by Lyssa Layne
“Jace, that story is pretty farfetched, especially that Bill knew about all of this. I mean, he could get in big trouble if he didn’t report this to the commissioner.”
“I’m not trying to bring Bill down, or any of these other players. Look, Cam, all I’m asking is for Bill to set up a meeting with Earl. I’ll surprise him and try to record him admitting to it. Then all I ask is that you get the commissioner to listen to it. That’s it, Cam, I promise.”
She scoffs on the other end. “That’s all, huh? Accuse my boss of illegal betting and ask the commissioner to reconsider reinstating you? That sounds like an easy day’s work.”
I sigh. “Camila, please.” My voice reeks of desperation.
“Fine, Jace, I’ll see what I can do but I’m not making any promises.”
I pull the SUV in Laurel’s driveway. The boys are playing catch in the front yard while she watches from the front steps. When she sees my car, her lips turn up into a grin and she waves. Excited to see all of them, I turn the car off.
“Thank you, Camila.”
I never thought I’d pitch in MLB again but there’s a chance, a very small one, but still, a chance that it might be a reality soon enough. The old me wanted it for selfish reasons but now I want it to show Laurel I’m not the person the media’s made me out to be.
Laurel
I can see his smile while he’s still in his car and my heart picks up the pace. The boys immediately drop what they’re doing, eagerly awaiting his attention. It’s nice having them around when the baseball god himself is in proximity because I know things will never go too far. Jace unfolds from the car and it’s hard not to laugh at the way he has to cram himself in the ancient, tiny vehicle.
He greets the boys, telling them to get buckled up and then he makes his way over to me. “Hey there, Hot Shot. You going to come today?”
My cheeks flush at his nickname from the day I hurled a ball at him. “Not today, I’ve got a project I’m working on that will be much easier to complete without the boys around.”
Jace cocks his eyebrow, showing interest in what I said. “Oh? What’s that?”
I jerk my thumb over my shoulder. “I got some pallets from the hardware store and I’m going to attempt to make them into a table.”
His face falls and he frowns. “When’d you come by the store? I didn’t see you.”
“Didn’t know I was supposed to ask for you.”
Jace closes the space between us and leans down, whispering in my ear, “You’re always supposed to ask for me.”
His warm breath is on my ear and he’s melting away yet another set of panties. His rough, calloused fingers squeeze my hips and his lips press against my cheek. “I’ll have them back in a couple hours.”
Without waiting for a response, he turns and I just nod, a lump in my throat forcing me to stay silent. Before he drives away, he winks in my direction and I about faint. What the hell is wrong with me? I can be around a good-looking man and not become a puddle of infatuation. As much as I can’t stand my ex-husband, he’s not lacking in the looks department and aside from a few times that we hooked up after the divorce the first couple years, I’m immune to his pretty boy looks.
So why can’t I be the same way with Jace Richards? He’s nice, my kid likes him, but I don’t know what his plan is, how long he’ll be in town, or hell, if he’s even a good guy, although everything he does proves him to be. I ponder these thoughts as I walk around back and about pee myself when I see Ashley standing in my backyard.
She laughs at her ability to sneak up on me and claps her hands. Once she gets ahold of herself, she looks at me with big eyes. “Damn, woman, you look like you might pass out. You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. What are you doing in my backyard?”
“Well, our backyards touch so when I saw you setting up your little project, I figured you might need some tools that you don’t have.” She clears her throat and fake coughs, muttering, “None.”
She’s right, I only own a hammer and one flathead screwdriver. I’m constantly raiding Kurtis’ toolbox when I know he’s not home. One mortifying incident long ago and now I forever avoid being alone with him. Snatching the toolbox out of her hand, I roll my eyes.
“You know, I bet Jace has his own tools. Maybe you could ask him to help you because let’s be honest, there’s no way in hell you’re going to finish this.” Ashley takes a seat and kicks her legs up on the chair across from her.
“Whatever, I will finish it and what’s Jace’s tools have to do with any of this?” I avoid her stare, knowing she can read right through me.
