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He looked away and walked around me. “It gets windy sometimes.” He walked away, following everyone else.
Whathad just happened? Had that just happened?
WHY THE FUCK WOULD HE JUST FUEL MY FANTASIES?
My heart sank all the way below my stomach as his scent drifted into my nostrils. I inhaled deeply, loving the way it soothed my nostrils. The smell of lush leather and wet grass. Shit.
Figuring I looked like a creep, I pushed my arms through the sleeves and made my way to the diamond field box. Finally finding my seat, next to a lovely couple who couldn’t stop giggling amongst themselves, I greeted them as I sat down and faced the field.
The man looked at me with his head tilted and leaned in, extending his hand, “You’re Naomi?” he asked, and I widened my eyes as I accepted his hand in a warm shake.
“Yes?” I answered hesitantly, and he smiled, showing his pearly white teeth and pointing to my name tag that hung around my neck. Dressed in simple white shirts and jeans with black jackets, the couple matched as they introduced themselves to me.
“I’m Daniel, and this is my wife, Sarai. Alexander is my best friend.” Daniel wrapped his arm around his wife.
“Oh!” I exclaimed as I calmed down. Shit, he scared me! “Nice to meet you! I’m Naomi, the Mental Performance Consultant.”
“Oh, we’ve heard.” Sarai laughed and Daniel chuckled, nodding. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”
“I’m afraid to ask.” I laughed as I crossed my leg over the other.
“It’s better if you don’t.” Daniel nodded, and I accepted it as it was. So I guessed Alexander had been getting some things off his chest. “How are you finding work?” he asked as he took a sip of his beer. “Regardless of him.” I knew exactly who he was talking about, just from his tone.
“Regardless of him, work is work, but I do enjoy what I do,” I answered truthfully. “You ever wanna kill him?” I asked, and Daniel roared with laughter, nodding.
“Absolutely! But he’s my best friend; we used to play together—since we were kids, all the way to the Majors; so I’m kinda stuck with him.” He shrugged, and I nodded.
“You used to play for the Chicago Grizzlies?” I asked, shocked, and he laughed. His smile seemed so genuine, holding no regrets.
This person was the complete opposite of Alexander; we had only exchanged a couple sentences, and I could already see they were definitely the other side of the coin when they came together.
“Yeah, but I retired when I met my wife eleven years ago.” my mouth gaped open as I tried to do the math in my head. “I’m the same age as he is,” he explained, and I nodded.
He’d retired at thirty-two? All for a woman? Hey, but I guess at the right time with the right person, you can do absolutely anything.
“I’m loving every second of it,” he confirmed, and I shyly giggled as I took a sip of my water. Was what I was thinking that obvious to him? I really should stop wearing my thoughts on my face. “I hope he finds it for himself again, this time with a genuine person.” Daniel sighed as he leaned back on his chair, watching the players take their positions on the field.
“What do you mean?” I asked curiously. I knew Alexander was divorced, but I didn’t know whether it was a mutual decision or what led to their divorce. Call me nosy and all, but who wouldn’t want to know how or why a man of such caliber had gotten divorced? Most women would kill just to be Mrs. Harris.
I may not have liked him, but he is handsome, and has a great body and reputation in the industry. An unbearable behavior—but it seemed like he could be caring sometimes, I guess?
“Hmm, anyway—” Had Daniel just avoided my question? “Did he give you his jacket?” he asked me as he pointed to the sleeve of the jacket.
“It does look a bit too big on me, doesn’t it?” I said, embarrassed, as I stared at my nails peeping out from the sleeve.
“Yes, you are completely drowning in it.” Daniel laughed, and I laughed along with him. “Plus, his cufflinks made it obvious.” I stared at the gold-plated cufflinks and saw the initials A.S. engraved on them.
“Oh.” I whispered as I touched them, curious how they felt. Definitely felt expensive, like I was not supposed to be touching them.
“Yeah, he says he hates the name Seth but has it customized on every single thing he owns.” Daniel rolled his eyes, and I laughed. That was actually true; he had his name as his license plate, with stars on each side of the name. “Dumbass,” he scoffed, and I sighed as I looked out on the field just in time to see him wince as he pitched the ball.
“Is his shoulder still not healed?” I asked Daniel. Since he was his best friend, he obviously knew everything about him, right?
“It is,” Daniel said as he got up, cheering when the batter didn’t make a homerun. Look at his excitement. As if he wanted to be on the field with them. “He just feels pain from time to time when he’s anxious. He’s on medication for it, but I guess it all goes down to him now,” Daniel explained as he sat down.
“Oh,” I whispered softly, this time paying attention to Alexander as he pitched the ball. His wincing happened from time to time, but he would always blow out a long breath once he was done pitching the ball.
It was almost hypnotizing. The way he threw the ball was full of years of experience and dedication; all that playfulness he had when practicing seemed like an illusion, something that never existed in him. Did I feel that way just because of a few soft touches from his hands? Seeing the way he gripped that ball, I could tell he was very gentle with me earlier.
