Total pages in book: 31
Estimated words: 29683 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 148(@200wpm)___ 119(@250wpm)___ 99(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 29683 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 148(@200wpm)___ 119(@250wpm)___ 99(@300wpm)
“No. You can’t even call how South View plays baseball.”
“Well, that was something. He’s a nice kid.”
“Kid?” Booker barks a laugh. “He’s our age and was staring at your ass all night. Those aprons should really go all the way around. They should cover the front and back, if you ask me. You could wear two. One just the other way.”
I snort a laugh. “Are you jealous?” I bite the inside of my cheek.
“He’s staring at my girl's ass all night. Yeah, I’m fucking jealous.” I roll my eyes. No one is staring at my ass. I should tell him he needs to lock it up. That’s where I work. But all I do is smile up at him like a crazy person. He’s jealous, and he called me his girl.
Chapter Nine
Booker
Smugly happy, I drive the two of us to my house.
“I have class tomorrow,” Carrie says as I pull into the driveway.
“I do too.”
“But you don’t need to study like I do.”
I put the car into reverse. “We’ll stop by your place and pick up your books then.”
She places a hand over mine. “No. I have my books in my backpack.”
I stop and tilt my head so I can see her better. “Then what’s the problem?”
She rubs her fingers together and bites on her lower lip, glancing at me and then away. It takes a minute for understanding to dawn. She’s nervous.
“Hey, nothing’s happening that you don’t want to happen. I didn’t bring you here for that. I just figured we could hang out. You can study while I game or we can watch a movie. There are three other bedrooms in the house that you can sleep in if mine’s not comfortable enough for you.”
“It’s not that I’m not ready or that I am ready. It’s that...do you really want to do this?” She waves her finger between us. “I feel like we’ve just let that giant snake out of the cannister and it’s going to be impossible to stuff it back into place.”
“Thanks for calling my dick a giant snake. I appreciate the compliment,” I joke.
She leans over and punches me in the arm. “You’re awful.”
I can’t help but laugh, which makes her pummel me more. It’s cute that she thinks she can do any damage. I let her whale on me for a few seconds before capturing her hands between mine and pressing my lips against them. “You know that I’ve planned to be Colt’s agent since forever. He’s going to sign a big contract, and I’ll use my commission to set up my own agency and manage a few other players. We’re on that path right now. I’ve already been studying the law, reading cases, and reviewing contracts of existing players so that I do right by him when he signs his rookie deal in a couple of years.”
“Yeah, I’m aware of all that. Everyone knows you’re the smartest in our class.”
“If you can believe I’m going to be an agent, why can’t you believe I can be your man? Why is one more believable than the other?”
She leans back against the car seat. “I don’t know. One involves your wallet and the other my heart. I guess I’m more cautious about my heart than your wallet.”
I can’t deny her feelings. They are what they are. I’ll just have to prove to her that I’ve got nothing but good intentions. “I hear you. I’m not doing anything you’re not ready for. How about you come in and I’ll feed you homemade caramels my mom cooked this afternoon while you sketch? If you want me to drive you home later, I will. If you want to crash in my room, like I said, there are plenty of other places for me to sleep.”
After a second of hesitation, she gives me a short nod. I let out a breath of relief and pull forward. I hustle her inside and into my room before she can gather her thoughts. “Here.” I throw out a Fear of God hoodie and a pair of boxers. “You can put these on while I go get some snacks.”
I rush out, taking the stairs two at a time. There’s this low level fear at the back of my head that if I leave her alone for too long, her second thoughts will become third and fourth thoughts, and the next thing I know she’ll be in the car wanting me to drive her home and I’m not ready for that.
Fortunately, for my own sanity, when I return, she’s in my bed, looking like a whole meal in my casual clothes. Her sketchbook is out and resting on her bare legs. I crawl next to her and lay my head on a pillow to watch her draw.
“I wish you’d go to art school. You’d get a scholarship for sure.”