Page 13

Chapter Twelve

Cat

Pulling into a parking space across the street from The Bleacher Bean, I kill the engine. Checking the clock, I see it’s five until six. Wiping my hands against my pants, I chew on my bottom lip.

After my conversation with Finn, I’m even more intrigued by David. The kind, considerate boy of my childhood memories has grown into a man that any woman would die to call their own. But therein lies the problem.

My job, literal job, is to let the Smokies fanbase see how amazing he is. My job doesn’t include falling for him.

Mentally, I’m very clear this meeting is strictly business, but my heart, judging by the way it’s racing, isn’t getting the message.

Swallowing hard, I blow out a slow breath and attempt to calm my rapid pulse.

A steel gray Ford F-150 parks across the street. Recognizing it’s David’s, my pulse accelerates. Taking one more deep breath, I open the car door and step out on the street. “David!” I wave when he glances in my direction.

A lopsided grin slides across his face, and my heart beats impossibly faster.

“If you don’t relax, you’re gonna have a heart attack,” I mumble, looking left to right before crossing the street to meet him in front of the coffee shop entrance.

“Hey,” he beams, and I feel my knees buckle. This man is ridiculously handsome and apparently dangerous where my emotions are concerned.

Pull it together, girl. Remember what you’re here for. Wait, is that a dimple? How could I forget he had a dimple?

“Hey,” I say softly, smiling back. “Have you seen Tea Time ?”

Wait? What? I slam my palm into my forehead.

David’s eyes widen just as a delicious-sounding laugh bursts from him. It’s the same cadence from when we were younger, but deeper. “I forgot how you would just blurt things out when you’re nervous.”

“Nervous?” I spit out quickly. “I’m not nervous. I’ve just never been the focus of a gossip column before. Have you?”

He pulls his bottom lip between his teeth, and his smile widens, making my stomach flip. “No, but when your sister-in-law is Ava Norris, you get used to a bit of gossip.” He grabs the handle on the door and holds it open, a tinkling sound announcing our arrival. “Ladies first.”

“Thank you.” A woodsy scent fills my senses as I pass by him before it’s quickly replaced with the smell of fresh ground coffee beans. Disappointment wages with relief. “That’s right. I keep forgetting that Duncan is married to Ava.”

“No. Well, yes. But Ava is Fiona’s twin sister.

So there’s always been a bit of talk.” I meet his gaze, and a flicker of sadness races across his expression before it disappears.

“But when Duncan and Ava started fa—umm—dating, things got really crazy. I’m sorry that you’ve been pulled into the drama that my life has become. ”

I don’t miss the way he stumbled over phrasing his sentence, but I’m not sure exactly how to address it. “You’re definitely making my new job interesting,” I tease before walking toward the counter.

“What can I get for you today?” The young man at the register asks.

“Can I get a lavender chamomile tea on ice?” Turning to look over my shoulder, I find David reading the menu items.

“And you, sir?”

“I’d like a green tea?” He questions, then looks at me, and I lift a shoulder, chuckling. More firmly, he says. “I’d like a green tea.”

“You got it,” he says, entering our items. “Do you want anything else?”

Shaking my head, I look toward David. “I’m good.”

I reach for my wallet when he pulls out a twenty-dollar bill. “I got this,” he says, handing it over the counter.

“Thank you,” I say, fiddling with my purse and walking to where our drinks will be delivered.

David paying for me is a polite gesture, but it’s also one that’s making my stomach flutter.

Not a date!

Warmth spreads across the side of my body as David comes over to me, and I slowly breathe in and out.

“Thank you.” I smile at our barista when my tea on ice is placed in front of me.

“Thank you,” David echoes before turning to me. A strand of hair falls in front of his eye, and it takes all of my control not to sweep it to the side. “Ready?”

Wrapping a hand around my cup, I lift the straw to my mouth with my other hand, nod, and then follow him to the door.

The soft murmur of the coffee shop fades as we make our way onto the street.

Footsteps fill the silence as we head toward the entrance of Maple Grove Park, and I gasp when my gaze lands on the blooming serviceberry trees.

“Beautiful, right? This is my favorite time of year,” David says softly, then points. “Do you want to sit on that bench over there?”

“Do you mind if we walk for a bit?” I ask, not sure I can handle sitting so close to him at the moment.

“Not at all.” His voice is calm, but from the corner of my eye, I see him toying with the tea label. Glancing over at him, I notice his lips are tight.

Looks like I’m not the only one nervous. Rather than delve right into work, I decide to focus on something else. “Tell me about Scarlett and Emmy. How has the past week been?”

