Third Base

by Author Stella

  “Or what?”

  One eyebrow quirked, a hand fisted on her jutted hip. “I’ll steal your balls.”

  I considered cupping myself, but then thought better of it. The school—even after hours—wasn’t the right place to be crude. “Good luck. If Ellie hasn’t been able to do that in twenty-two years, I doubt you stand much of a chance.”

  She giggled softly and then waved me off.

  Ellie was a solid twenty feet ahead of me by the time I exited the gym. I called out to her to wait up, but she didn’t even flinch, as if she hadn’t heard me. But I knew she had. And her avoidance sent a warning through me.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked once we were both seated in her car.

  “Nothing.”

  I didn’t have much experience with women, but even I could tell that was a lie. When a female tells you she’s fine, or nothing is bothering her, that generally means the complete opposite. And considering I knew Ellie better than anyone else, I had no doubt in my mind that something had, in fact, upset her.

  “E.T., don’t do that. Don’t lie to me. What’s going on?”

  “I’m not lying.” She pulled out of the parking lot, keeping her attention on everything except me. However, I didn’t stop staring at her, didn’t say anything else, and waited for the pressure to become too great to handle—she’d cave and answer without any further prodding. “I was just taken by surprise, is all.”

  “By what?” I was beyond confused.

  “You’re assisting Coach Garrison for the boys’ basketball team. Yet Melissa was in the gym when I walked in, looking all cozy next to you. I just wasn’t expecting to see her there.”

  “Yeah, Gary had an appointment he couldn’t get out of, so Missy filled in for him today.” I had no experience in any sport other than baseball, but since it wasn’t baseball season yet, part of my job was to assist with other teams. Morale was about the only thing I had to offer, and the school seemed to appreciate it.

  “You are aware his name isn’t Gary, right?”

  I hesitated, wondering if she was kidding. “Yes, it is.”

  “Oh, really? Gary Garrison?”

  “I figured his parents were cruel.”

  “No. His name is Mitch. Where did you get Gary from?”

  “That’s what everyone calls him…” I felt like someone had played a mean joke on the new guy—me being the new guy.

  “They call him Garrison. Which is his last name.”

  “No…” I drew out the word with expressed exaggeration. “They’ve talked about his kid, and they say Gary’s son.” If I could’ve swallowed back those words, I would have. “Don’t say anything. And stop laughing. You didn’t hear me say that because I didn’t. The last five minutes don’t count.”

  She stopped at a red light and covered her face, her cackles filling the car.

  “Back to you being upset about finding Missy in the gym.”

  And that’s when her laughter died. It was like someone had slapped her, completely erasing all humor from her face. Again, she stared straight ahead, more than likely willing the light to change colors so she could get home quicker. “It’s nothing. Okay?”

  “Doesn’t seem like nothing. Do you have a problem with Missy?”

  “No.” Her grip tightened on the wheel as she accelerated. “It’s just odd to see you flirt with someone. I know it happens. I’m fully aware that you date—or have dated—and it doesn’t bother me. But it’s never been in my face before—it’s weird.”

  I glanced behind me as if I could see the school. “I wasn’t flirting with her. I have no idea what’s gotten into you today, but I can assure you, you’re mistaken. She was simply helping out with the team, and when you walked in, we were putting the equipment away.”

  “You don’t have to explain anything to me. If you like her, then go for it.”

  “But I don’t like her. Not like that.”

  “Why not? She’s cute. Has a nice body, pretty face. What’s not to like?”

  I adjusted myself in the seat, angling my torso toward her. “Are you jealous, E.T.?”

  “Of what?” Her voice had spiked and came out louder than what was considered normal.

  “Sounds to me like you have a thing for Missy.”

  “I’m fairly certain I would know if I liked girls.”

  “Hey, I don’t judge. You’re the one who’s talking about how cute she is, obviously having taken notice of her body.”

  “I’m allowed to check out a woman’s body and it not be sexual.”

  “Then what would it be?”

  “An observation?” She shook her head, but I waited it out, refusing to let her get away without answering me. “It’s more of a comparison. Okay, so maybe I’m a little envious, but not the way you’re making it sound.”

  “Then explain it to me. What is there to be jealous of?” My heart did that unusual thud again, making me wonder if I’d somehow picked up an arrhythmia since this morning. Just the thought of her being jealous sent my entire world off kilter—but in a good way. In a way I’d never allowed myself to contemplate.

  “She’s smaller than I am, and has a really cute figure, so I guess I’m jealous that she can wear shorts without the leg holes hugging her thighs the way mine do. Or how perfectly round her butt is. She can wear tank tops without her cleavage being the prime focus.”

  I was flabbergasted, completely shocked by her admission. Ellie was gorgeous, no doubt about it. I may have never noticed her the way other guys had, but that didn’t mean I’d never taken note of her figure. All the things she now complained about or seemed to have issues with were what I loved most. The thighs she hinted at being big were so perfect I’d recently found myself admiring them while she sat next to me on the couch at night. She may have thought Missy’s ass was “perfectly round,” not quite saying what she thought about her own, but I disagreed. In fact, I couldn’t help checking Ellie’s out on a daily basis, then needing to leave the room to hide my body’s reaction to hers.

