Short Stop to Love

by A. M. Williams

  She nodded and made her way into the kitchen while he gathered his clothes. She filled two glasses, placing one on the counter for him while greedily drinking the second one herself. She moved into the living room, settling onto the couch with Jeremy following behind.

  “Glad to be back?” she asked.

  “You have no idea, though that means regular season play is about to start up, which means a lot of days filled with baseball.”

  Keri nodded. She had looked over the schedule the week before and noticed how many days were filled with baseball games. He would be constantly on the move which meant it would be difficult to make sure they had time to see each other.

  “I looked at the schedule. Seems like a lot of traveling.”

  Jeremy nodded. “Yeah, it is.”

  He gave her a trepidatious look.

  “I was wondering…” he said. “Well, hoping, that you’d be willing to work with my publicist on some dates for us. I don’t want to micromanage our time, but she’s going to be the most up to date with my appearances. If we go through her, then it’ll be easier to ensure we can see each other.”

  Keri breathed a sigh of relief. While he took it to the extreme, asking her to work with his publicist, she was glad they were on the same page.

  “Is that the best way to see each other?” she asked, a little skeptical about working with Allison.

  “If you think of another way, tell me. I want this to be as easy as possible.”

  He moved closer to her and brushed his fingers lightly across her neck. “I want to make sure we see each other during the regular season.”

  Keri nodded. “Ok, let me know how to reach her.”

  “I’ll send you her email and phone number and let her know to coordinate my days off with you,” he said, playing with her hair. “If you’re okay with it, I’d also like you to attend some charity dinners with me.”

  “Charity dinners?” she asked, paling at the thought of not fitting in.

  Jeremy nodded. “Yes, I go to a handful during the season to bring more attention to the organization. It won’t be more than a couple a month most likely, usually less since playing is our main focus. I’d like you to attend a few with me.”

  Keri thought it over. She wasn’t thrilled at the idea of attending these events and feeling out of place, but if it meant she got to see Jeremy more often.

  She nodded.

  Jeremy beamed at her. “Great! I’ll make sure you have enough notice to go shopping and I’ll cover the cost of anything for these events.”

  “You don’t have to pay for it—”

  Jeremy cut her off and grasped her hand in his. “I know, but I want to. I know how quickly it can add up and I don’t want you to worry about paying for it.”

  Keri sighed. “Ok, but don’t expect me to spend a lot of money!”

  Jeremy chuckled.

  “I wouldn’t expect anything less from you,” he assured her.

  “Are you hungry?”

  His stomach growled in response.

  “Hold on, I ordered some food earlier. I’ve got it warming in the oven.”

  She hurried into the kitchen, pulling two plates out of the cabinet before turning to the oven. She dished out the casserole she bought earlier and carefully carried everything into the living room, placing it on the coffee table before going back into the kitchen to refill their water glasses and get ketchup.

  “Now that you’re back, what does your schedule look like?” Keri asked.

  “A lot of interviews and press conferences.”

  “How many is a lot?”

  “I have an interview circuit planned later in the week. I’ll probably have about six that day. I might be wrong though.”

  “Six? In one day?”

  “Yeah. They’ll be almost in one go too. The stadium has a press room we can use for interviews. So, I’ll stay in place. Any taking place face-to-face will be there. The video conferenced ones will be in a different part of the stadium.”

  “Wow, that’s so…fancy.”

  “Yeah, I guess so. It gets old after a while. I’ll be asked the same questions each time. What does the season look like, what do I think my chances are for an All-Star bid, how do I feel about the season, etc. I’ll probably be asked about other players and teams. I might be asked about you.”

  “Me?”

  “Yeah. It depends on the interviewer. ESPN won’t ask, but a local channel might.”

  “Oh, I didn’t think about that. What will you say?”

  “What do you want me to say?”

  “Well, they still don’t know who I am.”

  “Right, they don’t.”

