The Problem with Sports - M.E. Clayton Page 0,27

food.

“So, you’ve only been here three months?”

“Yeah,” I answered as I delivered the food to the table. “Even though I had made the decision to retire at the end of last season, I hadn’t been quite ready to walk away completely.”

“I bet,” she said. “Walking away from the life you had into a completely new one can be intimidating.”

“It was,” I agreed. “Kind of still is, if I’m being honest.”

“So, why this place?”

“It’s more than I need, for sure,” I admitted. “But I wanted privacy while I figured out my next move. Buying a house where neighbors went out and did their yards and waved to each other at their mailboxes was too wild a concept for me at the time. I’m still winding down, I suppose.”

“I can understand that,” she replied. “Sometimes quiet is the only thing you need.”

I turned to face her, two bottles of wine in my hands. “Red or white?”

“Red, or course,” she scoffed.

“Of course,” I laughed. I poured her a glass and did the same for myself. I served her before taking a seat and serving myself.

“Everything looks perfect, Nate,” she said, and my chest kicked as she called me Nate.

“Good,” I said. “I’m glad.”

Then she eyed me. “Did you cook this or did your Mom stop by?”

I barked out a laugh. “I cooked it,” I assured her. “My mom was a stay-at-home mother, but she felt men needed to know how to wash a dish just as much as they needed to know how to mow a lawn.”

“Your mom sounds awesome.”

I shook my head. “The woman’s batshit crazy.”

Chapter 15

Andrea~

Screw taking it slow.

Dinner had been perfect. The conversation had been perfect. The entire date had been perfect.

Nathan had told me all about his brothers and parents and how he got to become a professional baseball player. He retold stories that had me laughing until my sides were hurting. A lot of them had included his brothers when they were younger, but there were some from his playing days. He had told me all about how Sergio had become his best friend and how he absolutely adored Sergio’s family.

I had ended up telling him all about my parents and brother, and how Justin now owned and operated the family bar, while my parents were living up the retired life. I had told him all about being a book editor and how I’ve written a couple of books myself. I had also told him all about Rachel and her family and how they were like my second family.

We had ended the evening’s conversations with Grant and his condition. To my surprise, Nathan had read up on interstitial lung disease, and he had asked questions as if he were truly interested in what needed to be done for Grant. It had been sweet and my complete undoing.

Why my undoing you ask?

Because the night was wrapping up and I wanted nothing more than to jump this gorgeous, generous, entertaining lunatic.

Knowing Nathan wouldn’t say no if I offered up my body had me really, really re-thinking one-night stands and reevaluating just how bad an idea it might be to jump my neighbor. While everything I had told Steven was true in regard to if a relationship with Nathan went south, I still knew this was dangerous territory I was embarking on. I wanted my decision to be a confident one. I didn’t want it made because I was horny as hell, plain and simple. It’s been over two years, and my body was craving what it knew Nathan Hayes could do for it.

Then I inwardly cringed at the thought of throwing myself at him on the first date. Nathan was probably used to women throwing themselves at him with no shame, and here I was, contemplating doing the same.

I’d be just like all those other women who chased famous dick.

I jumped out of my seat. “Uh, this was great,” I muttered. “Do…do you need help with the dishes or cleaning up? I can-” I stopped talking and reached for my plate and wine glass.

Nathan stood up and walked over, placing his hand on my wrist. “Put it down,” he said warily. “I can clean up.”

I refused to look at him. “But I can help,” I insisted. “It’s not fair for you to cook and clean.” I went to pull my arm away, but his hand tightened around my wrist.

“Andie, is everything okay?”

“Yeah, yep, yes,” I stuttered like a fool. “It’s just getting late and all. We should clean up and