by Alexa McLean
“You’re going to do great things, Lily, just you wait and see.”
Chapter 12 (Gayle)
JUST AS SHE HAD PREDICTED, her story was a huge success. It spoke of a part of baseball that most people know nothing about and made it digestible for the average reader. Even as a baseball player, I found the article insightful and extremely easy to read and that’s saying a lot since the last time I bothered to actually read something was back in the eighth grade. Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating a bit but it’s definitely been a while.
Knowing how hard she had worked on that piece, I decided that it would only be fair to treat her to a mini celebration. Now, I thought about taking her out somewhere nice but I figured that staying home would be just as good.
So, by the time she arrived, I already had a movie picked out and plenty of blankets for us to cuddle with.
“Let me guess, we’re eating dinner,” she said.
“Dinner and dessert,” I clarified.
“If we keep this up, I’m going to bloat to the size of a beluga whale by the time the season is over. Is that what you want?”
“You can go to the gym with me if you want but I’m not giving up food just because you’re worried about gaining a few pounds.” I grabbed her left hand and pulled her forward so our bodies came together in a crash of limbs. In my mind, I had executed that move in a much more graceful manner. “Besides, I think you’d look just as beautiful.”
“You’re just saying that.”
“I am not. You’ll never stop being beautiful Lily because your beauty comes from within.”
“When did you become such a poet?”
“I took a course on it in college.”
“Really? I didn’t know that.”
“Learn something new every day.”
“Ain’t that the truth.”
We had yet to remove ourselves from the door when the pizza guy came up the driveway. There was steam coming off the cardboard boxes. “Thank you,” I said as I took the pizza from him and handed over the cash. “Keep the change.”
“You sure? There’s a lot here.”
“Yeah. Keep it.”
“Gee, thanks.”
“You just made that guy’s entire day,” said Lily. “That was nice of you.”
“What can I say, I’m a nice guy.”
“I’ll be the judge of that when I figure out what kind of pizza you ordered.”
“Pepperoni.”
“You weren’t supposed to tell me.”
“Oh.”
She shook her head. “But, yes, you pass the nice guy test. Had you ordered anything with pineapples, I would have walked right out that door.”
“You act as if I would have allowed you to do that.”
“What? Do you intend to keep me here against my will?”
“Do you expect me to eat this pizza all on my own?” I countered. “I have to get rid of it somehow and feeding it to my hostage seems like a pretty good idea.”
Lily tried to look appalled but it didn’t work out. Instead, she started to laugh.
“Anyway, I have a movie up on the TV that I thought we could watch. You worked really hard on writing that article. Now, I want you to relax a bit.”
“Since you seem to be giving me no choice in the matter, I suppose I can stick around and watch a movie with you.”
“Good because I wasn’t going to take no for an answer.”
“But you’re definitely going to need to pay me in ice cream or something.”
“That’s exactly what I intended to do. I have a whole tub of forbidden chocolate with our names written all over it.”
“Mmm,” she moaned aloud. It was enough to get me going. Already, the blood was flowing between my legs. Lily was like an itch I could never seem to scratch. I wanted her but at the same time, I wasn’t sure if she wanted me too. It seemed that way but she was always at an arm’s length and I didn’t quite know what to do about it. Did I wait and see where the relationship went or did I act on the emotions I was feeling?
“So, what are we watching?”
“A classic.”
“And what might that be? Romeo and Juliet?”
“Close but no cigar. Titanic.”
“Seriously?”
“It’s one of my favorite movies.”
“You’re kidding me.”
“I’m not but if you tell anyone I’ll have to kill you,” I said. “And I mean it too.”
She grinned. “Oh, this is good. You got a thing for Kate Winslet or something?”
“Winslet? Heavens, no. She’s not really my type.”
“So, what is your type then?” She took a bite from her pizza and a string of cheese hung from her lips. I couldn’t help but get it for her. Leaning in, I kissed her lips and tangled my fingers into her hair so that it would be impossible of her to pull away. Even after a couple of slices of pizza, I was much too hungry for a quick peck. Oh no. I wanted a full-course meal, tongue and all.
Driven by this hunger, I drove my tongue into her mouth and twisted it with hers until I was flooded with the sweet taste of her.
I tugged on her hair as the kiss intensified to an incredible degree. I just couldn’t stop myself. Now that I had my taste, I was like an addict getting his fix.
But Lily seemed just as eager. She returned the kiss with a fiery passion of her own that had me forgetting about all the doubts I had harbored about her — about our relationship. Perhaps our arrangement was a little strange but even time, I had no doubt that it would blossom into something truly spectacular.
I was just about to take things to the next level when I got this weird pinprick at the back of my neck. Hairs stood on edge and I stopped. It was like there was someone watching me from the window. I glanced through the curtains but there was nobody there.
“What is it?” Asked Lily as she looked over my shoulder.
“It’s strange but I had the feeling like someone was watching us just now. Did you feel it too?”
“As a matter of fact, I did. And a few weeks ago, too.”
“Did you see anyone?” I asked.
