Page 37

Chapter

Thirty-Four

JONAS

Jonas: How’s the lake?

Evan: It’s okay. How’s Chicago?

Jonas: Having a blast. Rooting for the Cubbies today.

Evan: As long as they aren’t playing the Tigers, I can get on board with that.

Jonas: The Guardians, I think.

Evan: Who?

Jonas: You know. They renamed the Cleveland Indians.

Evan: Oh, right. Have fun with Hadley.

Evan: And Hunter and Natalie.

Evan: And tell your mom and Emma I say hi.

Jonas: I will.

We found a jersey and hat for Hadley to borrow, and it’s so cute, I can barely look at her. She’s wearing the hat backwards, her long blonde hair loose around her shoulders, and the jersey is unbuttoned, open over another shirt and a pair of tight shorts.

I know I'll never get to see her wear my hockey jersey, but damn if this doesn’t make me want it more than anything.

The other thing I want is for all the people around us to disappear.

Me, Hadley, and an empty stadium. That’s the dream.

Because my dad sits on one side of me, and as I glance down the aisle, Hunter and Natalie wave at us and start stepping over fans.

Hadley squeals and jumps up, hopping across me to hug them—and giving me a fantastic view of her legs in those little shorts.

I avert my eyes, and end up locking gazes with Hunter.

Is it me or does his mouth tighten? Is he glaring at me? Can he tell I slept with his sister? Guilt gnaws at my stomach.

Hadley is her own woman, able to sleep with whomever she wants. She’s consented fully and enthusiastically whenever we’ve been together. She does not need her brother’s permission.

I know all this. But I also know how protective Hunter is and why. Things are not good between them and their dad—Hadley is the only family he has right now.

Besides Natalie. She waves and bounces on the balls of her feet, and after Hadley shifts, I stand to hug them both, too. Though I still feel dishonorable about the whole thing, it’s nice to see them.

My dad knows Hunter, but he hasn’t met Natalie.

I introduce them, and as soon as we get seated, the P.A.

announcer asks everyone to rise to their feet for the National Anthem.

Because it’s the Fourth of July weekend, there’s all sorts of extra fanfare—a bald eagle soars through the stadium, which is amazing to watch, and then the Great Lakes Naval Station pilots do a flyover.

It’s good, because it all distracts me from Hadley. How enticing she smells, how shiny her hair is, her mesmerizing legs. I’m wedged between my dad and Hunter with Natalie and Hadley on the other side of her brother. She’s three seats away—I should be able to focus on the game.

Dansby Swanson, my current favorite player, is up to bat.

We’re along the third base line near the outfield with a good view of home plate.

The Cubs aren’t having a great year, so I don’t know if they have much of a shot of winning this game, but I don’t know if the Guardians are that great, either.

No matter what, it’s a great day to be out at the Friendly Confines.

Hunter shifts in his seat to stare at me. “So how’s your summer going, man?”

“Great.” Sleeping with your sister. “Um, yeah. It’s been good.”

“Are you working on campus or something?”

“No, I have pediatric clinicals. Plus spending a lot of time in the gym, getting lots of training in.”

“Wow.” His eyes shine with pride and admiration. “You’re serious this season.”

I have to be. I can’t let them down again. Plus, my scholarship. My future.

“Just doing what I can for the program,” I say, adjusting the bill of my hat to block the sun.

“You’re gonna have that pro career in no time.” He smiles, turning to the game at the crack of a bat. “Everybody will be after you to sign next year.”

Will they? My stomach lurches at the thought.

Who would I pick? The thought of leaving my team, getting to know a bunch of new guys, being constantly traded sends a shiver of anxiety down my spine.

Is that what I should want? I could help my parents financially with Emma, set aside some money for her future.

Even if I couldn’t visit because of the grueling schedule.

I don’t know what to say, but Hunter drops the conversation as the Cubs hit into a double play, and my dad flags a vendor and buys a round of beer for everyone.

Natalie and Hadley file out to use the restroom, and when they come back, Natalie swaps seats with me because she says she likes the view better.

