Page 14

FOURTEEN

SCOUT

T here was no mistaking the familiar shape in the distance, outlined against the bright May sun shining down from the clear blue sky.

Broad shoulders tapering down to a narrow waist and the best butt in baseball. Unofficially. Even if that butt of his hadn’t been haunting my dreams for the past few nights, I’d have recognized it.

It was pure coincidence he was out here, arriving at the same time he always did when we had a home game.

It wasn’t that I’d chosen this exact moment to run and grab a coffee from the shop and arrive back through the gates at the exact same time Parker pulled up, hopped out of his car, and made his way across the parking lot to the stadium entrance.

No, sir.

Pure coincidence. Just like it was a coincidence I happened to have an extra coffee in my hand, made exactly how I knew Parker took it.

I’d like to think this was a well-thought-through plan, but it wasn’t.

Obviously. I wasn’t even entirely sure what I was doing, except to say I’d already attempted it twice, but both times he’d arrived with his roommates—one or all of them—and this wasn’t something I wanted witnesses for.

Not that I knew what this something was.

He was twenty yards out when I finally decided to open my mouth. “Hey, Parker, wait up.”

I’d barely finished shouting his name before he spun around, and even from this distance I could see his eyes light as he lifted his sunglasses up, followed by a smile that split his face. Perhaps this wasn’t such a stupid idea.

Thick stubble coated his cheeks, though it did nothing to disguise the sharpness of his cheekbones or the ruler-straight line of his jaw. He seemed to get more handsome every time I saw him.

The stadium was always quieter when the boys were gone, but this past week had felt like a ghost town. I wouldn’t fly out with them every time they left, just like I didn’t attend every away series last year, but I don’t recall noticing the team’s absence quite so much.

Though I was beginning to realize it was simply the absence of the one striding toward me.

On the flip side, I’d been very productive and had actually gotten ahead with work. I’d edited the week in a life feature for the website, and the guys who’d flown out on the trip had sent all their content back to me, which I’d compiled into enough TikToks to last until next week.

Without Parker around to distract me, or watch from the window by my desk, I’d also started the presentation I needed to give for my job interview.

“Heeyy.” He grinned, stopping just short of where his sneakers would hit the tips of my Chucks.

Close enough that he needed to peer down at me with an expression that was ego boosting to say the very least.

I had an overwhelming urge to hug him, but instead, curled my fingers tighter around the coffee cup.

“Are you my welcoming party?”

“Maybe.” I laughed. “I got you a coffee.”

I may as well have been handing over the Commissioner’s Trophy for how his eyes flared wide. “You got me a coffee?”

I nodded, willing my cheeks to stay their normal peachy shade. “Yeah. You got me one. Thought I’d return the favor. That’s what friends do, right?”

Even as I said it, and even as I watched him nod, it felt weird to hear. I might not be ready to admit it, but I wasn’t sure we were in friends territory anymore. I wasn’t sure where we were. Some kind of weird no-man’s-land before we reached the space that more than friends belonged to.

His eyes flicked between the two cups I was holding. “Which one’s which?”

“You wanna guess?”

“Nope. No, I do not.” He laughed, taking the boring black coffee I held out and sniffing it. “This smells safe. Thank you.”

“Sure you don’t want to try mine?”

“Bleugh. No thanks,” he said, sticking his tongue out, and lifted the cup to his lips, then paused. “Actually, yeah, I kind of do.”

“Of course you do.” I passed mine over and watched as he eased the lid off to peer inside like he was expecting something to pop out. By the time he’d sniffed this one, too, before gingerly taking a sip, I was ready to hand him an award for the overacting.

“Huh.” Was all he said as he placed the lid back on it.

“Huh? Does that mean you like it?”

He shook his head. “No. Definitely not. But I don’t hate it. It’s not as bad as I thought it would be. We can still be friends,” he added solemnly, making me laugh.

“Oh, thank god for that. Aren’t I a lucky girl?”

“I’m the lucky one.”

He might have mumbled it, but it was loud enough to hear an underlying seriousness, which heightened when he held my gaze. It set off a succession of little somersaults in my belly until I had to look away.

