“We’re going to a baseball game. Even if you call during the game, I’m sure I can sneak away for a few minutes to help you.”
I’m not even sure why he invited me. I’m not part of the wedding party. The only reason I can think of is because I’m with Jasmin. He’s going to be so upset with me if he finds out this was all a ruse.
“You always know what to say to bring me back down to reality.” I can hear the relief in her voice and the smile on her face. “I wish we could see each other before we go off for the night.”
“There’s always tomorrow.” Maybe she’ll say yes and we’ll have a chance to hang out before the wedding week madness begins.
“Sadly, I’ll probably be sleeping off a headache. And I need to make sure everything at work is good to go. It’s end of the month insanity, and I want to make sure I have everything done before I take off for the wedding.”
That makes sense. I don’t like it, but I know she has a lot more to do than I do. Especially when it comes to the wedding. I only have to ensure the spaces are set up. She has a lot more on her plate.
“Have fun tonight. Don’t drink too much. You might end up fighting one of the bridesmaids if you do.”
“That’s a probability of that happening with zero alcohol involved.” Both of us laugh at the same time. She’s not wrong. “Have fun watching baseball.”
“I’m overcome with excitement.” It’ll be cool hanging out with Jacob, but baseball is so not my sport. I’m more of a football and basketball enthusiast. “Seriously, have fun tonight. Everything will be fine.”
“Thanks, Parker. I needed that.” She pauses for a second. “I miss you and I’ll see you soon.”
“See you soon. Miss you too.” It’s too bad miss doesn’t seem like the appropriate word. It’s not big enough to encapsulate what I feel towards Jasmin.
I can’t dwell on it right now, though. I need to finish these tasks and get ready for the game.
“These seats are amazing.” My voice is loud to carry over the sound in the stadium. People pre-game for this just like the do football. It’s not something I expected, and the crowd is already hyped up.
“Right!” Jacob takes a drink of his beer. “One of my mom’s clients owed her a favor so we got them really cheap.”
Wow. I didn’t know owning a boutique provided clientele like that. Maybe I’ll bring it up with Piper. We could try to work something out with the local teams. She did say she wants to go big.
“I don’t think I’ve ever sat in a prominent place for any sport. We’re usually all the way at the top for football games and have to watch it on the screen. My dad swears he likes the vibe better.”
Personally, I hate it. Not the vibe, but the location. Even though I don’t have a fear of heights, the slope and closeness of the seats freak me out a little. Like what if I fall? Good gravy, Jasmin is wearing off on me.
“Same here.” Jacob agrees. “This is the first time I’ve ever sat on a baseline. Or this close. Maybe we’ll get lucky and catch a ball.”
Outside of the camaraderie with Jacob and his friends, I still don’t think baseball is my favorite sport. There isn’t enough constant action to keep my attention. Which is why I’m scrolling through social media on my phone to see if Jasmin has posted anything about their party.
There’s nothing except a picture of her and Daniela dressed up and ready to hit the town. She is stunning. Her long blonde hair is curled framing her face. Bright red lipstick stains her lips and I’m going to need her to wear that shade more often. Especially when it’s just us.
“Oh man, you’ve got it bad.” Jacob nudges my arm with his elbow. “I remember when I did that after a few months of dating Daniela.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I close the app and slide my phone into my pocket. “I just want to make sure she’s having a good time.”
“Daniela will take care of her.” Jacob assures me. “Jasmin may think she’s the one who manages everything, but Dani does a good job of taking care of her big sister. She doesn’t realize it, of course. Dani only wants to see her sister happy.”
He’s right. Jasmin doesn’t notice. She’s so worried about making sure everything is perfect, she doesn’t see that her sister is quietly taking things off her plate.
It also makes me realize I should be more like Daniela when it comes to Pierce. Maybe then he’ll be less grumpy. Maybe it truly is the little things.
“Does Jasmin know how much you care about her?” Jacob pulls me out of my thoughts.
“I think so.” Both of our insistence that we have an expiration date means she probably doesn’t. I’ll tell her after the rehearsal dinner. It’s the only time I’ll see her in person before the wedding. We need to have this conversation face to face.
“Tell her before she gets scared and bails out.” It sounds like Jacob knows her as well as her siblings do. Now that I think about it, he’s a lot like Beau. Maybe that’s why it’s so easy to hang out with him.
It feels weird having a plan. Piper would be proud of me. She’ll also be happy to know I intend to keep Jasmin in my life if she’ll allow it. Right now, I can’t imagine a future without her in it. The thought should scare me. I’ve never felt this way about anyone. But it does the opposite. I’m excited about a future I see her in.
We continue watching the game. The innings are so long. That’s one of the big differences between the sports I typically watch and baseball. There are time limits. This game feels like it could to take most of the night.
