“Twenty opening days?”
“My dad started taking me when I was eight. I’ve been hooked ever since.”
“He couldn’t make it today?”
A shadow passed over her face and I could have kicked myself. You can’t go asking a woman you barely know intrusive questions in the middle of a baseball game.
“We, uh, we don’t talk much anymore.”
“I’m sorry.” Yeah, I really was a dick.
Her only answer was a shrug.
Strike two. She grimaced. “Come on, Smyth. You’ve got this.”
The count went to two and two.
“He’s going to walk him,” I said.
“No way. Smyth’s too aggressive.”
True enough, Smyth went down swinging on the next pitch.
“Told you.” Emily sighed. “He always does that.”
She gave me a wry smile that had my heart doing a slow roll in my chest. I did not fucking need that.
“Daddy, can I have cotton candy now?” Alice’s voice cut through the moment.
I dragged my attention away from Emily. “Yeah. Sure. Let me go grab some. You want to come with me or stay here?”
“Stay here.” She was already turning back to Emily. “Will you tell me more about the pitches?”
“Of course.”
I stood, grateful for the excuse to put some distance between us. “Audrey, you want anything?”
“Can I get popcorn?”
“Sure thing. Emily?”
She stood up to allow me to pass. “Do you mind grabbing me a Coke?”
“Sure, no problem.”
I held my breath as I brushed past her, knowing that I couldn’t risk catching even a whiff of her.
I made my way out of the aisle, rubbing my hand on my chest. She was just my neighbor. A neighbor who happened to love baseball and looked really fucking good in a Knights jersey. A neighbor who knew batting averages off the top of her head.
A neighbor I had zero interest in. None. Zip. Nada.
I’d been suckered in by a pretty face before. I knew the outcome. I was not prepared to go there again. That’s all there was to it.
I got the cotton candy, popcorn, and soda and headed back to our seats. The second inning was underway and as I climbed the steps, I could hear Emily explaining something about RBIs to Audrey.
“Here you go.” I handed Emily her coke, doing my best to ignore the current that shot up my arm when our fingers brushed.
“Thanks.”
