"I'm here because it's something to do," she says, "and my doctor tells me fresh air is good for me. He says it will make me feel better." She laughs a little, and it's a laugh that makes me think she doesn't believe her doctor's claim.
"Are you sick?" I ask.
"Not physically."
The answer catches me off guard and all I manage to say is, "Oh."
For the first time, her lips twitch in the slightest hint of a smile. "Have I scared you away now?"
"Do you see me running?" I counter. It will take more than that to scare me off. I happen to know a thing or two about depression, and not just because my stepmom is a shrink.
"Maybe you should," she says.
"Maybe." I shrug, unconvinced. The thing is, she's just intrigued me even more. "I hope you keep coming to practice," I tell her. "Or maybe a game sometime. We're off to a good start this season." I set my gym bag down on the ground and extend my hand. "My name's Landon, by the way. I'm a pitcher."
She makes no move to shake my hand. "I don't recall asking."
And, just like that, I'm shot down. I may be pretty good at baseball, but it doesn't mean I'm smooth with women. "No, I guess you didn't." I pick up my bag and sling it over my shoulder. "Maybe I'll see you around," I add before I turn and walk away.
I've gone about ten feet when I hear her call something out to me.
I turn back around. "Excuse me?"
"My name," she says. "It's Korinne, but most people call me Kori."
"Kori," I repeat, liking the way it sounds on my lips. "Thank you. Hopefully I'll see you tomorrow, Kori." I give a little fist pump as I run to the locker room.
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If you enjoy contemporary romances with plenty of emotion and humor, check out Happy Endings by Chantel Rhondeau.
Blurb
Handsome, wealthy Quinn McCallister is the most eligible bachelor on McCallister's Paradise. Making his family's island resort a success is all that matters to this workaholic. Everything changes when he meets the beautiful new massage therapist...
Larissa Benner may have survived cancer, but its aftermath left plenty of problems besides the ever-looming fear of relapse. Her family nearly went bankrupt paying for her life-saving treatments. She desperately needs the full-time therapist position on the island and the benefits that come with it. The last thing she wants is problems with her boss, or a complicated office romance.
It's hard for her to resist Quinn's charms—or his passionate side. However, Quinn is married to his job. The choice between love and work is tough for him to juggle and has Larissa scared. If the cancer recurs, could she count on him to be there for her? Or would he leave her to face it alone, ending her relationship in tragedy?
Excerpt
"Look, Larissa, about the party last weekend." Quinn shifted his feet back and forth. "I shouldn't have left without saying goodbye. I also shouldn't have told you to go with Parker, when what I really wanted was to be alone with you. I don't like the party scene and dancing real well, and I thought you wanted Parker, so..."
"Is this your way of apologizing for ditching me before the fireworks?" Larissa glanced back at him.
The breeze caught his hair, mussing the black strands in a wild way that made him even more handsome. Larissa sighed internally. She was attracted to him, no matter what she tried to tell herself. Maybe brooding and grumpy did it for her. It wasn't as though she'd had many serious relationships to know what she was looking for in a mate.
Besides, the last time she gave her heart to a man, he couldn't handle things when she got sick. Jacob tried to control things and had a hard time with the fact that her illness was outside of his control. Larissa knew marrying him would be a mistake and had to break things off.
It was hard to believe anyone out there would be able to handle her being sick if the cancer returned, but apparently her heart was hoping Quinn was that sort of man, no matter how sternly her brain told it not to like him.
Quinn took both her hands, squeezing them gently. "Yes. This is an apology. I am very sorry. I haven't been the nicest guy to be around. Mom's worked hard on dinner, and I'd like tonight to go well. Can we get along?"
Larissa nodded, barely daring to breathe because the scent of Quinn's faint cologne was setting her nerves on overdrive. How could the man infuriate and attract her all at the same time? "It was nice of your dad to invite me."
Quinn chuckled and leaned into her, brushing a light kiss across her cheek that made her pulse race. What happened to Mr. Grumpy? He was being pleasant.
"I have to let you know it wasn't entirely nice," he said. "I think my parents have ulterior motives for tonight."
He was so close that his warmth caressed her like a comfortable sweater. She knew she should step away, but she wanted to move closer. She'd already seen how muscular his body was when he lay naked on the massage table, and she couldn't help but fantasize about how his strong arms would feel wrapped around her.
"Did you hear me, Larissa?"
She tilted her head up, heart pounding harder when she realized how close his lips were. If he bent slightly, she could taste them. "Ulterior motives how?" she forced herself to say.
"Throwing us together, mainly."
His voice had a slight hitch in it that Larissa didn't know how to read. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"
"I was wondering that myself, honestly."
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A Forever Masterpiece (The Masterpiece Trilogy Book 3) Page 33