Page 42 of Discerning Blake

I start to type, See you to—

He sends, Goodnight, Amelia.

I can practically hear him whispering my name. And I get flushed in more than just my face. I really need to get a place where Chase can have his own bedroom.

I erase what I wrote, and just type, Goodnight.

Chapter Ten

Amelia

Sunday is an unseasonably hot day, and I opt for wearing a dress. Now that I have my suitcases with me, I don’t have to continue wearing leggings.

We arrive early. Chase wants to wish his father good luck before the game.

Thankfully, Avery and the girls are already there. She waves to me from the center row. Our usual spot.

“You look nice,” she says, giving my dress a once-over, spending an extra few seconds on my legs, naked from mid-thigh down. “It’s good to see you out of your leggings. What’s the occasion?”

“Just a beautiful day.”

I sit next to her. Chase leaves to find his dad out on the field. I locate Ethan. He’s standing next to the home plate, one arm around Charlotte’s waist. She leans closer to him and kisses him on the cheek.

I hate that my mood goes from one hundred to negative a million with one little kiss.

Chase runs up to them. Ethan lets go of Charlotte and picks Chase up in a bear hug. And even that chokes me up. They look like a family, the three of them. And it breaks my heart.

I catch Avery watching me. But I don’t want to talk about it, so I say something first.

“How was the barbecue last night?”

“Fine.” Avery waves to Garrett out on the field. “A little awkward when Charlotte showed up. I don’t know how to act around her. Scarlett makes an effort to be nice for her brother’s sake. Garrett and I can’t do much more than be polite. Luke flat out ignored her. And Blake and Bryce left early.”

My stomach wobbles at the mention of Blake’s name.

And there he is now, walking out onto the field. I wait for him to look at the bleachers, but he doesn’t. He walks over to Ethan instead, slapping Chase on the back, which has him laughing as he topples over. Then Chase tries to hit Blake back but is too slow.

Ethan and Charlotte move away from them. And I watch Blake asking Chase a question. Then Chase turns toward me and points.

My heart skips a beat when Blake looks straight at me and smiles.

“Sometimes I think these things are harder on the guys than we realize,” Avery continues. “They pretend that everything is cool, but they have a hard time adjusting. I don’t think any of them have forgiven Ethan for breaking up the group.”

I give her a distracted “Uh-huh”. Blake and Chase go back to roughhousing, but this time when Chase punches, Blake fakes being hurt.

“Blake would make such a good dad,” she says, figuring out where I’m looking. “If he could just stop being so picky with women. He’s not so young anymore. Maybe it’s time we try setting him up with someone.”

Me, my traitorous body screams out.

“Hey!” Scarlett startles me.

She and Shannon sit down behind us on the bleachers.

“Who are we setting up?” Scarlett asks, conspiratorially.

“Blake," says Avery. "But he never likes anyone, he’s too picky.”

“Blake isn’t picky,” Scarlett says. “He purposefully goes out with woman he knows are wrong for him so things never get too serious. He has commitment issues.”