And though I should feel relief about getting rid of the temptation… I don’t.All this sexual tension will lessen when we don’t have to pretend every minute of every day.Hadley not sleeping in my bed will feel weird now, but at least I’ll be able to beat off and take the edge off.
I have a lead on a woman who could be Tanner’s mom to follow up on after my parents are gone, so that’s what I should be focusing on.
We’re in the top of the ninth, up by one run with runners on first and second.
I’m unlucky enough to have Cade Reston standing on second for St.Louis.
I hate the guy—mostly because he was the number one draft pick my year and I was second.He got a bigger contract than me.I should let the chip go now.I outplay him and make more than him and have more endorsements.
But we’ve been rivals since college.Me at Ole Miss and him at LSU.Two shortstops.Two great bats.It’s probably mostly me, but I’ve never gotten over the ego hit of him being drafted over me.
“Bailey, heard the news.Congratulations.”He nods in my direction as Foster comes in for Jesper, taking his warm-up pitches.
“Thanks.”
“Marrying up.Good for you.”
Torres, our second baseman, glances at us, knowing this might not go well.
I don’t say anything.Reston’s right.Although my marriage isn’t real, if Hadley were mine, I would be marrying up.Nothing fake about that.
Plus, I just want to get out of this inning without getting into a fight with the guy.
But Foster is taking forever to warm up.
“So what do you think?Like, a couple months?”Reston asks.
“Give it a rest,” Torres mutters.
“Come on,” Reston goes on, ignoring him.“We all know Bailey isn’t the settling-down type.Look at him—baby with one woman, ring on another.”He smirks.“You collecting, or just hoping one sticks?”
I inhale slowly through my nose, forcing my shoulders loose.He’s not worth a stain on my career.
“I’m not being offensive,” he adds, as if that makes it better.“I’m just wondering when you’re going to toss her back in the pond.”
My jaw tightens.
Foster is still taking his time on the mound.Let’s get on with this.
Reston shifts closer, lowering his voice just enough.“So what is she—PR?”He tilts his head.“Or did you finally find someone who hasn’t known you long enough to want to leave yet?”
That insult hits harder than I’d like.
A little too close to home.
My foot moves a step in his direction.For a second, I feel the old snap—the instinct to step up, to make this physical, to shut him up with my fists.
I walk over, stopping just close enough that he has to look at me.“Careful,” I say in a low, even tone.“You’re real interested in my life.”I pause.“Some would say obsessive.”
He huffs out a laugh.“Just calling it like we all see it.”
“No.”I shake my head.“You’re talking out of your ass.”
His jaw tics.
Foster comes set.Thank fucking God.
Reston leans in.“Let me know when you get bored,” he adds, sounding casual as hell.“That’s usually how this ends, right?”
