Chapter twenty
Isabelle
I've never been one to be intimidated by a group of women. Especially not women I have already met. Today feels different, however. Because today is going to be the day I finally meet Kai's sister Evie.
At least I'll have Willow, Sadie, and Lark there as a buffer. Not that I should need one, after all, we aren’t a couple. We’re just friends. Still I can't help but be nervous. I've heard so much about Evie over the years, and I know they’re very close. Which means I need to be extra careful to watch what I say.
Kai's eventual reply to the messages I sent him last night left me feeling in the dark about a lot of things. He said he was happy I was coming to the game and reminded me that Evie doesn't know we dated, and she'd probably assume we were college friends the way the rest of the girls do.
But when he didn't mention my last text, it made me feel unsettled. Did he not enjoy our night together? Is he regrettingit? Have we somehow ruined any hope of being friends again just because we couldn’t control our freaking libidos?
As tied up in knots as I feel, I have to set aside all of that right now. I have to keep up the pretense of us only ever being friends and not let anyone know what happened two weeks ago.
I make my way down the steps to the block of seats right next to the team’s dugout, where Willow told me to meet everyone. Apparently, it's rare for her to not have to work during a game, and when she does get the chance, she meets up with the other ladies to watch from the stands. Front row, but still, the stands.
Personally, I thought the box that Mom and I used for that first game was pretty sweet, but I can understand the appeal of being in the crowd full of fans, getting swept up in the excitement.
And that's exactly how it feels. I’m surrounded by a sea of Trident green and gold. It’s a gorgeous, warm day, and the anticipation in the air is palpable. The smell of popcorn and hot dogs is nostalgic and makes my stomach growl. Down in the front row, I can see Sadie's bright red hair sticking out of a baseball cap and Willow’s tall body standing next to her. I can only assume the dark ponytail on the other side of Sadie is Evie, Kai’s sister. I don't see Lark anywhere, but then I hear her voice calling my name from behind me. Stopping just a few rows above the women, I turn and wait for her to catch up, a baby wearing ear protection strapped to her chest.
“Hey!” she says, pulling me in for a quick side hug. “I’m glad you could come. This is Stella.” She turns so I can see a sweet little baby, fast asleep.
“She’s gorgeous.” I smile at the little one. “And clearly she doesn’t mind a noisy baseball stadium.”
“Heck no, I think the sounds of a game lull her to sleep.” Lark laughs as we walk the last few steps down to the others.
Willow’s closest and hugs us both. Then Sadie, and then…
“Isabelle, this is Evie,” Willow says.
Kai’s sister looks at me, a smile on her face that is so eerily similar to Kai’s. I’ve seen pictures of her, but in person, it’s different.
“It’s great to meet you. And I’m sorry for whatever stupid stuff you had to witness my brother doing in college. Please tell me you have some good stories that I can use against him later.” She grins, and again, it’s just like Kai’s.
I choke out a laugh. “I’m sure I can think of some.”
“Awesome. You’re sitting next to me so we can heckle him together.” She hip checks Sadie. “Do you mind moving down?”
“Of course not.”
Everyone shuffles down a seat, and the next thing I know, I’m sitting next to my ex-boyfriend’s little sister.
This should feel weird. Shouldn’t it? I expected it to. But apparently, the Yamaki siblings have a lot in common. More than just their appearance. Evie has the same ability as Kai to connect with someone instantly. It already feels like we’ve known each other for years, and we just met.
The team takes the field to warm up, and everyone starts to cheer. It’s kind of adorable when the catcher, Dan Montgomery, jogs over to where we’re sitting and blows a kiss at Lark and his daughter. The Tridents’ dugout is on the third baseline, making it the perfect position for Rhett Darlington, who I know is Kai’s best friend on the team, to also make his way over.
“Hey honey,” he calls out with his southern accent.
Evie slings her arm over my shoulder. “This is Kai’s friend from college, Isabelle. I’m gonna get her to spill all his secrets!”
I blush as Rhett chuckles. “Nice to sorta meet you, Isabelle.”
“Sorry about that.” Evie grins as Rhett jogs over to his position at left field to warm up with one of the other players. “I’m just really excited to finally meet you. I work over on Vancouver Island, so I’m not here all that often. The downside to living outof town most of the time is I miss the good stuff. When I heard the gossip that Coach Stirling’s new wife’s daughter was Kai’s college friend, I couldn’t wait!”
Hearing my connection to Kai and the team described that way is a mouthful, but Evie’s exuberance is kind of endearing.
“It’s fine, it’s kind of fun to meet everyone and catch up on where his life is now. We haven’t seen each other in a long time.”
Evie studies me as she takes a drink from her water bottle. “It’s weird, I swear I’ve seen you before. I mean, I know we’ve never met, but I don’t know. You’re familiar, somehow.”
