“No!” I blurt. “You didn’t.” The way her face fell last night flashes across my brain. I wonder how many times I’ve been the reason for that frown. “And I want to apologize for last night. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have spoken to you that way.”
She hums. “Don’t worry about it. I’m used to people being rude to me. Female agent and all.” The casual tone of her voice makes me want to shake every person who has ever made her feel like that. Including myself. “I need to take this call, but good luck tonight, Cade.”
The call ends before I can respond. Almost immediately, my phone vibrates with a text.
Shay Baby
If you want to sleep, I can give you a wake-up call before your flight
It’s sad to see it’s been almost two years since our last message. Changing her contact name hurts, but I would hate for someone to get the wrong idea if they saw it.
Me
I won’t be able to sleep, but feel free to call me anytime
And I mean that
Her reply is immediate.
Agent Shay
Rule number 4. No flirting
With a laugh, I stand and leave Jon’s notes behind. It doesn’t seem possible, but they don’t sting as much. For the next few hours, I’m not going to think about my old agent. I’m going to think about my new agent. Like I have since the day I met her.
And clean my house.
“Are eggplants supposed to be this big? Because this is impressive.”
Violet nudges my sore hip. “Grow up, C.C.!”
“Listen to your little sister,” Mom adds, voice crackling through the phone. “And grab the biggest ones. Gotta stuff those bad boys to the brim for tomorrow’s event.”
I hand Violet a tote bag. “Make us proud, little.”
She nods and searches through the bin of dark purple vegetables. Clear Lake’s farmers market has the best produce. On my scheduled off days, I take Mom’s grocery list, which is longer than baseball season, and do the shopping.
“We stopped by Loc & Key,” I tell Mom, twirling the brown paper bags around my wrist. Emma, my loctician, recommended giving my hair extra love, so I bought every product.
“Did Violet talk you into getting more beads?”
“Five different colors.” I check eggplants off the list when Violet gives me a thumbs-up. “Anything else you need me to get while I’m out?”
“No.” She grunts. “Off days are meant for rest, Cade Charles. Not running my errands.”
After three long days in Florida, rest would be nice, but my mother is the reason I’m able to play baseball. If grocery shopping, spending time with my little sister, and helping her cook means I don’t rest, then so be it.
“I’m failing to see the problem. I like doing these things for you.”
“Fine,” Mom yields, her voice tender. “Just make sure you’re taking care of yourself, okay?”
I smile. “Okay, Ma.”
With a promise to be home in an hour, I hang up and take the tote from Violet’s trembling arms. Then her eyes dart behind me, she lets out an excited squeal, and she’s gone before I can grab her. Slipping the woman behind the counter a hundred-dollar bill, I dash after Violet, but I freeze when I spot the person hugging her.
Toned legs are wrapped in sleek, black fabric that outline pure strength. Whatever fancy workout top Shay has on crisscrosses in the back, ebony skin sparkling in the sunlight. Violet’s joy is blinding as they spin in circles, and my agent looks down at her with a rare, toothy smile.
Shay has always been one to give smiles to those who deserve them.
