Misha flicked her wrist. “’Bout damned time.” She winked at me and mumbled something else before dissipating into the misty air—leaving me with the clipboard.
I stared at it.How?
"Hey, looking good, yo!" Danny hollered. Three women jogged toward us in cold gear and softball shoes.
My throat tightened as my eyes landed on her: BriellaReddington, the Strikers’ All-American shortstop. Her strawberry blond hair up in a ponytail, it trailed behind her on a gasp of wind. She glanced around before her eyes caught my gaze. She looked away.
"Woo! We made it!" Kanami called out as she waved her ballcap above her head.
"Ella…" My heart took off at a sprint, and I had to fight the urge in every cell of my body telling me to move to her side.
"Hey hey, Kanami. How's it feel to be our hero?" Danny grabbed for my clipboard. I locked my arms around it.
"Dude, what gives?" he said with a huff of air.
"It's a group effort,” Kanami called out. “I brought friends."
Is what I think she said, but the only thing registering in my brain was…her.
"Thank you," she whispered. Moonlight reflected in her eyes as I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Can I check on you tomorrow?"
She let out a breath. "I'd have thought one favor was enough." She ducked her head and looked away. I caged her into an awkward embrace—her shoulder against mine. She leaned into me, her hands gripping my arm. Her hair brushed my neck.
"Wasn't much of a favor."
I must have lost the battle of wills because I found myself beside her. My mouth moved, but couldn’t form or speak words.
"Mick."
I winced. Her eyes met mine, but before I could handover the forms with the "participate at your own risk, don't sue" spiel, someone yanked the clipboard away.
"So you're one of the dates at the dinner tonight." A girl with short blond hair jotted information on the waiver.
Huh?I blinked. "What?"
She made a show of letting her gaze roam over me, then stepped closer. Her hand gripped my arm as she leaned on me, glancing at—my ass? Before I could physically remove her, she retreated.
"So how do these group dates work? You have a bunch of women at your table over dinner, and does one of us get to take you home? Inquiring minds?—"
"It's game time. You're late. Fill out the form and get moving."
Her eyes widened. "Wow, Red, I thought you said hehasan attractive ass, not that heisone." She shoved the clipboard back at me. "We're here for Kanami, not you." She pushed past me and grumbled something that sounded like, “Lousy bet."
"Was surprised to hear you were involved. In the date, I mean." Ella's light-colored eyes flitted up and met my gaze. "The game was pretty much a given."
I sighed. "Kids charity."
A smile tugged at her lips. "So even the infamously focused Maddox McBride has a heart."
I crossed my arms and gave her a pointed look.You too?
"Loosen up, Mick, it’s supposed to be this thing called 'fun.'"
"Tell that to Seager." I hooked a thumb over my shoulder at the overzealous bunch of show-offs. "He’s chomping at the bit to beat me at something. May resort to comparing pink tote lids at this rate."
She shrugged. "You can’t be good at everything."
