by Megan Ryder
He clasped his hands over his heart and stumbled back a couple of steps as if shot by an arrow. “You wound me, right in my tender heart, killing me. Don’t you know how hard it is for us guys to talk to beautiful women?”
She snorted. “I’m sure you have no problems and the only thing I wounded was your healthy ego. And I barely dented that.” She paused and leaned against the counter to study him. “Can I ask you something? Why do you call Dylan Professor and Old Man? He’s only a couple of years older than you are.”
Cody straddled a stool and planted his chin in his fist. “He just lectures me all the time and treats me like a kid. He’s so damn superior all the time and he makes me feel like I’m stupid.”
Savannah sighed and reached across the granite to touch his forearm. “Cody, he wants to help you. He takes his job very seriously.”
Cody shoved away from the counter and paced in kitchen area. “I get that. I want to win too but, damn, does he have to be so freakin’ superior, treating me like a little kid all the time? Just the other day, he gave me this look for being late. I wasn’t late. I still had four hours before game time. And this hitter’s bible. He keeps harping on keeping a book on the hitters.”
She grinned. “Sadie chewed his up when she first got here. Boy, was he pissed.”
Cody’s face broke out in a broad smile. “You’re kidding? I would have loved to have seen his face. And he kept her?”
Savannah nodded. “Yup. But I don’t think you could apologize like she did.”
“I don’t even want to know what that entailed.” He mock shuddered. “I just can’t work with him.”
She stepped around the counter and laid a hand on his arm. “Maybe if you stopped fighting him and started working with him, you might find ways to connect. He’s trying. What do you think today is all about?”
Cody glanced outside at the people gathered. “He is a pretty self-contained kind of guy. Doesn’t hang out with us on the road.”
She grunted. “He probably doesn’t like your idea of entertainment.”
Cody leaned down and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. His breath tickled her ear and he whispered, “Can I let you in on a secret? I don’t do half the things he thinks I do. I just let him think I do because it pisses him off.”
At that moment, a whoosh from the sliding glass door interrupted them and Dylan stepped in the dining area, eyes narrowing at the two of them. “What’s going on?”
Savannah regained control quickly. “Cody was offering to carry out some sweet tea for me for everyone. Weren’t you, Cody?” She eyed him significantly but he blithely ignored her.
“Hell no. I don’t drink tea. I was checking out your dog sitter, seeing if she’d take care of my dog if I got one.”
Dylan moved so fast Savannah barely saw the action but Cody was suddenly pinned against the counter, flat on his back. Dylan’s hand twisted in Cody’s shirt, pinning the younger man to the granite, his lips pulled back in a twisted growl and his face was inches from Cody’s. Cody lay quiescent on his back, hands on the counter, loose and relaxed, as he carefully watched Dylan.
“Oh, for heaven’s sake, Dylan.” Savannah set down the pitcher, darted around the counter and pulled Dylan’s shoulders but he wouldn’t budge. “We were just talking, joking around. He’s like the annoying little brother I never had or wanted.”
“Hey!” Cody protested, eyes widening in hurt.
She barely spared him a scornful glance. “Shut up. Dylan, this is not helping at all. Don’t hurt your hands, or his for that matter. Then neither of you can play and this whole day is a waste.”
With one final growl, Dylan shoved at Cody and released him, stepping back and striding across the room to stand by the wall, hands clenching in fists. Savannah followed him, stroking his chest and arm gently with her hands.
Cody stood slowly, straightening his polo shirt. “I didn’t mean anything. Was just kidding around.”
Dylan glared at him balefully. “There’s a time and a place. And there are people you don’t mess around with. Savannah is one of them.”
“Oh really?” Savannah planted herself right in front of Dylan, hands fisted on her hips. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”
Cody took a couple of steps forward, a cocky grin on his face. “Yeah, what do you mean, Dylan?”
Savannah didn’t even turn around but she pointed to the door. “Sweet tea. Beer. Outside. Now.”