It’s fine. I can sit by Hadley and be cool. I’ve been hiding my feelings for her in front of her brother for a year now—what’s one baseball game?

“Okay so.” She leans close to me, her shoulder brushing my arm, and her sweet scent overpowers the smell of beer, popcorn, and baseball.

A flash of desire hits me, and my mind is full of the kisses we stole last night as I helped her set up the sofa bed in my dad’s office.

I shake my head and try to banish my fantasies.

“I know there are three strikes and three outs in baseball, but not much beyond that. Fill me in?”

“Sure.” I can't help but grin as I explain the game and point out landmarks around the stadium. Hadley gazes at me, and I could get lost in her eyes, the same color as the sky.

“Hey, what’s that?” she asks, pointing the other direction. I glance, laughing at her as she steals a sip of my beer.

Hunter leans over Natalie, his forehead creased in a frown. “Hey, you’re not twenty-one yet.”

“And you’re not my mom.” She raises a brow, her tone sassy and teasing.

He glares at me. “You’re supposed to be looking out for her, Joe.”

A sip of beer isn’t a big deal, but his words twist in my gut. He’d freak if he knew we’ve slept together.

But thankfully I don’t have to say anything, because Natalie scolds him. “Stop being ridiculous.”

Instead of grumping back at her like I expect, he smiles and tugs on her long, brown ponytail to tilt her head to his for a kiss.

Natalie has changed him for the better. It’s cute to see them together.

But my heart physically aches at how much I want to be like this with Hadley—kissing her in front of everyone, blatantly in love.

Because I’m pretty sure I’m head over heels for her.

I can’t sit still any longer. Panic makes my pulse pound and sweat pricks the small of my back. Hopping to my feet, a weird, nervous laugh pops out of my mouth. All eyes fly to me.

“Um, food. Yeah. I’m gonna go food.” I clear my throat. “Get food now.”

Natalie gives me a concerned frown as I step over her, not waiting for anyone to stand up.

“Joe, hang on, I’ll come and help you,” Hadley says, following me down the aisle. “Can we grab anything for you guys?”

I don’t have a reason to say no to her. My dad asks for a hot dog, dragged through the garden Chicago-style, Hunter wants an Italian beef sandwich, and Natalie requests popcorn.

As we head up the stadium steps to the concourse, Hadley links her arm through mine. I stare at her.

She shrugs. “Totally normal gesture from a friend, right?” She glances over her shoulder. “Plus, no one is watching. So I can do this.”

Steering me behind a green support post, she presses me against it and kisses me until a catcall from a fan has us springing apart.

I groan. “I want to kiss you in front of everyone.” Forever.

Hadley rolls her eyes. “Can you imagine how my brother would handle that? Yeah, no thanks.”

I press kisses to the side of her neck, desperate for anything I can get. “You talking about your brother right now is kind of a turn off.”

She laughs. “Sorry about that.”

Another whistle splits the air behind me, and I take a step back from her and run my hand over my hat. “Wanna experience the best nachos in the entire world?”

“You have to ask?”

Grabbing her hand, we weave through the crowd until we get to the one concession stand that sells the only nachos worth eating at Wrigley.

The Big Slugger Meal, served in a full-size baseball helmet.

Tortilla chips upon chips, layered with cheese throughout and all the toppings imaginable.

I’m pretty sure they serve four people, and they are awesome.

Hadley’s mouth drops open when she sees someone carrying it past us in line. “Is this nacho heaven?”

“Quite possibly.”

We get two, to share, plus the other requested items, and head back to our seats. I hold her hand to help her through the crammed aisle, but that’s what any gentleman would do.

“Okay.” I give a helmet of nachos to Hunter and Natalie. “You’re not going to want to miss this. You get the one with onions, though.”

“I refuse to let those disgusting vegetables touch my food.” Hadley smiles at me and pops a chip in her mouth.

Natalie raises her eyebrows but doesn’t say anything as she takes a bite, moaning.

“You’re right, Joe.” Hunter claps me on the shoulder. “This is amazing.”

A Cubs game with my girl and my friends? Yeah, it is. I wish it never had to end.