  But I couldn’t tell her any of that.

  She’d made it clear we were friends, and approaching that line was dangerous.

  So I kept my mouth shut.

  “Just to be clear…you check her body out because you wish you looked like her?”

  “Well, when you say it like that, you make me sound insecure. Which I’m not. I guess we all want what we can’t have. But there are times—and I think this is true for all women—when we look at others and wish we could pull off their wardrobe or makeup or hair. Although, at the same time, I’m pretty sure she admires women with a fuller figure and feels the same way I do when I look at her. It’s the curse of being female. We’re never happy with what we have.”

  I wanted to tell her she had nothing to worry about, and shouldn’t ever fantasize about looking any differently than she does, but I couldn’t find the right words that wouldn’t make me sound like my feelings for her surpassed friendship.

  “But stop deflecting,” she lectured after turning into our neighborhood. “You said you don’t like her. Why not?”

  I hesitated, needing a moment to think about my answer. I hadn’t been interested in a woman in a long time. Most of the ones from my past had ruined me for others, but that wasn’t the real reason I wasn’t interested in Missy. I just needed to figure out how to word it first.

  “I don’t know, Ellie. It’s hard to explain. She’s nice and all, and I get along with her, but she’s not my type.”

  “I wasn’t aware you had a type.” She pulled into the driveway and opened the garage. I thought I was in the clear, until she asked, “What kind of woman would you go after if you had the choice?”

  “Someone I didn’t have to try with. It’s no secret how horrible I am at impressing people, which has been my issue all along. I guess I’m just waiting for someone to come along who gets me without having to dig too deep.”

  “So you’re looking for a friend?”

  “No. I already have one of thos
e.” I got out of the car and headed inside with Ellie at my heels. “I’m not sure what you’re trying to get at here, El. I guess I’ll know the right girl when she comes along. And right now, I haven’t found her.”

  “Then I think you should inform Melissa. She’s obviously into you, and the longer you go without speaking up or making your intentions clear, the worse it can get. You guys not only work together, but you’re in the same department, too. Side by side. You share an office with the woman, for crying out loud. The last thing you want is for things to become strained or awkward.”

  “You think I should just go up to her and say I’m not interested in dating her? That doesn’t seem odd at all.” I grabbed a water from the fridge while she pulled the thawed chicken out and moved around the kitchen to gather what she needed to prepare dinner.

  “You don’t have to make it weird, Coby. My God, you really do suck at talking to women, don’t you? Just in conversation, make it clear where your head’s at. It can be subtle. You don’t have to lay it all out there and leave her feeling uncomfortable and rejected.”

  “So when are you going to do that with Gage?”

  She stopped what she was doing, a frying pan hanging from her hand at her side. “Come again?”

  “You two talk all the time. I think you should tell him you’re not interested.”

  “I have.” She stared at me, dumbfounded. “Every time we talk I tell him that.”

  “He clearly isn’t getting the message. You should say it louder.”

  She rolled her eyes and continued with the food, working around me like she did every night after work. And as if we hadn’t just had the strangest conversation about us dating—or not dating—we fluently fell right into our everyday routine.

  “What are you doing tonight?” Missy asked at the end of the day while we packed our bags in the office. “I noticed you didn’t arrive with Ellie. Does that mean you have your own car?”

  “Yeah. It’s game day, and she didn’t want to stay for it.”

  “Do you have plans after the game?”

  I shrugged, but immediately picked up on what Ellie had talked about earlier in the week. Wondering if this was the casual conversation she’d mentioned, I kept it going long enough to get my answer. “I don’t think so. My friends are in town for a few days, so I might meet up with some of them. Not sure yet, though. I haven’t really talked to any of them in a while. Why? What are you doing?”

  “Nothing so far. I thought I’d ask if you might be interested in getting together?”

  “To hang out?”

  Her lips twisted to the side as she contemplated my question. “Yeah. Maybe dinner or drinks since it’ll be late once the game is over.”

  “Like a group thing?”

  “If you want. Although, I didn’t really have anyone else in mind. I thought it would be fun to hang out and get to know each other. I remember what it was like being the new guy on campus and how hard it was to make connections with the real teachers.”

  I paused with my words on the tip of my tongue, wondering how this would play out. “I’m sorry, Missy. I think you’re really great, but I’m not ready to date. I’ve had a rough go of it for a while now, and I’m having fun with this new lease on life. Coaching and teaching here is a new experience for me, and I worry things would only get mucky if I start to date someone I work with.”

  Her laughter filled the tiny office. “Well, I wasn’t meaning it as a date, but it’s good to know where your head’s at.”

  “Oh my God. How embarrassing.”

  “No…don’t be embarrassed, Coby. It’s my fault. I wasn’t clear with my intentions. I’d asked a few of the other teachers already, but they all have plans. I’m so sorry for making this weird.” The smile on her lips danced in her tone, although not in a mocking kind of way.

  “Really, you have no reason to apologize. I’m the one who put my foot in my mouth.”