“Come on, Laur, you saw this on Pinterest and thought it looked easy. You’ll get to step four and say ‘fuck it’ and this project will join all the others in the DNF graveyard in your garage.”
I glance over at her and she’s smirking. I open my mouth to disagree then I look at the tutorial I printed out and drop the toolbox on the ground. I lift her feet out of the chair and sit down across from her, placing her legs in my lap.
“You’re probably right.” My fingers pull at the hem of my shirt. “And Jace? What’s he have to do with it?”
“He spends enough time in your driveway, you might as well put him to good use. Next time he drops the boys off after ‘extra practice,’ tell him to bring his tools and build this shit for you.”
My cheeks burn and I feel slightly guilty that I haven’t talked to her about Jace, but there’s really nothing to tell. Ashley nudges me with her foot so that I’ll look up at her.
“You like him, don’t you?”
I roll my eyes. “Come on, Ash, we’re not in middle school.”
Her eyes sparkle with mischief. “Thank god because the things you want to do to him are not appropriate for a middle school student.”
I twist her pinkie toe and laugh. “Ashley! I can’t believe you said that!”
“Hey, that hurt!” She shrugs, acting nonchalant about the whole thing. “Don’t pretend that you don’t want to see him shirtless, sweat rolling down his back as he swings his hammer and you imagine—”
“Stop!” I giggle, my skin on fire from embarrassment. “Fine, yes, I like him, but that’s it. It’s just a crush that I’m not going to act on.”
Ashley’s bottom lip juts out. “Why not?”
“For starters, I barely know the guy.”
She rolls her eyes. “For Pete’s sake, Laurel, I’m not telling you to marry the man. I’m suggesting you go on a date, hang out without the kids around, maybe even get laid. We all know you could use that…” She mutters that last part under her breath. As much as I want to hate her for saying those things, I know she’s only doing it out of love, it’s the kind of twisted friendship that we have.
“I wouldn’t even know what to do on a date or without the boys around. Things are safe now, I don’t want to change anything.”
“Invite him to the Memorial Day party at our house. I’ll make sure you get some time alone with him and that way, I can admire the baseball god’s body in the pool, too.”
Laughing, I shake my head. “Some days you are just too much. You know that, right?”
My best friend stands up, patting my shoulder. “That’s why you love me,” she says in a sing-song voice. And I do love her so I know she wouldn’t steer me in the wrong direction… would she?
CHAPTER 13
Jace
“So, Richards, bang any locals yet?”
I glance up from where I’m kneeling to stock the bottom shelves with cans of paint. A permanent ache rests in my lower neck from doing this almost daily. Swirling my head in a circle to try to work out the kinks, I answer my boss, “That’s not really my thing.”
Buddy Dunn crosses his arms over his pregnant sized beer belly and leans against the shelf. I go back to my work so I don’t say something I’ll regret. I swear he makes me reorganize the shelves every day just because he can.
“Open your eyes, man! You think hot women usually hang out at a hardw
are store? I haven’t seen them in here since that shades of Grey movie came out. Business is booming and all because they have eye candy to stare at.” Buddy glances over his shoulder as a blonde walks by and waves her fingers. “Mmm…maybe we could work together. I’ll tell them I’m weeding out the bad ones so they have to get with me before you’ll even touch them.”
My head snaps up, utterly disgusted at his suggestion. “Aren’t you fuckin’ married, man?”
He shrugs and drops his arm, looking a bit sheepish. “It was just an idea…”
“Well, keep your fuckin’ ideas to yourself. I’m not here to screw the whole town, I’m just trying to get my life back in order.”
I walk around him and head down another aisle. As I move across the main part of the store, I notice at least five women meandering around the store, each of them ‘casually’ looking in my direction. Shaking my head, I pull boxes off the shelf and begin to stack them so as to hide their view of me.
From the front display, Buddy lets out a low whistle. “Well, here’s one I never thought would be by to check you out.”
I roll my eyes and keep working, but his next words stop me dead in my tracks.