“No. I figured it was just a figment of my imagination or something, you know.”
“Hmm, we have a couple of stray cats around. Maybe one of them is a peeping Tom.”
“Somehow, that’s even creepier than some pervert sneaking about.”
“I don’t know. I would rather a cat than a pervert any day.”
“Can we stop talking about this?” She grabbed a nearby blanket and wrapped it around herself. “It’s giving me the chills.”
“Okay, okay,” I conceded. “But if it happens again, I’ll have to figure out what’s going on.”
“It’s probably just a cat like you said.”
“Better safe than sorry.” I could tell that she was seriously freaked out so I pulled her into my embrace and held her tight. As the movie played, I rocked her ever so gently until she eventually fell asleep. Once again, she had this angelic look on her face. It was unbelievable that this girl was here, with me. It felt like she belonged in Heaven more than anywhere else.
Seeing as she was knocked out, I carried her into my bedroom and tucked her in for the night. I thought about starting something and feeding the hunger that still persisted inside of me but I thought better of it. She was probably tired and deserved some well-earned sleep.
So, I joined her in bed and simply saddled up behind her, content with basking in her warmth. I didn’t know what the future would bring or what lurked in the shadows but at least, for the moment, I had the woman of my dreams sleeping soundly in the safety of my arms.
What more could I ask for?
Chapter 13 (Gayle)
WITH A 10:30 P.M. GAME, I always allowed myself to sleep in a little. There’s just something about sleeping until almost noon that is so refreshing.
The twittering of birds and persistent sunlight, however, eventually pried me from my bed. I don’t know why, but for some reason, I expected to se
e Lily laying there by my side but, of course, she was already gone.
I grabbed my phone and saw that she had left me a text message.
“Thanks for last night. It was really sweet of you for wanting to do something to celebrate the success of my first assignment. Sorry, I fell asleep. Just for the record, I owe you one.” At the end of the message was a wink-face emoji and I wondered if it implied when I thought it implied.
Hopefully.
My balls ached just thinking about it.
Honestly, it wasn’t fair that Lily had this much power over my body. In many ways, I felt vulnerable because all she had to do was bat her eyelashes in my direction and I’d become her willing little puppet.
THAT AFTERNOON, I ARRIVED at the clubhouse and it was business as usual until Diana approached me with that tablet of hers. With Lily still on my mind, I didn’t have the desire to talk to my ex-girlfriend all that much. I didn’t hate her but sometimes she could really rub me the wrong way.
“Gayle, a word?”
“What is it, Diana?” My tone was clipped.
“We’re going to make you the cover boy for the magazine’s next issue. We’re thinking of highlighting your engagement with Lily and we want all the juicy details.”
“I thought you ran a baseball magazine — not some tabloid.” I picked up some weights and started to train with them. It was hope that if I looked busy enough, she would eventually leave me alone but Diana was the kind of reporter that was hard to get rid of. She was like that mosquito that never left you alone during a summer cookout.
“The people want to know. Thousands of people have written to our social media accounts asking us to write something about it. After all, you’re the league’s heartthrob and now you’re off the market.”
My jaw tightened because while I wanted her words to be true — they weren’t. I wanted Lily as my fiancée but I hadn’t yet found the courage to tell her that I wanted to make this fake engagement a real one. I suppose my real fear stemmed from the fact that we had never dated and romance had never really come up during our relationship as neighbors. Now, all of a sudden, the general public thought we were an item and I couldn’t keep my mind off of her. Plus, there was the sex and the kissing and the electricity that filled the room any time she stood next to me.
All of that had to mean something right?
“So, I have a few questions. First and foremost — when’s the wedding?”
“Diana, look. I don’t really think it’s appropriate that I discuss this with you.”
“Why does she think I’m coming up on her turf or something because that ship sailed a long time ago, Gayle.”
“No. This has nothing to do with Lily. I didn’t say that.” I tried to do some damage control. After all, this woman was her boss.
“So, what’s the problem then?”
“The problem is that you’re my ex-girlfriend and if you write this story then it might come across as a little biased.”
“Are you saying that I can’t write an unbiased story?” Diana folded her arms across her chest, losing her patience with me.
That was the thing about Diana. She had a short fuse and anything was susceptible to set her off.
“Fine,” she sighed, dropping her arms to her side. “If you want to be this way and act like I’m some sort of threat to your engagement, then so be it. I’m not about to waste my time arguing with you about it. All I want is a story and I don’t care how I come around to getting it.”
“So, just have someone else interview me.”
“That’s what I was just about to suggest.” She smiled. “Looks like we’re still on the same wavelength after all.”
“Yeah, no.”
“You’re really smitten about this girl, aren’t you? I’ve never seen you act this way before. In the past, you’ve always flirted with me, at least a little bit and now you’re drawing the iron curtain.” She tapped her foot against the ground and pressed her lips together until they became nothing more than a thin line. “Oh yeah, she has you in the palm of her hand, doesn’t she?”
“I’m sorry but I have to do my stretches so I can’t keep up this chitchat as much as it pains me to say that.” I tried to keep my tone professional but a bit of sarcasm still managed to seep into my words. Diana, ever the perceptive woman, was sure to notice.
