Page 41 of Challenge Me

“That’s sweet. Then, how did you two meet?”

“At the bar,” I answered. “We got to talking a few months back, and the rest is history, as they say.”

“So, you frequent these sorts of places often.”

When I chuckled, she arched a brow. “No, it’s pretty rare, but I think life has a way of putting us right where we need to be when we need to be there.”

Remi’s hand grazed my lower back. As his fingers traveled up my spine, I fought the urge to squirm. It might’ve been comforting if it didn’t tickle.

“You’re a family man,” she went on. “Mallory is, what, nine now?”

I nodded once. “Nine and seven months if you ask her.”

“What does she think about Remi?”

“Well, we’re approaching that slowly.”

“She hasn’t met him?” Her eyes flashed as she latched onto a new angle. “You’ve been on record saying she’s the most important part of your life.”

“She is,” I said without hesitation.

“After three months, when your relationship is clearly becoming more serious, isn’t it a bit odd that you haven’t introduced them? Does she know about him at all, or are you afraid of the . . . ramifications? It must be difficult to explain to a child.”

“Hold on,” Remi interrupted. He flattened his palm against my back as his thumb traced circles. “We’re here to talk about baseball and maybe a little bit of romance.”

“It does beg the question, though, of what this all means for her, and subsequently, his priorities. First, a divorce, which is already hard on a child. Then, a revelation like this, with such a different dynamic than she’s used to.”

“A revelation,” he repeated.

“Remi,” I murmured, tightening my arm around him. “It’s fine.”

“We can move on,” Clara assured him. “Maybe we can talk about Avery’s thoughts on it.”

“Actually,” Remi said more firmly, “I find the direction of your questions inappropriate. This is Athletic Today, not TMZ.”

“Spotlight,” she corrected with a sweet smile. “Athletic Spotlight, Mr. Keane.”

“Then put a spotlight on the sport, not the drama. Like you said, we’re busy and Amir needs to take time to rest.”

Relaxing against the couch again, he continued to trace the length of my spine.

“Mal will be coming to a game soon,” I told Clara. “I’d like to make it clear that nobody with a camera has a right to approach her.”

Her head cocked, but then she dipped it as if in agreement. I wasn’t sure that she was, but I’d keep a close eye on things.

“What about your family, Remi?” she asked. “Are they baseball fans?”

The shift in conversation seemed to relax him. “The only ones I keep around are my gods and my best friend, and he’s not into sports.”

“No family?”

“Not a one for twenty years now.”

“That’s too bad. Do you mind if I ask—”

“I do mind,” he interrupted before he blew a bubble with his gum.

As I glanced at him, trying to read something—anything—on his face besides smug nonchalance, he dipped his fingers lower. They played at the edge of my shirt and tucked slightly under it to touch my bare skin.