Page 21 of Stealing Forever (Bridge Point Bears Baseball #1)

“Holy shit, Hailey, VIP box seats?” Hartley trails her finger against the open rail overlooking the baseball diamond. We’re practically on the field, right next to the dugout, with the perfect view and a full waitstaff.

“Does Owen not get you box seats when you go to games?” I ask, watching her with wide-eyed wonder. My sister shakes her head, and although there’s a smile on her face, I can see the sadness in her eyes. She’s not fooling me, that’s for sure. “Hartley?—”

I’m cut off by the shrill sound of Sailor screaming. My head snaps in her direction, and thick crocodile tears stream down her face as she stares down at the hot dog—covered in ketchup, mind you—sitting upside down on her brand new dress. There’s no way it isn’t ruined.

“I’ll go grab some napkins.” Hartley rushes out the door separating our box from the rest of the seats in search of something to clean up with.

Rushing to Sailor’s side, I kneel down, picking up the hot dog with one hand and squeezing her knee with the other. “Oh no. What happened, Sail?”

“It fell.” She sniffles, and the sad look in her little doe eyes tugs on my heartstrings.

“That’s okay. Accidents happen! We’ll get you cleaned up and good as new, okay?”

She nods, and Hartley reappears with a stack of napkins, half of which she’s wet with water for me.

“Thank you.” I take them and place the dry stack on the chair next to Sailor, while I scrunch up the wet stack and start making circular dabbing motions against her dress.

“Do you want another hot dog, my friend, or are you going to show this one who’s boss?” Hartley asks as I do my best to clean Sailor up.

There’s about twenty minutes until the game starts, and more friends and family of the Bears start to find their seats, which only adds to the pressure. Why is it so awkward to have an audience when you’re trying frantically to clean or fix something?

“Show it who’s boss!” Sailor’s tears dry up as she starts giggling at Hartley.

“Excellent choice.” Hartley uses the napkin she kept in her hand to wipe off the rest of the ketchup from Sailor’s hands, then hands the hot dog back to her.

When things are settled, I retake my seat between Sailor, who’s now snacking on popcorn, and Hartley.

“I miss you,” I tell her, bumping my shoulder into hers.

“Well, good, because I’m highly considering moving to Bridge Point.” Hartley beams, and my jaw practically hits the floor.

“Wait, really?”

“Really!” she squeals in delight. “Isn’t your condo a two-bedroom? Need a roomie?”

“You never have to ask! What about Owen, though?” My attention is grabbed by the Jumbotron as it announces the players for the Rebels, and ironically, Hartley’s boyfriend, Owen Marsh, comes onto the screen.

She pauses, too, and we both watch as he gives his interview, answering a few goofy questions and flashing a charming smile.

When his voice stops booming across the stadium, she turns back to me.

“Well, he’s pretty certain he’s getting transferred to the Bears mid-season.

There’s been a lot of talk lately, and that’s the word on the street.

But even if he doesn’t, I almost feel like our relationship has an expiration date.

One week, he’s attentive and loving, and the next, it’s like he’s erased my name from his vocabulary. It’s weird, honestly.”

“Do you think he’s cheating?” I ask bluntly, hating that my sister is obviously going through a lot in her relationship. She’s told me about it in passing, but for the most part has never been one to divulge a lot of details about their dynamics.

“No? Maybe? I would hope not, but I also wouldn’t be shocked, you know?”

“That’s horrible, Hart.”

She shrugs. “Yeah, but at least I’m not delusional and thinking this man is my forever. He’s my right now, and yes, I love him, but he’s not my future husband.”

“And you’re okay with that?”

“Girl, don’t judge me. You’re the one who’s sleeping in your boss's bed.”

“Hartley!” Yeah, I might have told her a little about last night.

Not everything, but I definitely told her the hotel screwed up our room, that we’re bunking together, and that when he came back last night I pretended I was asleep because otherwise my horny ass would have tried to jump his bones. “You know I have no choice!”

“Oh, you have a choice, beautiful sister. You could have gotten a Lyft to my place last night, but you chose to share a bed with the hot coach instead.”

Snorting a laugh, I roll my eyes at her and shake my head, grateful that Sailor is engrossed in the Jumbotron.

My sister is right, though—she lives ten minutes from the hotel. I could have stayed with her.

But I definitely didn’t want to.

“Do you want to stay at my house tonight?” she asks, her voice light and teasing.

Pursing my lips, I toss a quick glance in her direction, but say nothing.

Laughing, she pats my thigh. “Oh, Hailey, Hailey, Hailey. That’s okay. I think Coach has it just as bad for you as you do for him.”

My eyebrows crease together. “What do you mean?”

She lifts her chin in a quick jest, nodding to where Declan’s standing at the edge of the dugout, his eyes already on us.

No, not us.

Me.

The heat in his gaze makes my pulse quicken.

“Doesn’t matter,” I tell my sister, without disconnecting from Declan’s stare. “Nothing can happen between us.”

