you hold the glove so Brady can give Addison the ferrets?” Neil asks his assistant.

George approaches us, and I hand him the glove. As Brady hands me Willy and Petey, our fingertips brush, and my stomach gives a little flutter.

“Okay, got them?” Brady asks before completely letting go.

“Yes.”

I take them, and Brady gets his glove and slips it on. Wow, that thing is enormous. I have no doubt Willy and Petey will both fit in there—if they choose to cooperate, that is.

I place both ferrets in his glove, and Brady cradles his free hand protectively over both of them.

“Shoot quick!” I say, running off the mound.

Brady throws his head back and laughs at my words. Neil begins snapping away, and the moment is perfect. Willy and Petey stay in the glove for a few seconds, and Brady’s facial expression is one of pure joy as Willy begins to climb onto his chest.

His natural affinity for animals is right here for all of us to see.

But before I can capture the moment myself with my phone, Petey is trying to climb up his tattooed arm.

Brady is laughing, and so is everyone else.

“I think the shoot is over,” he says as my ferrets start climbing him like the greatest jungle gym ever built.

“Here,” I say, coming to him and lifting Petey off his arm.

“Thank you,” he says. I’m about to pick up Willy when Brady puts his free hand on him. “No, I’ve got him. As long as you’re okay with that.”

Juliette, the Soaring Eagles Insider host, approaches us. “Brady, can we talk to you about your shoot?”

“Of course,” he says, cradling Willy against his chest.

As the videographer moves to shoot the interview, I step back and hold Petey, because if I put him down, Willy