“So,” he nudged me gently, “how’s your week been? Have you missed me? It’s hard to check in when I don’t have your number. You best be coming to the game today.”

“Is this you asking for my number?”

He shook his head. “No, simply stating a fact.”

“My week’s been good, I’ve managed to get some work done without you distracting me all the time.”

“I distract you ?”

“Maybe.”

His hands clasped to his chest. “Why, Scout. I think that’s the greatest compliment you’ve ever given me.”

“Shut up.”

“I will not.” He laughed, nudging me with his shoulder again, and we walked toward the entrance. “How’s that website film coming along? Are you going to make me famous?”

“Aren’t you famous enough already?”

He shook his head. “Nah, I’m only baseball famous. Not star quality famous. I’m expecting your film to do that for me.”

“It’s a film now, is it.”

“Yep, so when’s it premiering?”

“This week.”

“I’ll let the mail room know to expect extra fan mail then.”

“Oh, you and your ego.” I laughed, patting him on the shoulder.

“Hey, there’s nothing wrong with my ego.”

I stopped and allowed my gaze to drop, before it slowly inched upward. I did my best to make it look all show, but I could happily admit to myself I was enjoying every second. It was almost as good as last week when he’d been nearly naked, dripping in sweat as his muscles worked to exhaustion.

“I dunno, looks too big to fit through the doors.”

“Nope. Watch.” He marched forward and pushed through the wide revolving doors into the lobby, only to come right back out again as they spun around. “See.”

“They must have been widened or something.”

“Uh-uh,” he said, and before I knew it, he’d grabbed my hand and pulled me into the next go-around. I barely had time to shriek, it was a wonder neither of our coffees spilled as I found myself hard against his even harder chest. And there was no escape. “See, I told you.”

The revolving doors might have been big enough to fit us both in, but barely. The five seconds of time it took for us to pass through into the lobby could have been days as his green eyes bored into mine.

All we’d done was taken a couple of steps, but the flip-flopping in my belly was akin to riding the big drop at Six Flags, and just like I always did on roller coasters, I held my breath.

“Shall we go again?” His lips brushed the shell of my ear and I lost all train of thought; my brain ceased to function. I was all set for another go-around, when loud shouting yanked us out of whatever moment we were having.

A couple of security guards were standing with their back to us next to the security desk. Pablo was behind it with his arms crossed, and wearing an expression so murderous that I almost ran back outside, and it wasn’t even aimed at me.

Whoever was currently shouting was far braver than I was.

Parker leaned into me and let out a low whistle. “Someone’s got balls. No one messes with Pablo and comes out unscathed.”

I was about to agree with him, but it was only when I heard Alice’s voice among the din that I really paid attention. As I hurried forward, Pablo turned. “Here she is. Now you can see her, then you can fuck off.” He thumbed out.

I frowned, there’s no way Pablo would be telling Alice to fuck off. But then the security wall parted and in the middle was one person I’d hoped never to see again, at least for a very long while.

“Mark?”

I barely noticed Parker tense next to me, because Mark pushed through the two security guys and rushed toward me, only for Parker to step in front and block his way.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Mark snarled.

“I’d ask the same question. But first I want to know who the fuck you are.”

“I’ve come to see Scout,” Mark replied, attempting to sidestep around Parker, only for Parker to move too.

In the split second Parker turned to me and back to Mark, he’d realized exactly who this guy was demanding to see me.

“Did you make an appointment?”

“I don’t need to make a fucking appointment.” Mark tried again, only now Alice had arrived and flanked his other side. “Jesus. Scout, c’mon, talk to me. Call the dogs off.”

Parker looked over his shoulder, where I was standing, 50 percent shock, 50 percent annoyance. Though the shock was waning into anger.

I’d had a couple of weeks of peace from Mark; I’d almost forgotten about him. I’d been having fun with Parker, enjoying my days without being bothered every hour by a whiney message. It hadn’t in a million years occurred to me that blocking him would result in this.