“Sure but do you think you could meet with one of my writers tomorrow evening? She’s been an employee of mine for a while now and she’s quite knowledgable. She’s the one who volunteered to interview Lily. I would have had her come here as well but her guest pass expired and I didn’t want to go through the hassle of having it reviewed.”
“Yeah, that’s fine. You have my number just text me where I’m supposed to meet her and I’ll be there.”
“Perfect.” Diana leaned in and rested her hand on my chest as she was in the habit of doing. “I owe you one but I think you’ll be thanking me once this is all over.”
For some reason, her words sounded almost ominous like she was planning something that I didn’t want to know about.
“I’ll see you around.” She kissed my cheek and turned on her heels, walking away.
I shook my head and raked my fingers through my hair, glad that she was gone. She really had a way of trying on my patience.
Looking up, I saw Lily standing there as pale as a ghost.
Chapter 14 (Lily)
“WHAT WAS THAT ALL ABOUT?” I asked.
“It’s not what you’re thinking. Diana just doesn’t know the definition of ‘personal space.’ She means nothing by it.”
“From the looks of it, she wanted it to mean something.”
“Are you seriously jealous right now?” He asked as he walked over to where I stood. Luckily, there was no one around this part of the clubhouse which meant we had a bit of privacy. How long that privacy would last, I didn’t know. “Diana means nothing to me.”
“Are you sure about that?”
He took me by the shoulders, his fingers tightening against my skin as if the force of my hold might make me believe the words he said. “I’m sure. I’ve never been more sure about anything in my entire life. Diana means nothing.”
My eyes became glassy and the tears threatened to spill but I kept them back for I would not allow myself to cry in front of this man. Our relationship wasn’t even a real one so what did it matter if he liked other women? The ring on my finger was nothing more than a gamble. He meant nothing by giving it to me and yet, over the weeks, I had convinced myself that this arrangement of ours was more than just a ploy to get me a job.
Even when I had suggested it, I had secretly hoped that it would open the door to something more. Now I realized just how foolish I had been for believing such a thing.
“Never mind. It doesn’t really matter, does it?” I shrugged him off. “We can call this off whenever you want, you know. I’ve proven that I’m a good writer. That should be enough to keep me on board.”
“And if it’s not? Diana hired you —”
“Insult me, why don’t you?”
“Huh?”
“You’re practically saying that my writing isn’t good enough and the only reason why I have a job is because of my ties with you.”
“Well, yeah, that was the whole point, wasn’t it? You wanted an edge over everyone else and I gave it to you and now you’re throwing it into my face like I’m some kind of a jerk for saying it.”
Just tell him how you feel instead of having this idiot fight, came that voice at the back of my head. Who knows? Maybe he feels the same way about you as you do about him.
No, I returned. He doesn’t. His eyes are set elsewhere and I’d just be wasting my time trying to change his perspective in my direction.
“I think it’s best if I just go,” I said. “Your team is probably looking for you and I wouldn’t want to keep you.”
“Lily.”
“What?” I tried to keep my face from exposing the turmoil of emotion that I felt churning
on the inside but I had a feeling that I was failing rather miserably.
“We need to talk about this. Maybe not now but soon. This fake engagement, it can’t go on much longer,” he spoke in a whisper so that no one could hear him other than myself.
My heart tightened at his words. Even though I knew our arrangement couldn’t last a lifetime, I had still hoped that it would because deep down, I didn’t want Gayle as a temporary fiancé but a real-life husband. It was what I had wanted for a long, long time now and I was just ruining my chances. But who was I kidding? I never had a chance to begin with.
I wanted to say something but my mouth was incredibly dry and I couldn’t focus. My surroundings started to spin. To steady myself, I braced against the nearby wall and tried to focus on my breathing.
“Lily?” His eyebrows were knitted with concern. “Are you alright?”
“Fine,” I said through gritted teeth. “Now go. We’ll discuss this later.”
He looked hesitant but when a fellow teammate approached us, he was quick to leave.
I waited until their footsteps had faded into the distance before letting my body slide down the wall. On the floor, I curled into a tight little ball and hugged my knees against my chest. I felt sick to my stomach and I didn’t know what to do with it. Gayle was really the only guy I had ever really liked and my stupid idea seemed hellbent on destroying the friendship I cherished more than anything else. Seriously, Gayle and I had never fought with one another and yet, I had allowed my jealousy to get the better of me. I was practically at his throat and I didn’t even know whether he was flirting with her or not.
You need to tell him the truth, came the voice of reason and I knew that she was right but I just didn’t want to admit it to myself because I was terrified of what might happen.
What would Gayle think if I told him that I truly loved him? Would he know that I meant it or would he believe it was just another ploy meant for my own devices?
“Why did I ever come up with this stupid idea?” I asked the empty room. “It would have been so much better if I had just stuck with being his neighbor and found a job like everyone else on the planet. Instead, I had to take the easy way out and try to jumpstart my way to the top instead of working my way there.”