Pure Seduction by Frank, Ella (first ebook reader .txt) 📕

think that missing Sunday baseball in Chamberlin is a far greater sin than missing church.”

I laughed, remembering the extreme competitiveness of the locals. “I think you might be right.”

Willa grinned and cocked her head to the side. “Do you play?”

I did. I’d actually played on my high school team for years, but she didn’t need to know that. “I might.”

“Then you should come.”

No way. The idea of being surrounded by the whole town so soon after last weekend didn’t sound appealing at all. “I was going to head out to the winery this morning. Get a jump-start on the day.”

“Oh, come on. The winery doesn’t open until noon on Sunday, and you don’t have to be there—you have staff for that. Even Ryan takes a couple of hours for baseball.”

“He does? Ryan always hated baseball.”

“Really?” Willa scrunched her nose up. “Huh, he always helps me bring over the muffins and then stays for the game. He’s really good. You should come and see.”

As I mulled over it a little more, Willa added, “Laurel will be there.”

My lips twitched as I looked at my current landlord. “And why do you think that would matter?”

Willa crossed her arms and rested against the end of the kitchen counter. “Because you have a thing for her.”

“A thing?”

“You know what I mean. You like her. Admit it.”

“I don’t remember ever saying that I didn’t. Of course I like Laurel. She’s a great girl.”

“Uh huh.” Willa shoved away from the counter and walked over to the oven where a timer had just gone off.

“Okay, I’ll bite. What does uh huh mean?”

She pulled two more trays of muffins from the oven and turned back to face me. “It means she’s not a girl anymore, and you know it. You were all over her last night, and this Mr. Cool act? I don’t buy it for a second. You like her. Admit it.”

I knew the way small towns worked: you told one person something, and ten minutes later a hundred different variations on what you’d originally said was being whispered in eager ears. But something about Willa told me that whatever I said right now would stay between me, her, and the hundred and one muffins surrounding us.

“Okay, I admit it. I like her—a lot. But every time I’m near her, all I want to do is kiss her, which is kind of problematic in a town that likes to talk.”

“It wasn’t problematic last night…”

“No one was here last night.”

“I was.”

I wondered just how much Laurel had told her. Then a mischievous grin split Willa’s lips.

“This is exactly why you have to come to the game today. Then you can decide if whatever sparked last night between you two is still, you know, there.”

“All right. You win. What time does it start?”

“Twelve thirty. Why don’t you meet me and Ryan down here and we can all go together?”

“Sounds good.” I gestured to the basket of muffins I held. “Mind if I take one of these to tide me over until the game?”

“Go ahead.”

I nodded. “Okay. I’ll grab a juice and then bring the tray back in here for you. I only need the one glass.”

“Oh, you don’t have to do that.”

I looked at the chaos surrounding us. “It’s the least I can do.”

“Thanks, you’re a lifesaver.”

“It’s no problem at all. I’ll see you down here at…twelve fifteen?”

“Perfect.”

Willa went back to her muffins as I headed out into the dining room, and I couldn’t help but think about getting Laurel alone somewhere at this game and working out a way to convince her to go to dinner with me.

Baseball had been our thing. I’d play; she’d cheer. It seemed like the perfect trip down memory lane to warm her to me—right?

18

Laurel

“YOU PLAYING TODAY, or is your head throbbing a little too hard?”

I glanced over the roof of the car to where Jake was hiking his sports bag up his arm. “I already told you, I’m not hungover.”

“Uh huh. That’s why you look like you haven’t slept all night.”

Awesome. That was good to know, considering I was about to see ninety percent of the town this afternoon. “Haven’t I taught you not to ever tell a woman she looks anything other than perfect?”

Jake laughed as he came around the hood of the car. “I mean, you don’t look bad. But the big old sunglasses, the baseball cap? You look like you’re hiding in there. And there’s only one reason you’d do that.”

“Oh? And what’s that, genius?”

“Bloodshot eyes.”

“I do not have bloodshot eyes.” I slid my glasses down my nose. “See?”

Jake made a show of inspecting them then shrugged. “A little baggy, maybe.”

I shoved him in the arm. “You’re horrible. I’m disowning you.”

“You’ve been threatening that for years.”

“Yes, and one day I will follow through.” I pushed my glasses back in place and shut the car door behind me. “Now get going, would you? I might not be playing, but I’m pretty sure Betty won’t be impressed if her star player has a sudden leg injury from a kick to his shin.”

Jake chuckled as he took off jogging toward the field, and I quickly turned around to take a look at myself in the car’s side mirror. I winced at the picture I made. Jake was right: I looked like one of those celebrities who shoved on the hat and glasses, then made a mad dash for their favorite fast food restaurant, hoping the paparazzi wouldn’t see the Quarter Pounder and large fries they just bought for a late-night binge session.

However, I wasn’t out here trying to score some greasy fries. I was just trying to hide from someone. Someone very specific—Noah.

Not long after I got home this morning, Willa had sent me a text letting me know he would be coming to the game today. It shouldn’t have been that much of a surprise, really—Noah had been one of the best baseball players in Chamberlin during high school. Of course he’d come to the Sunday game. But that had