Page 30 of Leave It On The Field (Grand Slam 3)
She puts her hands on her hips. “I know you’re not trying to tell me what’s appropriate, Cornelius.”
“Cornelius?” I smile at Chick. “I didn’t know that was your first name.”
“For a reason. I don’t want anyone calling me that.”
“After fifty-two years of marriage,” Joni says, shooing him away as he tries to put his arm around her, “you’re lucky that’s the worst thing I call you. Sophie, sweetie, who’s this man hovering behind you?”
“I’m sorry,” I say, grabbing Butch’s arm. “This is our friend Butch. Butch, this is Chick and Joni. Chick’s the clubhouse guard at the stadium.”
“Sir,” Butch says, shaking his hand. “And ma’am. It’s nice to meet you both.”
“I like this one,” Joni says, looking up at Butch. “He’s polite and very handsome. Are you single? I have a granddaughter who’s looking.”
“No, ma’am,” Butch says, smiling. “I have a girlfriend and we have a baby on the way.”
“Girlfriend? And when are you going to marry this young lady?”
“Jon!” Chick puts his hands over his face and sighs. “I apologize—”
“No need.” Butch laughs. “She sounds like my mom. And I would marry Kit in a second if that’s what she wanted. She says she’s not the marrying type.”
Joni looks around. “Is she here? I want to talk to her.”
“No, ma’am. She’s sleeping in our room right now.”
“Well,” Joni says, patting Butch’s arm, “pregnancy makes most women very tired. You treat her like a queen and pamper her. Do you understand me, uh, I already forgot your name?”
“My name’s Butch, but my given name is Gabriel. No one calls me that except my mom, but you can call me that if you want.”
“Thank you.” She smiles up at him. “And Chick’s been in security long enough for me to recognize a bodyguard when I see one. You take extra good care of our precious Sophie, Gabriel.”
“I promise, ma’am.” Butch shakes Chick’s hand again before they walk away. “It was good to meet you both.”
I get on my tiptoes. “Do you see Seb? He texted me that he was here.”
“Yeah,” Butch says, tapping me and pointing across the deck. “He’s over there—by the purple palm tree. I’ll get you through the crowd. Remember one, three, five if someone tries to stop us.”
Butch puts his arm around my shoulders again and pretty much lifts me across the deck. Several people try to say hi, but he doesn’t stop. He releases me when we get to Seb.
“Seb,” I say, reaching up to touch the ends of his hair that always curl up at the nape of his neck after he showers.
He spins around. His entire face lights up when he sees me. “Soph, I was looking for you. Where have you been?”
“Sorry, babe,” I say, burying my face into his chest. “A few people stopped me when I got here.”
“It’s fine,” he says, kissing the top of my head as he wraps his arms around me. “I’m just glad you’re here now.”
I look up at him. His eyes are so sparkly. “That shirt really does make your eyes look pretty.”
“You said they looked dreamy last time. Why the downgrade?”
“Do you like dreamy better?”
“Kind of,” he whispers as he nuzzles into my neck. “Dreamy seems better than pretty.”
“Then your eyes are the dreamiest.” I giggle when he starts nibbling. “Stop. The last thing I need to be right now is horny.”
“Hey Sophie,” the VP of sales for the team, Evelyn, says as she walks over to us.
