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“What the hell was that?” I asked.
“I didn’t think anyone followed us here. I’m sorry about that.”
I was about to repeat myself when it hit me. I was on a date with one of the most eligible and richest bachelors in the city. Luke and his brother’s exploits were often in the tabloids. Of course, the paparazzi followed him around. Heck, Omar even showed me a story only a week ago. I just couldn’t believe I was now the one sitting here with him in his car. I shook my head.
“Are you all right?” he asked. “I know it can be unsettling the first time. But you get used to it.”
My heart raced in my chest, and I tried to steady my breathing to slow it down. “What do we do now?” I asked as he pulled out of the street.
“Nothing. Ryan scared them with some legal threats a few years back. They can photograph us in public places but not on private property. Also, they can only photograph us at one place per evening, otherwise, he threatened them with harassment and stalking. No one’s sure if he could win the case, but fortunately, in a smaller city, no company’s willing to take it to court. It’s easier to just comply.”
“That’s pretty smart,” I said.
Luke groaned. “Please don’t tell Ryan that. He already thinks he’s the smart one in the family. He doesn’t need anyone else to confirm it.”
“So, if Ryan is the smart one and Colton is the responsible one. What are you?”
“Wait! Are you saying I’m not smart or responsible?” He smiled, but there were hard lines around his eyes and I wondered if he was serious.
“Of course not. But what do they call you?”
“Well, I’ve been told I’m the charmer.”
I snorted and he looked at me with a side-glance. “Oh, you don’t believe it?”
I shrugged simply to egg him on.
“You just haven’t seen my charming side yet.”
“Yes, I have. You used it on James and most of the people in the office. Except for me. I think I’m immune to your charm.”
“That’s because I haven’t directed it at you yet,” he murmured and turned toward me. In the dark car, his green eyes held mine until he dropped his stare to my lips. I shivered. It felt as though he’d licked them with just his gaze.
That’s impressive!
I cleared my throat and turned to look out my window. We passed a familiar sign and I barked out a laugh. “You took me back to our old high school?”
“Well, you said something about starting over again. I think we should start fresh. Right from where things went sour.”
I didn’t think that was a half-bad idea. In fact, I was getting excited about it.
He pulled into the parking lot, and I jumped out of the car. Looking around, I was drawn by the scenery around us. The lights were on at the baseball diamond, making the sky pitch black on the horizon. There were trees surrounding the field, blocking any other building in the distance. It felt as secluded as the first day I’d walked this path. The steel bleachers shone white under the fluorescent lights. As I stared out into the horizon, a flood of memories rushed through me.
Luke’s gentle touch on my arm gave me goosebumps. “Are you cold?” he asked.
I shook my head. “No. I’m… I don’t know. Nostalgic? Pensive? Wondering why I cared so much about what others thought of me instead of just enjoying myself? I lost so much time.”
He pulled me next to him and rubbed my arm as we both looked out onto the field. “I sometimes wished I had focused more,” he said. “Then I’d know what I want to do with my life instead of just avoiding the decision.”
My shoulders shook with amusement.
“What’s so funny?” he asked.
“Us. The baseball star and the book nerd. We both wished we’d been the other. I guess that’s the way life goes.”
“I guess. But you know what else? We can still change it. Nothing is set in stone. Tell me one thing you’d do differently if given the chance?”
Exhilarated by the idea, I spun out of his arm and twirled in the middle of the field. “I would have tried out for the band.”
