“Gayle, that’s very nice, but?—”
“You are, and the only one I can trust to write a good article in a short amount of time. This is going to be a series, which we’ll talk more about, but I wanted you to get going on this one so we may be able to get it out around opening day or right after it next week.”
Gayle trusted me, and I’d always appreciated that. I wanted to give her my best, and I wouldn’t be able to give her anything if I hid away. I was a professional and an adult, and I had a kid to provide for. I’d dig deep enough to find a way through this.
“Okay, where do you want me to start?”
“Right here,” she said, jerking her chin toward two figures over her shoulder. “I want you to start a piece on their new manager. Kent, Silas, this is Rachel, our best writer, who is going to start right away.”
“Nice to meet you,” Kent said, stepping in front of Gayle to give me a firm if clammy handshake.
I nodded, muttering a nice to meet you when my gaze drifted over his shoulder, meeting the same hazel eyes that had bored into mine when he’d told me to come on his fingers, widening as recognition spread over his perfect face.
I couldn’t run or even step away, only wish the rest of my body wouldn’t melt along with my liquefied knees and splatter onto the floor.
“Hi, Rachel.” Silas extended his hand to me after Kent stepped aside. “I’m happy to work with you” he said, that zing up my arm from where his palm grazed against mine not at all helping my weak equilibrium.
“Me too,” I managed to get out, pushing the widest smile I could muster as I gripped his hand.
This was why I preferred to write my own fictional endings. When it came to real life, it always went to shit.
CHAPTER NINE
SILAS
I wasno stranger to pressure or never letting anyone see me panic or break a sweat. When I had a baseball or a bat in my hand, I had to show that I had it all under control, no matter what kind of turmoil was simmering in my gut. I’d need that poker face even more as a manager, but after spending my entire life playing this game, I could handle it.
This, I had zero preparation for.
The woman who’d haunted my dreams and starred in all my dirty fantasies as of late was standing right in front of me. What happened between us wasn’t supposed to leave that hotel room, even if my mind drifted there all too often.
All I’d had of her was a pen name and a collection of books after we parted ways. It wasn’t even her real name, although now I was pretty sure she’d given me her actual first name after her boss referred to her as Rachel.
Writing an article about me would mean more time with her, something I’d wished like hell for a month ago. At the last minute, I’d scrambled to figure out a way to keep in touch after she left, but I hadn’t wanted to lead either of us on. Or the chickenshit in me hadn’t wanted to start another relationship that would inevitably end in failure.
I’d asked for her pen name instead, thinking that would give me something to go on if I ever grew the balls to find her but would still keep her at a comfortable distance.
I’d known then that more time with her would have only made things worse, but whether it was luck or fate or the universe simply laughing its ass off at me, I now had no choice.
“We’d like to get started right away so the article can coincide with opening day.”
My head swooped back to Gayle. I nodded, clearing my throat as I tried to reset myself, and hoped like hell neither Kent nor Gayle noticed our long handshake or the way I stared at her a little too long for an introduction.
As much as I tried to shake off the disbelief, I’d needed a minute to recover. I just prayed it wasn’t an obvious minute.
“The Bats have a lot to offer fans this season, and we are going to make sure to get you as many fans as possible.” Gayle waved her finger between Rachel and me. “You both can work out how you’ll meet. Kent, I’ll introduce you to some designers as they talk.”
Rachel nodded. “I’ll start right away, Gayle.”
“That’s why she’s the best,” Gayle gushed as she squeezed Rachel’s shoulder.
I watched Kent and Gayle make their way to the concession stands before I stepped closer to Rachel.
“So, this is…” I started, lifting the baseball cap off my head to run my hand through my hair.
“Yes, it certainly is.” Her shoulders drooped with her long exhale.
“I didn’t expect to see you…here.”
