“Jessa and I are going to the Rays game,” Aiden says to break the tension. This is to my surprise as the work day has only started. “Huck, I still want that report. Penny, take all my messages. And if anyone else in this office wants to harass an employee, I’d think twice before doing so.”
Aiden doesn’t touch me as we leave the office, though I could tell he wanted to. Penny gives me a tight smile as we storm out. Aiden is walking fast, too fast for me to catch up. He finally notices and waits by the passenger door as he opens it up for me. I get in without a word said and he gets in the driver’s seat.
We’ve been driving for a good ten minutes when I break the silence.
“Aiden?”
He sighs and puts his hand on my thigh and squeezes. “I’m sorry, baby.” I take his hand in mine.
“I’m not mad, I just want to make sure you’re okay.”
“I will be,” he says softly.
“It’s early. What time is the game?”
“Noon.”
I look at the clock, and it’s only nine-thirty. “Okay.”
“I shouldn’t have just kidnapped you back there, but the thought of you in the office with that motherfucker, I just couldn’t.” Aiden might not be family, but in the moment I most needed it, someone cared about me. I use one hand to rub some tension from his neck.
“It’s okay. I’m glad I won’t be sulking at my desk all day.”
“Do you want to get some anger out?” he asks with an arch of a brow.
“Okay.” He squeezes my thigh, and we spend the rest of the drive in silence, both of us in our own heads and trying to work out what happened this morning. I’m still upset, as I should be, but having Aiden protect me in the way that he could as my boss, it means a lot to me. I’m not sure what is going through Aiden’s head. He mentioned before he used to have a temper, and it seemed like Zach was pushing that button. I don’t think I would have been too upset if Aiden punched him, but it wouldn’t have gone well for him, and I don’t want him in trouble.
Aiden pulls up to a sports complex.
“What is this?”
“Golf balls or softballs?”
I blink at him a few times. “Softballs.”
“Perfect.”
We get out of the car, and Aiden takes my hand and kisses the knuckles before we go to the front desk. “I need a softball cage,” he tells the kid at the front desk.
“How long?” the kid says.
“An hour.” The attendant looks at us, and hands us two helmets and two bats. Aiden hands me my bat and hands his back.
“The hybrid bat,” he says, pointing to a blue and gold one. The kid trades out the bats for Aiden.
Aiden grabs us two sports drinks before he takes me out to the range.
“Are you okay if I hit a few first?” he asks, and I nod enthusiastically. Clearly knowing this is something he needs. He kisses the side of my head as he pushes a button and goes inside of the cage. As the mechanism whirls, he waits in his stance before he just pummels each ball that comes shooting out of the cannon. There’s a clanging of the ball hitting the fence after each hit and then another jarring sound of the ball hitting the bat.
He doesn’t say much, just stands there and continually hits the ball over and over. He must have been in there for nearly twenty minutes. I can see sweat starting to pull on the collar of his dress shirt, but he clearly doesn’t give a fuck. I don’t tell him to take a break or ask if he’s okay. When he’s ready to talk or have me in the cage, he will tell me.
Softballs bounce down the lane and collect in the container so that they will just shoot again down the range.
Aiden pushes the button that stops the balls and sighs. Unlocking the door and standing beside me, he takes a few sips of his drink and blinks at me.
“Do you want a go?” he asks, not telling me I have to but giving me the option.
“Does it really make you feel better?”
