Too Hot to Handle: A Boys of Summer Novel (7 page)

Pete indicated the ball field. “Now why don’t we get out there and win one so she has something positive to give the papers instead of following around a bunch of baby elephants and cleaning up their crap?”

Jake nodded, and he and Chase started for the field while the others slowly followed.

The team was glad to get back home to Trenton, although they all missed the Florida sun. New Jersey was notorious for giving up a few good days in April, only to remind everyone winter wasn’t over with a backhanded punch. When they landed at Trenton-Mercer Airport, the ground was covered with snow.

Yet the forsythia had burst into riotous bloom, and the crocuses showed their Jersey aggression by shoving their way through the ice to unfold like yellow and purple umbrellas in the sun.

Back in the familiar locker room on opening day, the players unpacked, putting their newly cleaned and starched uniforms into the metal enclosures. There was more than one grumble as they realized the beat-up towels were gone, the lockers had been scrubbed, and the room positively gleamed. The bathroom was also spotless, the soap dispensers filled, the paper towels replaced, and the sinks immaculate. Nikki’s presence was making itself known.

Yet they were all in better health and more prepared, thanks to the new regimen. Ryan had lost ten pounds once it became a chore to get a beer. The extra batting practice and time with the pitching coaches had improved their skill set, as did the endless drills. She had also added a chiropractor and acupuncturist to their list of medical resources, and encouraged them to address aches and pains early before they became more serious.

Even the meals had changed. Instead of ballpark food, Nikki arranged for them to have access to fresh salads, soups, and whole-grain bread. While she didn’t eliminate the pizza and burgers altogether since the public demanded them, she quietly encouraged better nutrition.

And while the players had come to grudgingly respect her, they were like little boys refusing to say that Mom was right. Important stuff was on the line. Such as ego.

“Hey, Jake.” Brian sauntered up, a big grin on his face. “You know the new guy Shaun is getting hitched? We’re taking him out tonight, sort of a bachelor party before the bachelor party. We got a limo, the whole nine yards. Are you in?”

“Yeah,” Jake agreed.

“What about our new babysitter?” Cody asked, obviously referring to Nikki.

Brian glanced at Ryan, and this time the laugh escaped. “We’ve got that taken care of.”

Jake looked at Ryan, who nodded.

The first baseman shrugged. “Since you’ve been falling down on the job, we had to come up with a better solution. So we invited Ms. Case to meet up for dinner. When she gets to the restaurant, she’ll find she’s dining at a table for one.”

The players broke into laughter, while Jake shook his head at Ryan and the outfielder. “Man, that’s harsh.”

“Sounds like someone’s in love,” Ryan teased. He sent Brian a meaningful look while his teammate batted his eyes like a lovesick puppy.

Jake shrugged. “I’m all for a good joke, but this seems a little over the top.”

“We’re not that bad,” Ryan explained. “The restaurant is a little Italian place in Moorestown called Osteria. Do you know it?” When Jake shook his head, Ryan continued. “It’s close to where she lives, and we’re picking up the check. We just want her out of our hair for tonight.”

“Gotcha.” Jake nodded. Yet while he’d never let on to his teammates, he couldn’t let them do this.

Nikki would be crushed. The other pranks he could live with: the wigs, the baseballs, even the croc––they were funny. But this was something different. For her to think she’d finally been accepted, that they wanted her company, and then realize it was all just another joke—that would be heartless.

In spite of her hard shell, there was a vulnerability about her that he had already seen. His teammates weren’t aware that in addition to being a ball breaker, she could do things that were thoughtful and kind. Like getting English lessons for Antonio. She’d sworn Jake to secrecy about that, so he couldn’t enlighten them, and yet he knew she had a soft side.

But why did he care? For a moment, a sudden thought unnerved him. Were they right? Was he beginning to, God forbid, develop feelings for her?