“Oh, man. Guess I really am your younger brother. I’ll go play with the dogs.” He grabbed a few bottles of beer from the fridge and the pitcher of tea and headed outside. Once the sliding door closed behind him, Dylan relaxed imperceptibly, still staring fixedly at the younger man.
Savannah placed two fingers next to his chin and forced him to look at her. “Now, what the hell was that all about?”
Dylan had the grace to look apologetic, eyes lowered and feet shifting. “He’s a horn dog. I didn’t want him bothering you.”
She arched her brow, not giving an inch. “I can take care of myself. And you know that’s not what I mean.”
He ran his fingers through his hair and rested his head against the wall. “I don’t know. I just didn’t like seeing him talking to you.”
Her anger evaporated and her tension drained away.
His hands dropped to her hips and, sighing softly, he pulled her closer to him, and rested his forehead on hers. “I don’t know what’s going on here, Savannah. I’m sorry, I’ll apologize to Cody.”
She slipped her arms around his waist and pressed her lips to his. “We need to talk about this.”
She looked up and, at the look in his eye, her breath caught in her chest. He lowered his head the few millimeters and kissed her, a sweet, gentle, barest whisper of a kiss, then it was gone. The door opened behind them and he looked up. The sudden tension in his body had Savannah trying to turn but his arms held her firm in his grip.
“Patterson.”
“I wondered if Savannah had a ball or something for the dogs. Thought I’d play catch or something with them.”
She squeezed Dylan’s chest tightly and he grunted. “Nah, why don’t we get the grill going. Want to give me a hand?”
The pause behind her felt like an eternity then Cody replied, “Yeah, I can do that. That grill looks like it’s never been used. Don’t you know you have to season it, Professor?”
Dylan glanced down at her and smiled. “I’ve been told that a time or two.” He brushed her lips with a quick kiss then released her and headed for the fridge.
Savannah hitched her hip on the table and looked at Cody. “Just for the record, lousy pickup line. Probably among the worst ever and I was a bartender. Consider treating women with more respect. You might have better luck.”
He shrugged. “I do okay. Besides, it seems to have brought someone luck.” He ducked outside before Dylan could catch him.
“Don’t drop the burgers! Men. They’re just big kids, really.” She snorted in disgust.
The other two women came inside and watched the men gather around the grill. “Can we help with anything?”
Gabrielle, Nick Backus’ wife, cut up tomatoes and lettuce, although, as she said, “I don’t know why I bother. We’ll be the only ones eating a vegetable with our beef.”
Candice Steele, Alex’s girlfriend, a quiet, dark-haired girl, smiled. “I hear you’re helping Dylan with his rescue dog. You run a rescue yourself?”
Savannah smiled. “Yes, I have a small rescue right now. There’s two of us running it, with a whole host of fosters and volunteers and we’re trying to grow it but it’s so hard. There are so many dogs that need homes, especially in the South. I don’t have a facility yet but we’re working on it.”
Gabrielle nodded. “We don’t have a dog right now. We lost our Morgan, a sweet shepherd, over the winter and with our move, we decided to wait until we were settled. Now, with the baby on the way, we decided to wait a little more. Having too much change in a house can be rough on a dog
.” She rubbed her slightly protruding belly.
Candice hugged her. “That’s so exciting! How far along are you?”
“About five months. We’ve kept it pretty quiet. I lost a couple of babies so we wanted to wait until we were at the five-month mark to be sure. It was so hard with the trade to the Knights. My family is all in the Pacific Northwest. I was terrified to lose this one too and be all alone. Nick almost didn’t accept this invitation but I’m glad we did.” She smiled shyly at the other two women. “There aren’t a lot of wives on the team. It’s a young team and most of the wives have young children. They do some of the charity work but they stick to themselves. It’s been a bit lonely.”
Candice grimaced. “I worry about that. I have a job here and my family is all here. Alex’s contract is up this year. Who knows where he’ll end up or even if he’ll be traded. I was sweating during the deadline, worried that he would be. Then where would I be? I mean, we’re not even engaged yet so I would stay here but who knows if our relationship would survive? And if we marry, would I quit my job?”