The corner of his mouth lifts, and he rubs a hand over his face before a wide grin takes over his face, and he chuckles. “It’s been…interesting.”

My forehead pulls. “How so?”

“Well, I feel like I adopted a dog that is a mini Scarlett. They are both determined, outspoken, and like to make their presence known.”

“Sounds like Emmy found the perfect home.” David reaches a hand into his pocket, pulls out his phone, and touches the screen before sliding it over to me. The smile on both of their faces staring back at me has my heart squeezing. “Oh my.”

“I know, right?” He grins as I hand him the phone back. “I don’t know how I would’ve survived this last week without Ava and Duncan to help me.”

“You’re lucky to have them.” A pang of loneliness grips me at the realization that I don’t have anyone anymore. Aunt Dottie was my last living relation.

“They’ve been my lifeline for the last few years,” David murmurs. “I’m not sure I would’ve been able to survive without them. And baseball.”

“You look at home on the field.” His brows shoot up as he turns a surprised look my way. “I was watching the team practice. I’m still working on learning the names and positions of all the players.”

“I’m David James, and I play shortstop. That’s the position between—”

“Second and third base.” I gently push his arm and chuckle. “I know.”

“Just making sure.” He nudges me with his body, a playful smirk lining his mouth. “How did you get a job with a baseball team if you don’t know the players?”

I shrug. “What can I say, I’m that good at what I do.”

“Guess we’ll see about that,” he teases. “I’m pretty sure I’m going to be your biggest challenge, especially compared to the other guys.”

“I’m not worried,” I grin playfully. “Once I’m done with you, you’ll wonder why you waited so long to get on board with all the fun.”

“Is that so?” David’s eyes are wide, and I feel a blush creep up my cheeks as the double meaning of what I just said registers.

“I meant with social media.” I slap his arm and laugh. “How do you still manage to do that?”

“Do what?” He chuckles, a gleam in his eyes. He knows exactly what he’s doing.

I shake my head and giggle. “Is it weird that we can fall back into this pattern after not seeing each other for two decades?”

“Very.” He nods, a wide smile on his face, before shrugging. “And yet it isn’t. Things were always easy with you when we were kids. Honestly, I think I’d be more surprised if we didn’t.”

Memories of the two of us in class and after school, with Duncan always shadowing us, come flooding back. Those were some of the happiest times of my life.

“Is Duncan still grumpy?” My mouth tugs at the corner.

David takes so long to answer that I turn to look at him. He’s grinning from ear to ear. “Yes and no,” he finally responds. “He’s the biggest mush with Scarlett, Ava, and Emmy. But everyone else, and sometimes me, he can be as prickly as a porcupine.”

My cheeks pull up. Sounds like the Duncan I remember.

“After talking with Finn, I did a bit of research on Duncan’s social media. It wasn’t helpful.”

A crooked grin spreads across David’s mouth. “We definitely have that in common.”

“You have a lot more in common than just your dislike for social media,” I chuckle. “And I don’t just mean being professional athletes.” Swallowing hard, I run my tongue over my lips as my finger mindlessly traces the seam of my cup. “But marrying sisters, too.”

My stomach tightens, and I can’t help but wonder what would’ve happened if I hadn’t moved away. Would I be the one David married, or would it still be Fiona? A tightness grips my chest.

Sometimes it’s better not to ask what if.

I huff out a sigh and take in the sound of our footsteps on the stone walkway.

“So,” I say, breaking the silence. “Let’s talk about social media.”

“Do we have to?” David groans, and I pretend that he didn’t say anything.

“The fans love your story. It touches so many of them, and they want to be a part of it.”

“I don’t want—”

“I know.” I stop walking and place my hand on his arm, applying pressure.

Stopping, he turns and faces me, the conflict in his eyes makes my heart sink.

I give his arm a gentle squeeze. “And I understand. When Travis and Charles told me what the Smokies organization was looking to accomplish and the reason behind the players they had decided to highlight, I knew your story was the most delicate. I knew I wanted to handle it in a way that was respectful, yet effective. I’ve been thinking about how to do that since before I was offered the position. ”

His brown eyes search mine, and my stomach flutters. Realizing I’m still resting my hand on his arm, I let go and wrap it around my cup.

“This was before I knew it was the boy I grew up with,” I say softly. “But when I found out who you were, I was even more determined to accomplish what I had set out to do. Talking with Finn gave me some ideas. But it all comes down to one thing.”

Searching his face, I see the hesitation, the questions he’s not asking—the doubt.

“Can you trust me to do that?”