Him, here at my work. With Parker, Alice, Pablo, and two security guards staring.

At least it was early enough that the players hadn’t arrived. And we didn’t have filming scheduled for this morning.

Parker turned back to him. “Doesn’t look like she wants to talk to you, buddy.”

“That’s what I’ve been telling him,” bit out Alice.

Mark’s jaw clenched, and his fists balled. “Move out of my way.”

Before Parker refused, or before Mark attempted to punch him and got punched back, I stepped to the side, summoning as much of Pablo’s murderous expression as I could. “What are you doing here?”

Mark’s eyes sliced to Parker and back to me. “I want to talk.”

“I don’t know what gave you the impression I wanted to talk to you , or that it was okay for you to show up here at my work ,” I seethed, “but I don’t.”

“You haven’t replied to my messages.”

“Because I blocked you.”

I couldn’t decide what was more strange: that he was surprised that I’d blocked him, or that he hadn’t realized I’d done it in the first place. But he stood there for a good ten seconds before he said anything, until he did.

“I’m sorry.”

I wish he’d stayed silent. “Cool. Can you leave now?”

His eyes dropped, into what I guess he thought was a pleading expression. “No. I want to explain.”

“You already did. Why can’t you get it through your thick skull? We are over.”

Mark stepped closer, or as close as he could get with Parker still half blocking me while Alice looked on venomously, and lowered his voice so at the very least Pablo and the two security guys couldn’t hear him. “I want to make it up to you.”

If I wasn’t still holding onto my coffee, I’d have crossed my arms, instead I moved back.

“And you thought coming to my place of work was the best way to do that? This is so embarrassing.” I glared at him. “You need to leave.”

“Sco—”

“You heard the lady,” Parker snapped, twisting Mark to face the doors and shoving him forward. “Out.”

“Get your hands off me.”

“Then do as you’re told and get out,” Parker repeated calmly, not in the least bit fazed Mark’s knuckles had turned white from the tension he was holding, and nodded to the security guys rushing over. “Or these two will lift you up and carry you to the gates. I wouldn’t test it either. I’ve seen them take on an entire busload of Jupiter Reeves fans single-handed without breaking a sweat.”

Mark yanked his arm out of Parker’s grip, glancing around with obvious disgust. “Don’t know why I bothered coming to this shit hole. You can repaint all you want, still be the worst club in the league.”

“Dude, seriously, is that all you have to say? You insult like a twelve-year-old. No wonder you couldn’t handle Scout.” Parker laughed. “How you managed to get her in the first place is beyond me.”

Mark stopped struggling and stood there. His eyes narrowed even further on Parker. He either didn’t know or didn’t care that he was standing in front of one of the greatest catchers in the MLB.

No, he knew.

“Get her…what?” He snarled, before his face took on an entirely different expression, wild eyes darting between me and Parker. “Wait…have you got the hots for her? Is that what this is about?”

Parker turned to me and winked; my chest squeezed until I almost couldn’t breathe. Blood whooshed so loudly in my ears that I never caught his reply, or even if he did reply, because Mark decided he’d finally had enough. It was unfortunate, however, that as he stormed through the doors, Ace Watson and Tanner Simpson arrived for the day.

“Whoa, bud, where are you off to in such a hurry?” asked Ace as Mark barged past him.

Tanner’s eyes followed as Mark finally made it outside, the security guards in close pursuit escorting him until he was fully off Lions premises. “Why do I recognize that guy?”

The second he was out of sight I finally managed to pull much-needed air into my lungs. Blood was still pounding through my veins, and it took all my energy to fight the urge to cry, especially when Alice pulled me into a hug.

“Are you okay?”

I eased myself from her grip and took a massive glug of my coffee. I hadn’t had anywhere near enough to cope with this so early in the morning. “What was he doing here?”

She shrugged. “To see you. He’d only been here a couple of minutes before you arrived. Pablo called up, but you weren’t there.”

Another couple of the guys walked in, and I stepped away from the doors, turning my back before anyone could spot me. “This is so embarrassing.”