Savannah spooned potato salad into bowls and spread it evenly, listening to the women talk about trades, moves, wives, charity events. Where were their identities? She licked the mayonnaise off her finger and rinsed the spoon and the empty container in the sink. Then she started on the pasta salad.
“What about you, Savannah? What’s the deal with you and Dylan?” Gabrielle asked.
Savannah paused, spoon hanging over the bowl.
Slowly she lowered it. “Honestly, I’m not sure. I’m his dog sitter and he’s helping me with my charity. Not much else.”
Both women laughed. “Oh, honey. We see the way that man follows you with his eyes, almost eating you alive. If his eyes were the sun, he’d be burning you alive with that heat. There’s something there.”
Savannah took a deep breath, not sure how to handle this whole conversation. These were Dylan’s friends. What could she say, what should she say to them? She wasn’t used to having girlfriends to talk to. Even in high school, she was too busy taking care of her sister, her mom, and their house to hang out at the mall, gossip over boys, go shopping. She was in unfamiliar territory and unsure of her next steps.
She decided to go with the easy way out. “I think we’re feeling our way through this.”
Gabrielle grinned. “Well, if you do end up with Dylan, he could be a powerful ally for your charity. I mean, he could seriously help your efforts in raising attention about shelter animals. He has clout as a professional ballplayer.”
“Just remember, his contract is up this year too. If the team doesn’t get to the playoffs, they might just clear house and start again with new players,” Candice said, a hint of bitterness in her tone.
Gabrielle shot her a nasty look then smiled at Savannah. “But it’s worth it. I have no regrets marrying Nick, even with the move. It gets hard sometimes and a little lonely but you make friends and the teams help you make the transition.”
Dylan poked his head in the door. “Almost ready, ladies?”
“Just about. We’ll be right out.” Savannah called out but even she heard the slight quaver in her voice.
Dylan gave her a puzzled look but closed the door and headed back for the grill. The ladies gathered up the stuff and headed out to the patio. Savannah joined in, mechanically eating and talking with everyone, but part of her mind was on the conversation in the kitchen, on the thought the women raised about life as a professional ballplayer’s wife, not that she had any indication that was where her life was headed. But, instinctively, she knew this was more than a fling, and they were headed somewhere. If she chose to continue, she risked getting her heart broken. She had to consider her future and her dreams and if this was really the right course of action for her.
She knew enough about rescue to know how hard it was on relationships. Animal rescue required a lot of money, time, and focus. She got calls in the middle of the night, had animals who needed round the clock care sometimes, and was on the road more often than not. Heck, she had even lost a fiancé to her rescue. Mark had accused her of loving her four-legged furry creatures more than him, and he wasn’t far from the truth, to be honest. He had called it her insane devotion to her stupid animals, but she thought he hated not being the center of her world. Dylan’s career was enough of an attention hog, that pulled him on the road, long hours every day, and focus everywhere but here. Could they really have any kind of a future?
Chapter Thirteen
Dylan brought the burgers and hotdogs to the table and everyone gathered around, including the dogs, begging for scraps. Savannah took extra burgers and broke them up into bowls and fed the dogs in separate places so there would be no issues with food aggression. Conversation was easy and comfortable as if they had all known each other for years rather than this cautious, almost first date gathering that this picnic was.
After a few moments, Dylan glanced at Alex. “We have a tough series coming up.”
Alex nodded but, before he could say anything, Savannah held up her hand. “Absolutely not. You guys have been talking baseball all day. This is now a baseball-free zone. There has to be something else we can talk about. Even the weather.”
Silence reigned for long moments as everyone looked at each other. Savannah huffed an exasperated breath and glanced at Gabrielle who smiled.
“Well, as I told the girls, Nick and I are expecting. She’s due at Christmas.” She rubbed her belly while Nick hugged her and grinned broadly.