Nah,
he rationalized. While she intrigued him, tantalized him, he just didn’t want to see her hurt. It was nothing deeper than that. Satisfied, his attention switched back to Brian.

“I’m in. But I’ll skip the limo and take my own car. Where are you going?”

“Philly. We’re starting at Grace Tavern. Do you know where it is?”

“Yeah. It’s on Grays Ferry Avenue. I’ll be there.” Jake slung his towel around his neck and headed for the showers.

The Sonics entered the ballpark to thunderous applause as they jogged onto the field for the first game of the season. Nikki sat behind home plate, watching the festivities as the high school band played and fireworks exploded. She felt a quiet sense of accomplish
ment, realizing that the work of the last few weeks was beginning to pay off. In anticipation of this game, she’d pounded the phones, making sure all of the right people were there to get the best possible publicity. Scrounging up some club-level tickets, she invited local politicians, celebrities, and some former All-Stars. It was her intention to create a media event, and it played out perfectly.

Best of all, the Sonics were a better team than the previous year. By the end of spring training, it seemed they had finally found their rhythm and were beginning to display their potential. Chase’s pitching was flawless, Jake inspired the team with his leadoff hits, and Ryan was slamming the ball.

Fortunately, they’d brought the same energy and enthusiasm home. Watching now, Nikki finally understood the allure this experience had for the fans. They were on their feet, shouting, booing, and cheering in the chilly weather as their team trotted the bases and scored a grand slam. Even Shaun managed to get his head out of the clouds and made a phenomenal catch. Although the season had just begun, when they won 4–0, it was as intense as if they were in the playoffs.

After the game, reporters swarmed the field. There was an expectation after making it to the World Series last year that this was finally the Sonics’ time. The papers sensed a story, and Nikki made sure they got one. Discreetly, she managed to keep Shaun and Antonio away from the more aggressive reporters, while she encouraged Chase and Jake to do the talking.

She felt like a proud mama watching over her brood. Chase spoke to the reporter for the local television news. He was not only handsome, but confident and articulate. There was nothing the reporters could ask him that would trip him up. He was the real deal.

Jake entertained a writer from the
Trenton Times
. Jake was just as talented as Chase, but more adroit and personable. He knew how to evade a question, how to turn an insult into a joke, and wound up interviewing the reporter. Nikki was amazed at his dexterity. It was like a game to him; he fed the media what he wanted them to know and nothing more. And yet they felt they’d scored a scoop.

For the first time since she’d taken this position, Nikki began to feel a sense of confidence. The press releases she had submitted about the pranks were beginning to pay off. The Jersey papers loved the story and repeated it in every edition. And the multicolored clown wigs made for great video. Nikki couldn’t have predicted that every news station wanted to show the Sonics playing ball with sapphire-blue hair.

As she’d hoped, they enjoyed the joke. It also made the team seem human, and unafraid to have some fun. She juxtaposed that story with the hard work the Sonics were doing, showing clips of the extra batting practice, the base running, and the pitching. It was all very effective.

The team was finally getting on board. While they still weren’t crazy about the clean uniforms, the haircuts, and the new rules, they were beginning to reap the benefits of a new image.

And she felt she was finally beginning to be accepted. The attitude was starting to thaw, and she saw an occasional smile when she came onto the field. Pete, of course, was always friendly and supportive, but she was surprised when the pitching coach, Dick Dubell, went out of his way to introduce himself. When Brian asked her to join them for dinner to celebrate opening day, she was touched.

As the conference ended and the reporters filed out, she saw Jake laughing with Cody, and then slapping his back. When he turned and his eyes caught hers, a slow smile followed.

Nikki felt as if someone had just let the air out of the room. It was the first time she’d seen him in over a week, ten days since their night on the beach. She was hoping that the crush she had developed for him was gone, yet her heart was actually pounding as he made his way through the crowd to her. Squaring her shoulders, she held her clipboard before her like a shield.

