“He was at the community center yesterday.”
“Good, a head start will only help his image.” She jots down some notes in her ever-present notebook.
“Did you put him in contact with them? Or someone on Mary’s team?”
“Not that I’m aware. Maybe his team arranged it.”
“Doubt it. They were throwing a fit in the conference room about him having to do community service in the first place.”
“How did you know he was there if you didn’t arrange it and no one told you?”
“He texted me.”
“What did he say?”
“That he met a girl.”
“What?” She laughs incredulously.
“He made me think he was texting me to tell me he met another woman, and it was a twelve-year-old girl who wants to be a lawyer when she grows up.”
“Did it work?”
“Did what work?”
“Clearly that was a tactic to get a rise out of you and make you jealous. So did it?”
“It’s a moot point.” When I told him we could be friends, I was hoping we could, but the idea of him meeting someone else has a pit opening in the bottom of my stomach.
“Why’s that?”
“Because we can’t be together, so I have no business being jealous.” I stupidly went and let feelings get involved when they shouldn’t have, but something about our conversation over breakfast had me wishing things were different between us. That despite the age gap, we could work together as more than friends.
“But…”
“UGH, but a small part of me wants him all to myself. The thought of him with someone else and then having to see it? Makes me nauseous.” She opens her mouth to respond but I keep going. “Which I’m fully aware is contradictory to everything I told him about us remaining professional and trying to be friends. It’s completely irrational, not to mention illogical.”
“I don’t think so.”
“What do you mean?”
“There’s clearly something there. The island doesn’t have to be a one-off situation.”
“Come on, Tay. He’s not the relationship type. Our one-night stand is exhibit A that he’s a playboy with a capital P. Not to mention all I can think about is whether he was looking to take another woman home the night he got arrested.”
“Or maybe you aren’t giving him enough credit.” I look outthe window, and sure enough, there he is. We have a three-game home series starting tonight and then they’re on the road again.
“Should I get Mark to go over the press conference details?”
“I would rather stab my eye out than interact with that man.”
“Well, he is my boss, so unfortunately I don’t have a choice.”
“For now.” Before I can ask what she means by that, she launches into a series of topics the team wants Chase and Coach Crenshaw to address with the media.
I can’t stop thinking about Bree. Whether she wants to admit it or not, there’s something here. Something I’m dying to explore. I want to know about her good days and her bad days. I want to know about her other favorite foods now that I know she loves cinnamon sugar bagels despite eating yogurt every morning. I want to know what makes her smile and do that for her every single day. But if she’ll only let me be her friend, then that’s what I’ll be.
For now.
