Page 39 of Taking the Pitch
“You kissed her in the elevator? Fuck, that’s hot,” Lucy says, fanning herself. She’s sitting up, attention fully on me. Her blanket was discarded halfway into me, telling her about the events that happened in the club. She props her chin up on her hand and sighs, a far off look in her eyes. “That’s the stuff romance books are made of.”
If she only knew the person I’m interested in, is in fact herfavoriteromance author.
I run my hands through my hair, tugging at the ends. “So now that you know everything, what do you think I should do? She’s obviously interested, right?”
Lucy tips her head back and forth, chin still in her hand. “I mean, yeah. It sounds like she’s interested, but it also sounds like she’s stopping herself from letting it go any further than it has. She could just be afraid that if she starts something with you and it doesn’t work out that her program would suffer.” She shrugs and sits back, tucking her legs underneath her. “It’s a valid worry.Weknow you would never revoke assistance even if things went sideways with you guys, but she doesn’t. Like she’s pointed out, she’s only known you for a few days. Sounds like you need to show her who Judd Davis is.” Lucy points at me andgives me a pointed look. “TherealJudd, the Judd we all love, not the playboy player the trash magazines write about.”
We both know the magazines she’s talking about. She and Kessler were prime targets in one particular magazine that is owned by the dad of one of the kids on Hudson’s baseball team. Unfortunately, scandal sells, and my past isn’t exactly pristine. Being the top pitching prospect of my year put me in the spotlight. My series of one-night stands kept me there, when my talent should have been what people focused on. It’s only been in the last year that I’ve started to realize I wanted more than what I was allowing myself to have and slowly my sex life faded out of the harsh spotlight. Which in turn has kept my latest transgression out of the spotlight, so far.
“What made you finally give in? The moment that you finally decided Kessler was worth taking a chance on? Trust that he wouldn’t hurt you?”
Lucy sits quietly, staring at the coffee table, eyes unfocused, like she’s playing a movie in her head. She breathes out a small laugh and her eyes flick up to mine. “It wasn’t justonemoment. It was a series of moments. Him texting me every day just to let me know he was thinking of me, making sure I had my favorite coffee delivered to me from my favorite café, coming back early from a stretch of away games, and making it to Hudson’s championship game.” She pauses and quickly wipes a tear from her eyes. Voice cracking when she says, “He was there when he didn’t have to be, claimed Hudson and I as his, and made sure everyone knew it too. Even before he found out I had been thrown to the sidelines all my life by people who I thought loved me.”
Fuck. I rub my chest, trying to ease the ache that’s appeared. I knew Lucy had a rough past, but damn when she puts it like that… I’m glad she and Kessler found each other.
She lets out a huge sigh. “Anyway, enough about us. What are you going to do to show Millie you’re in it to win it?” she asks, wiggling her eyebrows.
I bark out a laugh and scrub a hand down my face, rolling my head to look at the spunky blonde who will soon be my sister-in-law. “Fuck, I don’t know Luce. What do you think I should do?”
Pulling her top lip into her mouth, she nibbles on it while she thinks. Her lip pops out from between her teeth when she says, “Maybe, just try to be her friend for now.”
The sound of a door opening has us both turning to look as Kessler comes through the garage door, tossing his keys on the counter. “Hey baby,” he says, a smile breaking out over his face as he looks at Lucy.
Lucy gives him a matching smile. “Hey.”
“Did you just want Kessler as your friend?” I ask, watching them give each other eyes from across the open concept house.
Lucy snorts and a look of hunger passes over her face as Kessler walks from the kitchen to the couch we’re sitting on. “No, I wanted to jump his bones. Still do if I’m being honest.”
“I don’t know what we’re talking about, but I agree,” Kessler says, bending over and giving Lucy a deep kiss. Lucy hums contentedly, running her fingers through Kessler’s hair.
“God, get a room,” I groan, throwing a pillow at them and hitting the back of Kessler’s head.
Kessler flips me off with the hand that’s not currently tangled in Lucy’s hair, making me chuckle. Breaking the kiss, he looks up at me. “Last time I checked, this was our house and all these rooms are ours.”
Lucy laughs and lightly hits Kessler in the chest with the back of her hand. “Be nice. Judd was just asking me for advice before you rudely came over and mauled me.”
Kessler looks down at her and wiggles his eyebrows. “I didn’t hear you complaining.”
Rolling my eyes, I tap the top of Lucy’s feet and stand from my seat. “Thanks for the advice, Lucy.”
“Anytime Judd. Keep me updated.”
I give her a salute with two fingers and make my way down the hall towards the game room where the poker table is set up. Leaving the two lovebirds to make out before all the guys get here.
“Okay assholes, the name of the game is high card flush,” Reese says, flicking out the cards to us.
Since moving back and joining the Silverbacks, Kessler and his close group of friends, my teammates and Garrett, have taken me into the fold, including me in their monthly poker nights. I really never clicked with any of my old teammates. Not that I really cared. I liked my team well enough, and we played well together, but I’ve always wanted to play for the Silverbacks and grew up watching them and going to games with my dad and Kessler. What kid doesn’t grow up dreaming of playing for their home team?
To say I’m finally where I want to be is an understatement. The only thing missing is someone to share it with. But I’m working on that.
Pain shoots up my right leg and I reach under the table to grab my shin. “Ah, fuck.” I look around and all four sets of eyes are on me. “What the fuck was that for?” I ask, shooting a glare at Kessler.
“I asked you twice if you wanted to keep your cards,” Reese says.
“Okay, but did you have to fucking kick me so hard? I have to pitch with Sanders this week, and I don’t need to explain to him why I’m not extending forward in my stride.”
Austin Sanders is the best pitching coach I’ve ever worked with, but he has zero tolerance for excuses. If my leg is sore from fucking around and affects my pitch, he will not give a fuck.