  “So you couldn’t say much.”

  Jeremy nodded.

  She suggested something surprising. “What do you think about going to breakfast tomorrow morning? Together, at a little cafe in Pike’s Place.”

  Jeremy gave her a hard look.

  “Are you sure?” he asked. “It’s almost guaranteed someone will report we’re there. Once it’s out there, it’s out there.”

  Keri nodded. “Yes, I’m sure. Of course, I’d love to wait so we can enjoy being together. But, I think the quicker we…come out, so to speak, the easier it will be for us.”

  Jeremy sighed. “Let me give Allison a heads up so she can pre-draft a release.”

  She watched as he moved from the room, already pressing the phone to his ear. Keri cleared up their dinner trash, placing everything away and moving into her bedroom, already thinking of their planned breakfast the next day. If they were going to be photographed, she needed to look good. She didn’t want her first official photo to be without makeup and a rat’s nest for hair.

  “What did she say?” Keri asked when Jeremy rejoined her, pausing from picking out clothes.

  “She thinks pre-emptive is the way to go. She’ll send a draft later.”

  “What do you think?” she asked Jeremy, indicating the clothes she picked.

  “I think you’re beautiful,” he said as he slipped his arms around her waist and pressed a kiss to her neck.

  She giggled as his breath tickled her and she moved away. “About the outfit!”

  He chuckled as he let her go, moving so he could see what she laid out. “I think it looks nice.”

  “I want to make sure I look good tomorrow, just in case we end up being photographed.”

  “Just know, you’ll look amazing in whatever you decide to wear.”

  “You’re so sweet,” she said as she moved to hang her clothing back up.

  “Only because I’m with you,” he said, pulling her into his arms.

  Keri laughed. “You are so cheesy.”

  “Maybe, but I think you like it.”

  She tilted her head and gave him a mischievous look. “Maybe…”

  Jeremy leaned in and kissed her lips. “What do you say we continue this over there?” he asked, slowly moving her closer.

  Keri felt her knees hit the bed. She laughed as he pushed her back, following her down. The rest of the evening passed in a haze of whispers, soft kisses, tender caresses, and lusty moans.

  When Keri woke up the next morning, she felt refreshed, even if she was also hot. Jeremy’s arm wrapped around her waist and held her to him. She smiled to herself as she reveled in being in his arms again. She sighed in happiness as she checked the time. She grimaced. They needed to get up and get breakfast. Jeremy had to be at the stadium by noon for a planned press conference.

  She carefully extracted herself from his arms and padded into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. She piled her hair on her head, not wanting to waste the time washing it. After quickly showering, she stepped out and dried herself before wrapping the towel around her body.

  She cracked the door and peeked out to see that Jeremy was still sprawled on the bed. Leaving the door cracked, she turned back to the mirror and worked on getting herself ready. Fifteen minutes later, she was pulling underwear out of a drawer and smiled when two arms
moved around her waist.

  “Good morning.”

  “Morning,” Jeremy said in a gravelly voice still leaden with sleep. “I didn’t like waking up with you not beside me.”

  “I didn’t like having to leave you,” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck and threading her fingers through his hair. “But, I needed to get ready. I know you need to be at the field soon.”

  Jeremy looked over his shoulder and sighed. “You’re right. Let me shower and we can head out.”

  He kissed her before releasing her and going into the bathroom. She heard the water in the shower turn on, so she turned back to dressing. In no time, stood in front of the full-sized mirror and checked how she looked.

  “You look wonderful,” Jeremy said.

  She turned to see Jeremy standing just inside her bedroom with a towel wrapped around his waist.

  She blushed. “Thanks.”

  He walked to her, pressing a light kiss to her cheek before moving to a small duffel she hadn’t noticed earlier. She cocked a brow as she watched him rifle through it.

  “Where did that come from?” she asked.

  “I had Jacob drop it off last night after you fell asleep.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Must be nice to have people at your beck and call.”

