Page 22 of Caught Looking

I held out my blue covered arms. “Biggest one they had.” It was dark blue except for the white lettering and the giant logo over my left pec.

Dottie set a glass of water down in front of me, her eyes taking in my blue monstrosity. “I see you’ve picked up some new habits. Not sure the onesie look is for you.”

I grinned back. “You’re a straight shooter, Dottie. I like that about you.”

“What’ll you have?” She pulled out her pen and pad.

I ordered the meat lovers special with extra hashbrowns and an orange juice. “Where’s Roscoe?”

“At Jeri’s.”

“Oh. Is that normal?”

She shrugged as she kept eating. “My friends like to use my dog. Nan has been seeing a guy and Jeri is convinced he’s a loser.”

Now I understood. “So while you’re here with me, Roscoe is sniffing out a bad guy.”

“Yep. Jeri is hoping Roscoe hates him so much he bites him on the crotch. I asked her to please not let that happen because I don’t have time to deal with animal control or to be sued.” The smile on her face was the only indication this was an exaggeration.

“I could have used Roscoe in the outfield.” I was half worried when I closed my eyes tonight I would hear those fans.

Annalise must have watched some of the game because her face softened. “I’m sorry. People can be jerks.” She pushed her pancakes my way and I forked a stack.

“What did they say on the broadcast?”

She cringed. “They mentioned some signs getting confiscated and that the fans seemed intent on getting a rise out of you by using your new relationship.”

“That’s pretty much what happened.”

“I saw Rhett take that ball from you,” she said softly.

I forked another stack of pancakes. “It’s a good thing he did.” I froze when she slid her hand over mine.

“I’m sorry. You’re just trying to help me and instead you’re getting shit on.”

Fuck, how I liked her touching me. “It’s all thanks to Montgomery.”

Her face fell. “What?”

I explained what Wes had learned.

She was furious. Then she was calm. I didn’t like the calm. The calm felt too much like isolation.

And for the first time since she-who-shall-not-be-named, I didn’t want a woman to keep her shit to herself. I didn’t want to walk away. I wanted to dive into the mess because inside the mess we were together.

“We should call it quits,” Annalise said as she stared at her eggs.

“The fuck we should.”

Her gaze snapped up to mine. “We did this to keep Owen away from me. If he’s going to these lengths, then it's not working. We should end this before it gets any more complicated for you.”

I set my fork aside very carefully and slowly while I reined in my sudden urge to growl like a goddamned caveman. “For me?” This was only our second date. We’d barely had time to get to know each other. Annalise was just trying to do right by me. I knew this and yet I wanted to flip my chair and show her how willing I was to be part of this fight.

“Well yes. Owen isn’t your problem. I appreciate—”

“It’s already fucking complicated.” I folded my arms over my chest to keep my hands from doing something I’d regret. “Much more for you than for me, but I’m not the kind of man who walks away from a problem just because it got complicated.”

She blinked. “But it’snotyour problem.”