The Ninth Inning (The Boys of Baseball #1) - J. Sterling Page 0,51

them in paper? Maggie should have told me—or at least mentioned that part.

“I kind of like the look of it, to be honest.” She stood, staring at them, hands on her hips.

“Bullshitting me?” I asked because I wasn’t sure if this was some sort of trick or not.

Christina turned to look at me, a gleam in her eye. “I mean it. The roses are so perfect. I like that they’re living in something they’re not really meant for.”

I shifted my weight to my other leg and considered my words. “I feel like that was a metaphor somehow, but I’m not getting it.” My stomach growled, and both girls stared at my covered abs. “I’m starving.”

“Me too,” Christina breathed out, her eyes still locked on my midsection.

“We should go.” I held out my hand, and she scurried away.

“Let me grab my purse,” she said before coming back and walking ahead of me, ignoring the hand I held out for her to grab.

Apparently, we were going to be taking this slow. I had to earn my way back into her heart, and I was okay with that.

I had to be.

Show Me Off

Christina

Two things had surprised me this morning.

The first was that Cole had actually followed through on what he had said the night before. I had gone to bed, hoping that he had meant every word, but I wasn’t counting on it. I had fallen asleep, knowing that today would either be a day of extreme disappointment or hope. So far, the latter was winning out.

The second surprise was the roses. Cole showing up was one thing, but coming to get me with a handful of the most beautiful white roses I’d ever laid eyes on was another. I hadn’t expected it. Hell, I’d barely expected him. The roses were a gesture that added to the fact that Cole was truly trying. He wanted me to believe his words, but he was backing them up with action. I’d realized the moment I saw him outside my front door this morning that I needed both.

When he reached for my hand as we left, it took every ounce of willpower to not intertwine my fingers with his and give in to him. The last thing I wanted was to jump in headfirst and pretend like everything was totally perfect when nothing between us had ever been. Cole had to work a little bit harder to break through the walls I’d put up. The walls that he’d helped build.

“So, where are we going?” I asked as he opened the passenger door for me, and I hopped in before pulling my sunglasses out of my purse and putting them on.

“You’ll see,” he said as he shut the door, and I wondered where he would take us to eat in this time between breakfast and lunch.

“Please tell me if we’re going to a breakfast or a lunch spot. I need to get my head right about which meal I’m getting,” I practically whined, and he laughed, but I was serious. Eleven meant that you could get totally screwed if you wanted breakfast and the place stopped serving it at ten. Or if you wanted lunch and they didn’t start serving until noon. It was a serious subject.

“I’m taking you to a dope brunch spot. They have the best Belgium waffles in the area,” he said, and I swore he almost started drooling.

“Thank God,” I breathed out in relief as I lowered my window down partway. “I wanted breakfast so bad but didn’t want to say anything if you had plans for lunch.”

“I’ve been dreaming about these waffles all night.” He quickly glanced at me before looking back at the road. “Well, waffles and you.”

“Don’t do that,” I said, looking away from him, my hair blowing.

“Do what?”

“Don’t say things just to say them. It’s cheesy, and I don’t need it.”

“That’s fair,” he agreed, and I was surprised. I’d half-expected him to argue back, insist that he had meant it or that he wasn’t being corny, but he didn’t. “What do you need?”

I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly feeling thick at being put on the spot. “Just the truth.”

“Okay. Me too.” He nodded. “So, if you ever want breakfast when I want lunch, tell me. And we’ll find a place that serves both at the same time.”

I smacked his shoulder with my hand. “Smart-ass.”

“I mean it. Food’s important. Especially waffles.”

“I never knew this about you,” I said with a grin as he kept his hands firmly on the wheel.