“Does he know that?” she questions. “Because he’s practically undressing you with his eyes in front of everyone, Hails.”

Is that what that look is?

The pulse in my core aches in confirmation.

Yeah, that’s what that look is. And I’m doing the same thing to him.

Seconds later, one of the Bears’ players jogs up to him, and he’s forced to turn away, adjusting his hat as he turns to speak with him. And just like that, it feels like something’s missing without his gaze on me.

But to answer Hartley’s question, which I don’t give her the courtesy of answering out loud because I’m ready to put a pin in this conversation, Declan does know that nothing can happen.

He’s the one who made that abundantly clear last night.

The game seems to fly by, and every spectator in the stadium is on the edge of their seats as the Bears and the Rebels enter the bottom of the ninth, the Bears leading the game by one point.

Rebel fans have started a chant to cheer on their team, only needing one run to tie up the game, two to win it.

Even Sailor’s fully engaged, munching on her cotton candy as she stands on her tiptoes, peering over the edge of the rail at her daddy.

It’s no surprise when Austin Cooper walks out onto the pitcher’s mound again, grinning from ear to ear. Excitement trickles through me, intuition telling me the Bears have this game in the bag. Austin’s one of the best pitchers in the Majors right now.

The first Rebel up to bat anticipates Austin’s pitch with enough precision to hit the ball far enough to make it to first, his strides long and forceful as he runs to the plate.

Groaning, my shoulders deflate a little as the majority of the stadium cheers.

The second batter strikes out immediately, and doesn’t even try to hide his irritation as he storms off the field and back into the dugout. It’s almost comical, but I imagine the tensions are high right now, and the Rebels’ coach must be pitching a fit that the game is this close.

The Rosemoor Rebels aren’t just rivals of the Bears, but their coach has been making passive-aggressive digs at Declan and his coaching on every interview I’ve seen. I’m not sure why he has it out for him so much, but I suspect it’s because he knows the Bears have some strong players this season.

A smug smirk graces Austin’s face and is broadcast over the Jumbotron but he quickly schools his features and watches as Marsh steps up to bat.

In her seat, Hartley sits up a little straighter to watch.

With a perfect pitch from Austin, Owen swings and hits the ball into the outfield.

I’m up on my feet in an instant, watching Jensen Field Jr. with bated breath as he carefully tracks the ball. The player that was on first is now on second, and Owen’s cleats just hit the first base plate.

My hands curl around the railing in front of me.

Jensen makes a few calculated side steps, then catches the ball at the same moment Owen slides into second, and the other guy’s a few steps off of third.

Two plumes of red dust float into the air from their cleats dragging across the dirt, but it’s too late.

Jensen throws the ball to the Bear on first base, and the umpire calls both out.

The Bears and their fans go wild.

Our box erupts with cheers and screams of glee. Sailor jumps up and down, her hands intertwined with Hartley as they share a moment, Hartley hyping Sailor’s excitement up tenfold.

I’m grinning like a fool, my stomach pressing against the edge of the railing as I cup my hands around my mouth and cheer in the direction of the away team dugout.

The Bears are celebrating their win, congregated in a tight circle full of shoulder claps and mitt tossing, when suddenly Declan breaks away from his team, eyes trained solely on me, and jogs in my direction.

My heart erratically beats as he gets closer, wearing one of the biggest smiles I've ever seen on his face. Triumph rolls off him, and in a swift motion, he jumps onto the small lip of the wall, elevating himself to my level. There’s no hesitation—no doubt or uncertainty within him—as both his hands grab my face and he slams his lips to mine.

Soft and sure, his tongue sweeps across the seam, parting my lips. It takes a millisecond before I melt, feeling like my entire life has led up to this moment. A calm, steady wave crashes through me, and my body takes over, kissing him back with equal fervor as he deepens it.

The stadium melts away, and for several seconds, it’s just us.

Two puzzle pieces that fit perfectly together.

Declan and Hailey.

A moan vibrates through my chest as his tongue continues to explore my mouth, his hand moving to cup the back of my head, holding me in place.

But all too soon, he pulls away, leaving me wanting so much more. In the briefest of moments, he leans his forehead against mine, and I wonder if everything’s just changed between us.

“So fucking worth torturing myself over, sweetheart,” he groans, making my heart flutter.

Grinning, he ruffles Sailor’s hair as she looks up at him, then he jumps down and runs back toward the team.

My fingers reach up and brush my now swollen lips, completely speechless as to what just happened.

Sailor doesn’t question why her dad just came up and kissed me, nor does she seem to notice. Thank God, because I don’t have a single answer for her.

I’m in a daze, and don’t even have it in me to give my sister a reaction when she chirps with an overdramatic sigh. “My hopes and dreams of a sleepover with my sissy are ruined now. Maybe Sailor can take your place—I have a feeling her daddy’s going to become someone else’s Daddy tonight.”