“Connections?” I prod, tearing my reluctant gaze from the view. Even my dad hasn’t been able to get us reservations here, which makes me rather curious. “What kind of connections?”
“Theo,” he spills with a sheepish grin.
“Really?” I ask, my smile widening as I realize he’s talking about Theo Martinez, the second baseman for the Rowdy Rattlers.
“Yeah. Turns out he grew up with Boone Wright.”
“Oh my God!” I squeal. “How did I not know this?”
Like most reality show junkies, I’m obsessed with Boone.
He’s beyond lovable with his southern charm, and his strong work ethic. While he may be the one who usually takes the lead on the big projects at the ranch, from what I’ve seen, he’s incredibly down to earth and absolutely hilarious. It also helps that he’s easily one of the most classically good-looking men I’ve ever seen. We’re talking Brad Pitt in his glory days level of good looking.
“Alright, simmer down,” he cuts in, undoing his seat belt and angling his body toward mine. “Don’t forget it’s me you’re on a date with today, even if we do run into the guy.”
“No promises. I mean, you really should know better than to introduce your date to her celebrity crush.”
“Eh,” he cooly answers, his face close to mine as he unclicks my belt. “Even with him being your celebrity crush, I’mconfident that by the end of the night, it’ll be me you want wrangling you in close.”
“Mmm, I don’t know. A real cowboy opposed to a baseball player dressing up as one is pretty tempting,” I tease, tapping his nose before turning and opening the truck door. “It’s hard to say who I’ll want.”
“Playing dress-up?” He scoffs, hopping out just as quickly. He catches up to me as we make our way toward the front of the truck. “I’ll have you know my grandparents own a farm in Iowa. I spent every summer there since I was a kid helping out. I know my shit, and can assure you I don’t just play one for the cameras. I can ride, wrangle, and work the land with the best of ‘em.”
What is it about seeing this man get so defensive that I find so attractive?
My smirk only widens. “Oh, so what you’re really saying is you’re good with your hands?”
“Pfft,” he scoffs. “Like you don’t already know.”
Oh, I know, and my cheeks immediately warm at the thought.
“What I’m really saying here,” he continues, “is that I could out-cowboy this Boone guy any day of the week.”
“Uh huh. Sure,” I tease, before growing serious. “But honestly, I didn’t know that about you. That’s actually kind of cool.”
Okay, so maybe that’s on me. I’ve never really given him the chance to open up, but at least we’re getting there now.
“I know it might be hard to believe since most people just assume I came out of the womb catching baseballs,” he jokes, “but there is in fact more to me than my job. Actually, if baseball hadn’t worked out, I’m pretty sure I’d have joined my grandpa and helped take over the family business.”
“Oh, wow,” I say, somehow even more surprised than before. “And you would’ve been happy with that?”
“I don’t know,” he admits, leaning against the front of his truck. “I think it would’ve been a good life, but somethingobviously would’ve been missing. The first time I held a bat everything seemed to change,” he muses, glancing down at his hands. “Playing baseball wasn’t just something I wanted to do; it became a part of me. It’s in my blood and I’m always going to need it in my life in some capacity”
I nod, stepping up beside him, leaning my shoulder against his. “I’m a little jealous.”
“Of me playing baseball?”
I roll my eyes and fight off a smile.
“No, of you always knowing what you wanted to do. I mean, I know what I’m good at, but it’s not like I grew up dreaming of one day becoming a social media marketing manager.” I sigh and let out a breath before continuing. “If anything, the only thing I did know was that I refused to spend my whole life living in my parents' shadow. I needed to be known for more than just being their daughter.”
“If it makes you feel any better,” he says, wrapping his strong arm around my shoulder. “I don’t just want you because of who your parents are. If anything, that should be a deterrent—but don’t worry, any trouble that I could get into from being with you is totally worth it."
He presses a kiss to my temple before his hand drops into mine, finally leading me toward the large house.
I sigh, letting myself melt into the warmth from his lips, even if it only lasted for a short second. “Good to know. I’ve unfortunately had to deal with one too many guys only pretending to be into me just so they could have an in with my dad.”
“Are you serious?” he asks, stopping mid-stride, turning toward me with a look that’s half disbelief, half outrage. “That’s bullshit.”