  He chuckled as he started to get dressed. Soon they walked hand in hand down the sidewalk, enjoying the unseasonably warm weather and sunny day. Holding Jeremy’s hand and going to lunch was so normal and Keri wanted to enjoy it. She didn’t know if they’d get many moments like this.

  They stopped at a little cafe that boasted all-day breakfast as well as a nice brunch. Though it wasn’t quite time for brunch, Keri already knew she’d order a mimosa. She needed the liquid courage to deal with any paparazzi that might show up later.

  Once they walked in, they were quickly shown a table near the windows. It couldn’t have been better orchestrated if they’d planned it. The table had a clear view of the street, which meant that there was a clear view of them. Their waitress came over, placing a pitcher of mimosas on the table while she took their order.

  Jeremy poured her a glass and clinked his water glass with hers before they took a sip. She giggled as the fizzy bubbles hit her nose. They talked about his upcoming press conference while they waited for their food. As they were talking, she noticed Jeremy’s eyes slide to the window, making Keri also glance that way. She noticed two photographers outside, eyeing the pair as they set their cameras up.

  “Hey, ignore them,” Jeremy told her, placing his hand over hers. “We’re going to enjoy our breakfast and deal with everything else once it happens.”

  Keri took a deep breath and slowly blew it out. “You’re right, I’m just nervous about when we leave.”

  Jeremy nodded in understanding. “Don’t worry, I’ve already texted Jacob and we’ll go out the front so they can get their photos before we get into the waiting SUV. We should be able to get to your apartment with little issue.”

  Keri nodded, but paused in saying anything as the waitress returned with their food. Once she left, they dug in and Keri pushed thoughts of the lurking paps from her mind. By the time they finished eating and were getting ready to leave, Keri felt a little better about facing the scrutiny.

  “Ready?” Jeremy asked as he helped her stand.

  “No, but let’s do it.”

  He pressed a kiss to her forehead before taking her hand and leading her through the restaurant. By this time, there were a dozen or more photographers waiting outside. They were drawing the other diner’s attention and Keri felt self-conscious. She hoped she didn’t look sick.

  Jeremy pushed through the door and the sound of clicking cameras and shouted questions greeted them. It was loud as the photographers fired off questions.

  “Who is she?”

  “Are you a couple?”

  “How long have you been seeing one another?”

  “Is it serious?”

  A burly suited man stepped in front of Jeremy, helping to clear a path to the SUV. The lights from the flashes were getting to her, dots dancing in front of her eyes. She wished for sunglasses.

  Jeremy pushed her into the back of the SUV and slid in behind her. As Jacob pulled away from the frenzy, Keri took stock. Her heart was pounding and she was panting from the adrenaline still coursing through her veins.

  “Is it always like that?” she asked, looking at Jeremy.

  “Yes and no. They’re like that when there’s a story to break. Once your newness wears off, they’ll back off.”

  Keri nodded and they finished the ride in silence. Jacob pulled to a stop in front of Keri’s building. She turned to face Jeremy.

  “I’m glad I got to see you last night and this morning.”

  “Me too,” he said, opening his door and sliding out. He held his hand out to her, “I’ll walk you up.”

  She slid across the seat and took his proffered hand, holding tightly to it as she opened the front door and led him up the stairs to her door.

  “I’ll talk to you later?” she asked.

  Jeremy nodded. “I’ll call once I’m finished at the clubhouse. Allison should be emailing you later as well. She has some events and free dates to run by you.”

  With a light kiss on the lips and a few more murmured words, Jeremy strolled back outside and Keri stepped into her apartment. She tossed her things to the side and pulled her tablet to her. There weren’t any photos yet, but she knew it was only a matter of time before it pinged to let her know photos were out.