“Laurel Darbis never struck me as the type of woman who would be interested in a bad boy. You and her ex are as opposite as the sun and the moon. Good to know she’s still in the market for a little fun, I thought she’d sewn her legs together after Adam left her.”
I stick my head out from behind the boxes and sure enough, walking across the parking lot is Laurel looking like the temptress she is in a pair of cutoff jean shorts and a plain grey t-shirt that’s cut low enough to make a man want to see more, especially this man.
As Laurel steps on the sidewalk, I grab Buddy Dunn by his shirt and pull him to me. “You ever talk about Laurel that way again and you’ll see how bad I am.”
Laurel
My heart is racing as I open the door to Dunn Hardware Store but if I don’t do this now, I never will. When I step inside, tension greets me along with Jace and Buddy Dunn. Poor Buddy Dunn, another one that got trapped in our hometown by his wife and lack of birth control. The guy is worse than Adam and doesn’t even make an effort to cover up the affairs he has. However, in recent years, I think the extramarital affairs have diminished thanks to his receding hairline and growing belly.
“Uh, hey, guys…” The men break their staring contest and turn to me. “I needed some supplies for a project I’m working on.”
“What’d you need? I can help you find it,” Jace says, placing his hand on my back and walking us toward the back of the store.
I glance over my shoulder at Buddy who is giving me the thumbs up. Completely confused, I look back at Jace. “What the hell is going on?”
He turns us down an aisle and runs his fingers through his hair. “That guy is a real piece of fuckin’ work.” He shakes his head as though clearing his memory and when he looks at me again, his face relaxes and the start of a smile comes to his lips. “So what were you looking for?”
I’m too busy searching his face for clues about the man in front of me and being turned on by his cologne that it takes me a second to realize what he asked. “Oh, well…I told you about that project and truth be told, I don’t even own any tools. I borrow, well Ashley says steal, but I prefer borrow—”
Jace cuts me off, his lips fully grinning now. “So you need some tools, what kind?”
“Umm….saw, drill, screwdriver, that one that looks like it has teeth and—”
He moves his hand to my hair and runs his fingers through it. “So basically you need everything?”
Biting the inside of my cheek, I nod and my cheeks heat up.
“How about I bring over my toolbox before practice and you can pick out what you need?”
I smile and nod. “That sounds like a plan.” I turn to leave, chickening out but then Ashley’s voice haunts me and I know if I don’t do this she will so I spin back to face him. “Look, I’m sure you’re probably busy and don’t feel like you have to go. I mean, it’s not really a big deal—”
“Laurel.” Jace pushes my hair over my shoulder, his eyes twinkling and he’s enjoying this way too much.
I take a deep breath. “Ash is having a pool party at her house on Memorial Day. You’re welcome to come if you want.” There I asked so now she can leave me alone.
“So are you inviting me or Ashley?” Jace asks, one eyebrow raised and the pantymelting begins yet again.
I roll my eyes and give him a shove. “Whatever, she lives behind me and the party starts at noon.” Moving fast to get away from him and the possible rejection, I am halfway out of the store when he calls out to me.
“Let me know if I need to bring anything!”
I pause in my tracks then wave my hand before escaping out of the store. If I hang around Jace Richards any longer, I will have nothing left in my underwear drawer.
CHAPTER 14
Jace
Ashley’s house looks just like the place I imagined living with my own family one day, kids and all. Two stories, three car garage, privacy fence, pool, and the perfect neighborhood to boot. See I wasn’t always a money-hungry asshole. There was a time when professional pitcher or not, I wanted a wife and kids and everything that came with it but that was before I tore my ACL and almost lost everything. Ironic since in the long run, I did lose everything, even the potential of a family of my own.
“So, Jace, how are you liking town?” one of the baseball dads asks.
“Nothing like the flashy cities you’ve lived in before, huh?” another one chimes in.
I take a swig of my beer before answering. “Definitely not like anywhere else I’ve ever lived but I actually like it.” The reason I’m liking this place even more is across the pool.
