get that,” I said and she laughed, the “yeah, right” loud and clear. “I mean obviously not the brown girl part. But the feeling that I couldn’t be my own man if I stayed too close to them.”
I didn’t add that my fear came from dreading I’d turn into my father, not because I had anyone to disappoint.
“Yeah.” She looked out the window, and when she spoke it was soft, almost like she was saying it more to herself than to me. “I’m just Julia here.” She didn’t have to explain it; I understood what she meant. Here I felt like I could finally think about what I wanted, not what would make things easier for my sister. I wasn’t responsible for anyone but myself for a change, and even though those obligations still loomed large, I felt freer. I almost told her that, but the ballpark was straight ahead so I pointed to it instead.
“We’re here. The VIP suite tickets get some parking garage passes. So we don’t have to walk in the sun.”
It was October but it was hot as hell out, and this Dallas heat wasn’t anyone’s friend.
Julia nodded and shifted in her seat, looking ahead. “I’ve never been to this park, but I love a ball game on a Sunday afternoon. My family and I always went to a few games each season.”
“Yankees or Mets? Because you got me all confused with this lack of loyalty to your borough,” I teased.
“Yankees, damn. I was in the middle of saying thank you, Mr. Rude,” she countered with obvious fake annoyance. “I’ve never been in an executive suite. This is really generous of you.”
I didn’t say anything as I maneuvered the car into a parking spot in a covered garage connected to the stadium. When I powered down the car, I turned around to look at her.
“I’m glad you took me up on it.”
She looked ahead, clearly not wanting to make too much eye contact at that precise moment. “I almost didn’t.” There was no edge to how she said it, just bemusement, like she still couldn’t figure out how she’d ended up in my car.
Julia looked at me for a moment longer and I wondered what she was thinking. She looked torn, like she wanted to say something, but at the end she just grabbed her purse and got out of the car. I did the same but before walking up to her, I stepped back, just so I could watch her. I didn’t want to creep, but those brown toned legs went on forever. When I looked at her feet, I could not help the smile tugging at my lips.
“Silver glitter Chucks. I approve.” She preened and I almost moved in and nipped at those lips. Her lipstick was a deep red, that same shade that looked like wine, and I wanted a taste.
“Thanks. I thought the gold ones would clash with my Yankees colors.”
I bit my lip to keep from grinning at how serious she sounded and gestured toward the elevators that would take us to the suites. “Despite my feelings about your lack of love for the best NYC team, I do admire your dedication. I feel like I’m not properly representing with just my Mets hat. I’m not doing Queens justice.”
She tapped my shoulder as we walked and I could’ve sworn there was an electric shock. This woman had me feeling too many things. I’d seen what she’d built for the kids in her program. Her dedication to them. The love she had for her family. And now I knew what her ass looked like in cutoffs.
I was fucking doomed.
“Why so sad?” she asked, pulling me out of my head and back to her. I wondered if she was about to get serious, but when I looked at her, the grin on her face told me she was one hundred percent still on her bullshit. “Next time I’ll bring you one of my Yankees fitteds.”
She hurried off, laughing hysterically, and all I could do was chase after her.
Chapter Nine
Julia
“The suite is just in here, ma’am.”
I looked over my shoulder as Rocco nodded in the direction of the dark wood double doors that the security guy decked out in full-on Rangers regalia was pointing at. We’d gotten into the stadium through some premium VIP line and then gone up in an elevator to the executive suites floor. It wasn’t like I was a country bumpkin, I had paid for VIP tickets for the Lemonade