  To pass the time, she turned the TV on, flipping to a home-improvement show. She then made her way into the kitchen, turning the oven on to pre-heat. When she was worried or stressed, she usually did one of a three things: cleaned, cooked, or baked. Sometimes she would do all three. Today felt like a baking day. She looked through her ingredients and saw that she could make a chocolate cake and a pound cake.

  Thirty minutes later, there were two round cake pans baking in the oven while she worked on cleaning her mixing bowl and beaters so she could get started on the pound cake. Two hours later, she sat on the couch with a small glass of white wine while she waited for both cakes to cool. She pulled her tablet back to her and noticed a few text messages from Joann and others.

  Joann: You’re famous.

  Lisa: Nice photo you look super hot.

  Joann: Here’s the link. It’s flattering. Still don’t know who you are though.

  Joann: Also, a pitcher of mimosas? Are you sauced?

  She read Joann’s texts first and they contained what she anticipated: information about the articles that hit the news waves earlier. She smiled at Lisa’s text then found the article in question. She took a deep breath and looked at it.

  Batting for Love? Seattle Shortstop Spotted with Brunette Beauty

  Earlier today, Jeremy Glass, superstar shortstop from Seattle, was spotted leaving a Pike’s Place Market cafe with the unidentified brunette from several weeks ago. It looks like he’s batting for love, hoping to make a connection with the beauty over mimosas and pancakes. Who is this woman and what has she done to captivate the, until now, confirmed bachelor?

  Glass has always been photographed by himself, with family, or his personal security. There are no pictures of him with any dates. So, this is a first for the millionaire ballplayer. We are still on the hunt for more information about the knockout on his arm. If you have information, don’t hesitate to let us know. We all want to know who’s stolen the shortstop’s heart.

  Keri breathed a sigh of relief as she finished the news story. The accompanying pictures weren’t bad either. A shot of them at the table holding hands and smiling at each other and another as they walked out the door were the main focus. She looked nice in all of them, which pleased her immensely. She never thought she was particularly vain, but she definitely didn’t want to look bad in pictures with Jeremy since he looked good with very little effort.

  She flipped through several other articles, discoveri
ng that they all said very similar things. She wondered how long it would take for them to figure out who she was and start hounding her. She wanted to be left alone, but that would definitely not happen.

  Turning everything off, Keri moved into her bedroom, collapsing on her bed. Her phone rang, making her roll over to answer it before it went to voicemail. She smiled when she saw it was Jeremy.

  “Hey you,” she said.

  “Hey. Have you seen the articles?”

  “Yeah, I flipped through a few. I was surprised with how nice they were.”

  “So was I. They haven’t figured out who you are yet. Allison has a release drafted that confirms we’re dating. But she wants to wait to release it in the hope they won’t figure out who you are just yet. Do you have a preference?”

  Keri thought about it. Part of her thought they should anticipate, but whatever would allow her to keep her anonymity a little longer would be lovely.

  “I think we should hold off. Make them work for it.”

  “That was our thought also. I’ll let her know. Now, what was the rest of your day like?”

  They spent the next thirty minutes chatting before saying goodbye. She sighed as she stood up, returning to the kitchen to frost her chocolate cake. In no time at all, she was placing both cakes into containers to keep them safe and going back into her room.

  After going through her short nighttime routine, she slid into her bed, already thinking of the next day and work. As she fell asleep, she found herself dreaming of Jeremy and the future they could have together.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Jeremy

  “Mr. Glass, what are your thoughts on this upcoming season?”

  “Do you like your prospects for the All-Star Game?”

  “How does the season look to be shaping up for a bid to the World Series?”

  “Can you comment on the woman you’ve been pictured with recently?”

  “Is it true that you’re finally off the market?”

  Jeremy sighed as he stepped down from the stage, mentally reviewing the press conference. Along with other starters, he was asked to complete a press conference that previewed their stats before they were asked some questions about the upcoming season. While he might have enjoyed something like this at the start of his career, it was now just another in a long string of events that he didn’t want to do.