Laurel walks along the pool on the opposite side of us wearing a plain black bikini that’s covered by a tie-dye shirt she made into a swimsuit cover-up with a braid down the back. She’s showing off the perfect amount of skin and judging from the way the dads stare at her, I think they’d agree with me.
When I look back at the group, I notice Kurtis, Ashley’s husband staring at me. Uh oh, I’m busted but why should he care? I take another drink, our eyes still locked on one another. The rest of the men begin a discussion on whether or not oysters really make women horny or not but we continue our staredown.
“Need another beer?” He stands up and drains his beer bottle.
“Sure.” I follow him over to the cooler, knowing this has nothing to do with beer. He opens the lid and I start talking. “Look, I know you probably don’t think I’m good enough for Laurel. Your wife is her best friend so I’m sure she told you to tell me to stay the hell away. Trust me, I don’t think I deserve her myself—”
Kurtis laughs as he pops the top on his beer. “You don’t know Ashley very well. She’s disappointed you aren’t shirtless yet, but I wanted to tell you thanks for not showing us flabby dads up.”
He wears a faded pair of red, now almost pink, swim trunks and his small pot belly hangs over the waistband. I glance down at my navy patterned board shorts and peach, white, and light blue tank top that hangs loosely off my body. If he wants to think I’m wearing my shirt to not show off, I’ll let him because I don’t need another reason for people to hold shit against me.
“Yeah, no problem.”
Kurtis slaps my back. “As for Laurel, she’s a grown woman who likes to follow her own rules so good luck with that.”
With that, he returns to the dads and I make my way around the pool where Laurel is dangling her feet in the water. I drop beside her and slightly elbow her. “Thanks for inviting me.” Luckily I have my sunglasses on so hopefully it hides my eyes that are fixated on her bare skin and the tattoo peeking out of her swimsuit on her ribcage.
“I’m glad you came,” she says, her shoulder leaning into mine. I’m not sure if it’s on purpose but I’ll take it. I lean my hands behind me and her body is now against my ribcage. Down below, I f
eel myself stirring and I start to panic. I was worried about embarrassing myself with my nipple rings but I think walking around, sporting a hard on would be much worse.
We sit beside each other, discussing the safe topics that we’ve unspokenly agreed on while the boys splash in front of us. Occasionally, a tidal wave will come in our direction and Laurel will turn into my chest, hiding her face and giggling. When she does, her hair tickles my chin and the scent of her strawberry shampoo hits my nose. I take a deep inhale before she turns around and she catches me.
“Were you smelling me?” Her eyebrows are drawn down into a V and her lips are pursed in the perfect position for a kiss.
Not even denying it, I take another sniff and nod. “Mmm, you don’t just smell like mint. There’s strawberries too.”
Laurel swats me as she laughs. “Whatever! I work a dentist’s office so toothpaste follows me around all day.”
“See, now we’re getting somewhere. You can tell me more about yourself, Laurel. We’ve talked about sports, movies, and Angry Orchard until we’ve beat it in the ground.” My hand moves to her cheek and she leans into it. “I want to get to know you, Laurel.”
“Hey, Laur, can you go grab that thing I needed from your house? Maybe Jace could help you.” Ashley hovers above us, her eyebrows almost in her hairline.
Laurel stands up, hands on her hips. “Can it wait ‘til later?” Her eyebrows are just as high as Ashley’s and I somehow have a feeling that I’m missing out on something.
Ashley’s head tilts toward the driveway and her eyebrows drop low to a V. “No… it can’t wait.”
Laurel follows her gaze and nods. “Come on, Jace, I need your help.” She grabs my hand, almost pulling my arm out of socket as she tugs me to stand up. Something isn’t right but as long as Laurel’s in my arms, I don’t have to worry.
Laurel
Walking quickly, I drag Jace across Ashley’s backyard. My flip flop slips off my foot and I bend down to pick them up, Jace runs into me and grabs me by the hips so I don’t topple forward. I know it’s not on purpose but I can feel his manhood grinding against my ass and I hear him holding back a moan. Glancing over his shoulder, my stomach drops and I grab his hand again.