Tilly’s scalp still tingled from Brayden’s hand brushing against her hair. His touch had gone up the strands like a fuse of dynamite. When the fuse burned all the way to her head, she flushed from her hairline to her toes. Suddenly,shewas fantasizing Brayden’s fingers curling into the strands, massaging her, working out all the tension and stress she constantly carried.
Several minutes tiptoed by before she realized Gunner was talking to her. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”
“I asked if you were going to the game tonight.”
“I’m working the home plate section.”
“Great.” He leaned his elbow on the table, bunching his muscles so they got bigger and bigger still. That probably impressed a lot of women, but Tilly had seen—had felt—much bigger, much stronger arms around her than Gunner’s. “Do you get much time to watch?”
She thought about standing at the back of the section, checking tickets and arranging for food orders. “I should have tons of time.”
“Sweet. I’ll wave to you.”
“From the bullpen?” joked Blake. He turned in his seat so he was facing them. “I doubt you’ll see playing time tonight, young Padawan.” His eyes cut to Tilly, gauging her response.
Tilly’s cheeks burned under his scrutiny and the attention of so many other people in the room. She’d come here for dinner several times with Brayden, and they usually sat with Blake, Dustin, and Juan. She considered them friends, but sitting at a different table made it clear that she had become an outsider of sorts. Brayden had their loyalty. That’s the way it should be, but still, it stung.
She almost hadn’t come in here at all. Gunner had stopped her in the hallway, eyeing the candy bar she held in one hand and a bottle of water in the other. “Please tell me that’s not your dinner.” He’d glared at the chocolate as if it had personally offended him.
“Okay, I won’t tell you.” She’d smiled as she took a large bite.
He’d taken it away from her and thrown it in the garbage. “You’re eating with me tonight.”
Tilly had tried to protest, but Gunner countered all of her reasons for not being there. Of course, she hadn’t said the biggest one: Brayden. She didn’t want to talk about him to Gunner. The two men didn’t see eye to eye, and she didn’t want to get in the middle of that. In the end, she’d come because she didn’t think Brayden would be here. He’d gone straight home after his sessions with Gunner—a fact she’d come to count on. And she’d missed being in here with the guys. They made her laugh.
When she’d walked in and all noise and movement stopped, she knew she’d stepped over a line. If she could go back, she would. But then she’d thought,Why should I leave?She wasn’t going to let Brayden dictate where she went or who she hung out with. She hadn’t let him do that when they’d been dating—not that he’d tried. He was always happy to go wherever she wanted to go. She’d filled their spare time with desert breezes and nature’s beauty. Heck, she’d even pictured a baby carrier on his back once. Her future always included him, so her decisions included him. But she didn’thaveto do that anymore. So what if she wanted to? He’d taken himself out of the equation.
Her eyes dropped to the floor and then back up to Blake. If he’d teased Brayden, she would have come up with a response or joined in the teasing.
Gunner shoved Blake. “I’ll be starting soon enough, and then you’ll see how much time I get on the mound.”
Juan guffawed. “Oh man! You have some spice in you, little man. You keep that fire going and you might just make it. You know?”
Tilly relaxed a fraction. Joking around, she could handle.
Gunner gave her a smoldering look. “I know what I want.”
She gave Gunner a pained smile. Tilly had exchanged many of those types of looks with Brayden—too many to put a number on—and not once had they had the effect on people around them that Gunner’s did. All feelings of camaraderie died a strangled death as the guys coughed and looked away. Everyone turned back in their seats and resumed eating, the room quieter than before. Some guys on the other side of the room left. They couldn’t have known what happened, but their departure felt like a snub anyway.
She leaned sideways and spoke low. “I don’t think I’m winning you any points being here.”
He shook his head. “I don’t need to be their bestie. What I do in my personal life isn’t their business.”
“They’re just looking out for me.”
He scowled. “I’m not sure it’s you they’re looking out for.” He tipped his head at the empty seat.
She chewed her bottom lip. “Sorry.”
He placed his hand over hers. His skin was warm, the strength in his body evident in that touch. While Tilly noticed all these things, she also noticed a lack of attraction. She would feel the same sense of friendship with Blake or Juan.
“You have nothing to be sorry for. I hope you don’t blame yourself.” His dark blue eyes bored into hers.
Tilly sighed. “That’s the nature of a breakup, right? It takes two to make a relationship work.”
“Yeah, but only one to ruin it. I’ve met you both.Youdon’t have a chip on your shoulder.”
She smiled. It was nice to have someone besides her mom and dad on her side. Clover and Elise had been there for her from the start, but they walked a line because Brayden was also their friend. The players seated around the room were all in his corner. Had she broken up with him, they might not let her in the stadium.
