“It’s not your job to make up for your mother. You love your sister. I saw it that night when you first mentioned her. I’d bet ifyou make her choose one sport so you could breathe and have a break, she’d be fine with it.”
An intrusive thought barreled into my head, about being that person for her. The one who made up for all she’d obviously missed out on because she had a parent who didn’t care and had to learn to depend on only herself.
I’d caught a glimpse of the carefree side she probably never had a chance to show, and it had hooked me. The memory made me wish for that night all over again and yearn to be the one to let her have that kind of life, not just for a day.
But I’d be on the road soon, and I couldn’t be that guy, no matter how fucking much I wanted to be.
“I know that.” She exhaled a long, defeated breath. “But I have this need to keep trying. For both of us. It’s dumb.”
“It’s not. It makes you pretty fucking amazing. Taylor is lucky.”
Her eyes glossed over as they darted around the room.
“Thanks, Coach.”
I wanted to leap across the table and kiss her troubles away, forget all my own worries in those full red lips that I’d bet would taste just as sweet as I remembered and couldn’t for the life of me forget.
“This is a nice ride,” Rachel said, skimming her hands over the leather seats of my truck as I followed her directions to the softball field.
“It’s not bad. If I leave early enough, the ride from my apartment to the field isn’t that long. And it gives me time to get into the zone.”
“The managing zone?” she teased.
“Well, that remains to be seen. The zone that helps me look the part, even if I’m not there yet.”
“You’re there, Silas. I’m sure things will be an adjustment, but you’re there. I’m excited for you.”
I smiled as I pulled up to the curb in front of the field.
“And for all the new reels we’ll get.”
I cracked up as I shut off the engine.
“I’ll get out here. That cap isn’t going to protect you from all the teenage girls about to spill off the field in a few minutes.”
“I understand,” I said, stretching my arm along the back of the passenger seat, Rachel’s hair tickling the inside of my forearm. Why was this so natural? I itched to touch my lips to hers, to grab the back of her neck, press my mouth against hers and bring out that throaty whimper that haunted my dreams.
But that couldn’t happen. Not with her sister a few feet away, and probably not ever.
It had been hard enough to walk away from her the first time. Having her around but nothavingher would be its own special kind of torture.
“Oh, that reminds me. Taylor asked for your autograph.” Rachel grimaced as she reached into her bag and tore off a piece of paper. “Would you mind? I wasn’t going to ask you, but we’re friends, right?”
Her lips twisted into a smirk, my gaze snagging on her gorgeous mouth as very not-friendly feelings washed over me.
“We are,” I said, skimming my fingers against hers as I took the pen from her hand and scribbled my name onto the paper.
“Thank you. You just made me a hero.” She stuffed the paper in her bag, her eyes still on mine.
“I think you’re already a hero. So give yourself a break. Okay?”
“Only if you do the same.” She reached for the door handle, stilling as she looked back at me. “See you soon, Coach.”
“See you around, Slugger.”
She rolled her eyes as she heaved out an audible sigh and stepped out of the car.
“I’m never living that down, am I?”