  “Well, at least we got that squared away. But listen, if you don’t end up going out with your friends tonight and decide you’d like to have some company, give me a call. Fridays are generally my only nights to do anything, and I hate sitting at home alone.”

  “Will do.” I nodded, even though I knew she wouldn’t hear from me.

  Good thing I was only the assistant coach for the basketball team, because my head was everywhere but in the game. I was too lost in my thoughts over why I’d turned Missy down to casually hang out. She really was a great girl, someone I got along with and could talk to without being awkward. I didn’t feel any pressure where she was concerned. Except, I still had no desire to spend my evening with her.

  After my chat with Ellie earlier in the week about what type of woman I wanted, I’d given it a lot of thought. Ellie was my type. She was perfect in every way. If I had a checklist for my dream girl, there’d only be one item on it—Ellie. But that didn’t mean there wasn’t another female on this planet who had the same qualities she possessed. There had to be some reason why things never worked out with other women in the past, and why I had no desire to date.

  On my way home from the game, it came to me. As if I’d been struck by another car, the realization crashed into me, practically stopping my heart from beating.

  I didn’t want to date anyone because no one else was Ellie.

  It had nothing to do with her qualities, and everything to do with who she was. She’d been in front of me for years, basically sitting there, waiting for me to see her in a different light. I couldn’t find a rational excuse why I shouldn’t try—other than it would be weird, and she’d more than likely have a laundry list of reasons why it was a bad idea. But there was no harm in trying to figure it out together. With that thought on my mind, I whipped into the parking lot of the first drugstore I came to. My heartbeat thrummed in my throat as I raced inside, desperate to find the perfect bouquet of flowers to tell her how I felt.

  Excitement roared through my body at the possibility of us sharing the same feelings.

  But first, I had to convince her it would be okay to give us a shot.

  Yes, it could ruin our friendship, but it could also give us both something so much better.

  When I got home, I was so eager to confess everything, I hopped out of the car without the flowers. However, as I ran inside, it was like my world quit spinning. She was about to leave, dressed in tight jeans and a tank top with a light sweater over it.

  “Where are you going?” I asked, cornering her in the kitchen.

  “My date with Gage.”

  I about tripped over myself. “What?”

  “You remember. I lost that bet with him months ago, and we finally have time to get together.” She moved around me as though I was nothing but a statue in the room. “I figured tonight made the most sense, considering I thought you’d be out with Melissa.”

  “Why would you think that?”

  “She asked me if I would have a problem with the two of you hanging out tonight.”

  “And you told her you wouldn’t?” For whatever reason, that bothered me almost as much as her going on a date with Gage Nix, the notorious player—on and off the field. Friend or not, I didn’t like the idea of them being alone together without me there as a buffer. The last time we’d all hung out, they practically had sex right in front of me. The thought of the two of them alone was more than I could handle.

  “Why would I? You need to get out and do stuff, Coby. You don’t have to marry the girl.”

  There was no point in reiterating my lack of interest in Missy. Ellie hadn’t listened earlier and wouldn’t do so now. The thundering in my chest that had clamored every time I’d been in Ellie’s presence recently turned into a raging storm. Lightning coursed through my heart, sending electrical currents racing through my veins, and I had to stuff my hands into my pockets to keep the shaking at bay.

  The sound of blood pumping through my body created pounding thumps in my head. As much as I couldn’t stand the thought of her leaving, I needed her to
go—before I lost my shit.

  It seemed forgetting the flowers in the car was an omen. I just wish I’d known about it before buying them.

  Chapter 14

  Ellie

  Something was off with Coby, but before I could ask, the doorbell rang. I debated between pursuing the conversation at hand or greeting my date. When the sound came again, I turned away from Coby’s rigid stance to answer the door. Once I let Gage in, I turned to make sure my best friend was okay, but he was gone.

  “Hey, sweet cheeks.”

  I rolled my eyes at his ridiculous pet name and grabbed my purse. The feeling of unease held onto me, but I figured I could text Coby from the car to try to figure out what was bothering him.

  “You ready, Nix?”

  “Is that how we’re going to play this?” The green eyes that normally toyed with my psyche dimmed with disappointment as he opened the passenger door of his truck and helped me in.

  “Sorry, Gay. Let’s go have a good time.”

  He rounded the truck and slid in behind the wheel without saying a word. Silence was going to make for a long evening, and two men who needed tampons was more than I could manage tonight.

  I tried to put some pep in my voice. The truth was I always had fun with Gage, even if it was just witty banter back and forth. He kept me smiling, and it felt good to be around him. With a grin plastered to my face, I asked, “So where are you taking me?”

  “You’ll just have to wait and see.” The subtle way his lips turned up kept me wondering what he had in store.

  While he drove, I reached into my purse to grab my phone. I hated leaving Coby that way and figured a text might fix whatever was wrong so I could enjoy the night.

  Me: Everything all right?

  Coby: Fine

  I didn’t know what to do with the clipped response. But before I could formulate a thought, Gage asked, “LeeLee, you on a date with Kyler or me?” He glanced at me quickly before returning his eyes to the road. The smirk that made women’s panties hit the floor crept up, and I slid my phone back into my bag.