The two men smiled in their direction. Clover’s legs went numb. Her mind couldn’t connect with a single nerve ending in that area. For all she knew, she was floating.
“Are you sure you don’t know him?” Maddie squeaked.
“We moved around a lot.” Clover turned her back. “Please tell me he’s not coming over here.” There was no way Clover could handle a man with truckloads of sex appeal. She’d turn into a hot, messy puddle right there and ruin Maddie’s shoes. Already her tongue was thick and clumsy, and she’d only looked at him. Heaven forbid she’d have to put two words together.
A line of waiters arrived, filling their table with a variety of food and drawing their attention away from the men at the door. “We didn’t order this,” Clover told one waiter. He ignored her and slid the platter of cold shrimp arranged beautifully in chopped celery pieces. She scowled as chips and several dips landed on the aged wood.
“Um …” Maddie’s eyes grew as she looked over Clover’s shoulder.
“What?”
“He’s coming over here.”
“He is not!” Clover grabbed Maddie’s arm and tugged, ignoring the two servers trying to fit a platter of twice-baked potatoes on the already full tabletop. “Don’t tease me.”
“I’m not!” Maddie’s eyes spoke volumes. Clover tried to pull herself together, but there were way too many parts strung about; her brain was definitely in the clouds, and her stomach was doing somersaults.
“Excuse me?” The voice was deep and calm and set her skin a-tingling.
Clover turned slowly, making sure to use the table for support. It didn’t wobble, thank goodness, because she did. Her eyes connected with his chest and she slowly lifted them, taking in the view along the way. “Hi.” She cleared her throat, unsure if the word made it out of her mouth or not.
He nodded.
Their gaze held, scrumptious sensations overtaking Clover. She was most definitely befuddled.
His friend, standing slightly behind and to the side, cleared his throat.
Hottie-Pa-tottie came to himself. “Right. I noticed you didn’t have any food, and I know it’s hard to accept help, but people care about you.”
The words cleared Clover’s head like a lawn mower taking off all the sweet tips of her thoughts. She’d said the same phrase yesterday. To a man in an oversized, soiled hoodie and a broken shoe. “You’re the homeless guy?” she blurted.
His friend leaned forward, all bright white teeth, apple cheekbones, and mischief. “Hi, I’m Brayden Birks, and this is Dustin Colt, shortstop for the St. George Redrocks.”
Maddie smiled as she shook Brayden’s hand. A small noise escaped her teeth—something between a gasp and a sigh of pleasure.
Clover’s hands flew to her cheeks. “Are you telling me I handed an essentials bag to a major league baseball player?” She addressed Brayden because looking at him didn’t steal her breath away.
Brayden grinned. “You made my day. You also got him to shave—something the team chaplain has been praying for all season long.”
Clover turned to Dustin. He certainly didn’t look homeless tonight. Besides the high-end suit that fit him perfectly, he’d gotten a haircut. The skin along his jawline was a little lighter than the rest of his face, but the difference didn’t take away from his downright gorgeousness.
“I—” She stopped, unable to come up with an apology. “I’m not sorry.” She took a breath, ready to tell him that his transformation was totally worth the embarrassment heaped upon her.
Dustin scowled and tapped the table with two fingers. “I guess there’s nothing else to say except enjoy your food.” He strutted away like he’d won the Division Championship.
Clover watched him walk all the way across the room—her eyes Velcro-ed to his broad, muscular back. She wished she had a comeback to shockhiminto mutism. Turnabout was fair play, but Dustin Colt didn’t play fair.
A beautiful woman joined him and Brayden, sliding her toned arm around Brayden’s shoulders and offering him a quick kiss on the cheek. Clover breathed a sigh of relief when she only nodded hello to Dustin.
“Whatjust happened?” asked Maddie.
Clover stared at the food on the table. There was way more here than she and Maddie could eat in a week. What a waste.
A group of women giggled as they walked by. “Hungry much?” asked one in a red dress that barely covered her assets.
Clover’s face heated as people around them pointed and whispered. They’d heard Dustin say something about her needing help. Years of being the kid in a dirty shirt and an empty stomach came rushing back. She threw a glare toward the dance floor.
“What just happened was that I met the biggest jerk in baseball. Can you believe that guy, throwing his money in my face like this?” The butterflies, which had been pleasantly buzzing around inside, suddenly turned to fire, blazing through her blood.