Cody whooped and Alex clapped him on the back. Dylan nodded, a slow smile spreading across his face. “Congratulations. That’s fantastic. Is there anything you need?”
Gabrielle allowed a shy smile to cross her face. “I’m just happy to meet a few new people.”
Savannah reached across the table and took Gabrielle’s hand in hers. “Just call me if you need anything, especially when the guys are traveling.”
The other woman smiled and nodded. “And I want to help you with your rescue. I love your idea of a full-service rescue place. Nick, you’d love what Savannah has planned.”
Nick cocked an eyebrow at her. “I forgot Dylan said you have a rescue. You have a place for it or do you run it out of your home?”
“Right now, it’s out of my home and a series of fosters. It’s easier that way until I get more steady. But I plan to have a place that will have a shelter, a place for training and more.” She glanced at Dylan, seeming shy about talking about her rescue. He was irrationally proud that she was comfortable enough with his friends to share her plans and not hide them.
Dylan stretched his arm out behind Savannah, the motion feeling natural. Her breath hitched and she tensed but relaxed under the weight. His thumb idly traced circles on her skin and she shivered at the contact. He smothered a smile and enjoyed the way her soft skin felt under his calluses on his fingers. “It’s a great location, formerly the animal shelter. Needs some updating but her plans are solid. And expanding it beyond just a rescue could bring in extra revenue and help support the rescue further.”
“Why haven’t you said anything to the team about sponsoring it? You know we always look for charities to support. This could be yours. I’d help,” Alex said.
Candice pouted next to him, clearly not enjoying the evening.
Dylan held his breath. He hadn’t brought up sponsoring her rescue or helping since that day they’d met and Savannah hadn’t said anything either. This was her opportunity if she was looking for one. He honestly wasn’t sure how he felt about it. She needed the help but hadn’t asked. She was the first person in his life to be with him and not use him for his position. How long would that last?
Savannah shot Dylan a look. “Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind. We’re working through some of our fundraising plans now. Dylan helped with some great ideas.”
“It was the least I could do. Sadie ate the originals in a temper tantrum one night.” Dylan laughed, relaxing a little at her noncommittal words.
“So I’ve been told,” Dylan wryly commented, stroking the side of her neck, her pulse pounding under his thumb.
The dogs had finished their meals, inspected all the other bowls, in case one of the canines had left something, and were now circling the adult table like sharks hoping for something to fall. Cody broke off a piece of hot dog but before he could toss it, Savannah made a sound. He froze and looked at her.
“Don’t even think it or you’ll be swarmed by dogs who’ll eat you and your entire meal. Trust me. Don’t feed the beasts from the table. It’s like a gremlin rule or something,” Dylan said.
“Gremlins? What kind of old shit is that?”
“Don’t feed the gremlins? You never saw that movie? It’s a classic!” Alex exclaimed. “If you spill water on them or feed them after midnight, they multiply like rabbits on Viagra. Great movie. We should watch that some time.” He squeezed Candice who shrugged.
Dylan caught Candice’s rejection and it pissed him off. Too many guys got involved with women who saw the job, the status, the money but not the man. Alex was a savvy guy but was probably trying to be nice instead of just ripping off the band aid and breaking it off. Dylan knew her type, looking for the payday and the easy life, but she’d never be happy as the wife of a ballplayer. She’d bitch about the time he’d spend on the road while she’d be home alone. Then, if he was traded or had to move, it would all fall on her. The teams helped but it still fell on the wives. His mother had hated all of that, feeling like a single mother who never had her husband around for anything more than an occasional visit. And the hours. The schedule was irregular at best and a difficult adjustment. Better Alex found out now that she wasn’t the right fit for him. Too bad she was making his life miserable but it explained why he had been unhappy in the locker room lately.
Dylan cursed himself under his breath. He should have seen that one of his pitchers was distracted and unhappy and, as his catcher, he should have pushed him to talk about it. Damn. Thor padded over to them and nudged Candice with his nose and she pushed him away with a snort of disgust. Dylan knew what Thor meant to Alex. The relationship was doomed.