“You did well,” she said briskly, glancing at her notes as if something of extreme importance distracted her. “With the press, I mean. You gave a good interview.”

Damn, she was stammering.
And she was hoping to come off totally cool, professional, to set the right tone.

They were just teammates.

Not pals.

Not buds.

Not
lovers.

“I aim to please.” The smug smile grew hotter as his eyes traveled over her navy suit, pumps, and chunky gold necklace. His gaze lifted and settled on her mouth. She could almost hear his thoughts. “Did anyone ever tell you that no one wears a suit like you do?”

Her breath stopped. Why, oh why did she find him so damn attractive? He was still in his baseball jersey, stained with grass from that slide he took in the eighth to steal second. His shoes were scuffed, and a brush burn showed on his arm. Yet she had to physically restrain herself from going to him, cleaning his wound, and then pressing a kiss on his elbow to make it all better, and then…

Forcing herself back to the business at hand, she glanced at her notes. “Glad we did so well today. Winning the home opener is huge. I’ll have to make sure all of the papers cover the story, get the excitement going. I got the schedule from Pete. We’re playing Florida until the weekend, and then we have a road trip to Texas—”

“Stop it.” Jake put a hand on the clipboard, effectively covering her paperwork. “I haven’t seen you in over a week. I don’t want to talk about the schedule.”

Her heart stopped. He was too close. Even if she closed her eyes, she would feel his physical presence just inches away from her. She could smell the scent of him, sweaty and male and entirely compelling. It made her imagine their bodies wrestling under the covers, all of that sweat going to good use.

She had to stop thinking like this.

As if her pulse wasn’t racing.

As if her mouth wasn’t suddenly dry.

As if she wasn’t fighting to keep from pulling him into her arms.

She forced herself to stand still and face him, as if he were just any player, and not the man she craved.

“I don’t know what you mean,” she said briskly, narrowing her eyes. “Just because we had one lousy dinner together—”

“Lousy?” He managed to give her that little-boy-lost look, and when he spoke, he sounded crushed. “Aww. Did you really think my picnic was lousy?”

She had to laugh. Damn him, but he had this uncanny knack of breaking through whatever wall she constructed.

“That’s not what I meant.” She shook her head, but she put down the clipboard in resignation. He was right. She couldn’t pretend that they hadn’t touched, hadn’t kissed, hadn’t…And that was the part that drove her crazy.

“That’s better.” He seemed to sense the change in her mood immediately and his smile deepened, grew warm and charming. “Listen, what are you doing later?”

“Brian already asked me.” She exhaled slowly, relieved to have a ready excuse. “He invited me to dinner with the team. Isn’t that great? I think they’re finally starting to understand what I’m doing here…”

“I was hoping you and I could spend some time alone together. There’s a nice little place I’ve been wanting to check out on the river. We could have dinner, and then take a little walk…Make out in the car…”

“It’s important for me to go,” Nikki said quickly. His invitation was too enticing, and the vision he painted made her pulse pound. She bit her lip and saw his eyes settle there, which made her even more jittery.

“I’m trying to build a relationship with the players,” she managed. “And this is the first time they’ve extended any kind of friendship toward me. Maybe in a social setting, they can start to get to know me and see that I’m not the enemy.”

“No, that you’re not.” There was something in his eyes that made her think he was going to prove that she wasn’t. She was thankful when before he could say anything else, Jeffrey approached. Reluctantly, Jake stepped backward, allowing Nikki to once more draw breath.

“I think that was the most successful press conference we’ve ever had,” Jeffrey said heartily. “You’re doing a helluva job. Pete and I want to go over some road strategy with you.” His glance switched to Jake and his eyebrows lifted. “You need something?”

Jake’s gaze caught Nikki’s and his eyes were full of meaning. “I’ll catch you later.” As he walked away, she realized her legs felt like Jell-O.

Fortunately, Jeffrey didn’t seem to notice.