Alice didn’t get the opportunity to answer because Parker appeared, having stayed by the entrance to watch security escort Mark away.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his head dipping down to my height so all I could see was his bright green eyes and the concern that filled them.

It was making it even harder to hold back my tears, and I gave a loud sniff.

“Yeah. I’m fine. I’m sorry?—”

“You have nothing to apologize for,” Parker snapped. “That guy’s a dick.”

“Got that right,” mumbled Alice.

“I wasn’t apologizing for him. I was just…” I stopped talking, I actually didn’t know what I was apologizing for. “God, this is so embarrassing.”

“It’s not,” said Alice.

“It is, and it’s unprofessional. Everyone will know about it,” I wailed. “I’m supposed to be applying for this new job. They’re not going to give it to me when shit like this happens.”

“Sco—”

“No one’s going to find out about this,” interrupted Parker. “I give you my word. Beyond me, you and…” his eyes flicked to Alice, “your friend here. The only ones who saw were Pablo and security. Plus, Ace and Tanner, and they won’t say anything.”

“Pablo is the biggest gossip. This club runs on gossip.”

“I promise he won’t say anything,” Parker insisted, and given the firmness of his tone, I was inclined to agree with him. It didn’t make me feel any better however.

“It’s still embarrassing.”

“Scout, you’re holding the world’s most disgusting coffee, and you’re proud of it. That’s what you should be embarrassed about.” He grinned.

I managed to return a weak smile, but that’s all it was. The excitement I’d buzzed on this morning, and—fine, being honest—about seeing Parker had drained away, leaving nothing but an aftermath of annoyance and frustration.

He must have sensed it, because the next thing my shoulders were held in his grip.

“Scout, the Lions is not the place to be embarrassed. You don’t think every single one of the guys who works here has done something they’d rather forget. I mean, look at Ace.”

He nodded over to where Ace and Tanner were laughing with Pablo.

“He choked last year in front of the president, and seventy thousand people, and he still summoned the strength to pull his pants on every morning. A few years ago, on my very first day here as a rookie, my mom sent me the biggest bunch of balloons, like the biggest you’d ever seen, and the idiot who delivered them didn’t tie the weight properly, and they got loose.”

Parker pointed upward, and the three of us tipped our heads back until we could see the top of the stadium seven floors up.

“Yeah, we couldn’t get them down, but every time one of those fuckers finally popped or died and floated to the ground, Pablo announced it on the loudspeaker to come and collect it. It went on for two whole fucking months.”

My eyes had widened so much, it was almost impossible not to smile.

“That’s better.” Parker said softly, “I like it when you smile.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Now drink your disgusting coffee and get back to work,” he replied, his tone full of jest.

I was so busy staring at Parker that I’d almost forgotten Alice was standing next to the two of us, until she coughed pointedly. The pair of us managed to break out of the staring competition we were having and turned to find her watching us. I was about to ask her why she was looking at us so strangely when she spoke.

“I like you, Parker King. Keep up the good work.”

Parker scoffed a laugh. “Thanks. I appreciate that. Now I need to go and rescue my coffee from Ace before he drinks it.”

“See you later.” I chuckled, though he only managed a couple of steps before I had the urge to call him back. “Hey, Parker?” Moving away from Alice for a shred of privacy, I asked, “Did you tell Mark you had the hots for me?”

He shook his head. “No.”

I wasn’t expecting the disappointment at his words to hit me quite so hard. Hard enough that I had to swallow down the tears that threatened to make another appearance.

“Oh. Cool.”

“I don’t have the hots for you, Davison. The hots are for sixteen-year-olds, jerking off to posters of models on their bedroom walls.” He continued, “I like you. A lot. I have done for a long time. I want to date you, and you better believe I’ll treat you a damn site better than that fucking douche. I told you I’m okay with waiting, and when you’re ready, I’ll show you exactly how fucking awesome you are and exactly how you should be treated. And I will wake up every morning knowing how fucking lucky I am to have you.”

My mouth must have dropped open because he tucked his finger under my chin and gently closed it.

“See you around, Davison. Thanks for my coffee.”