Page 77 of Stolen Bases

“Does that mean you’re putting yourself on the market? Is the search for your leading lady finally on?”

“Who are you? Mom?”

See what I mean? Cagey.

“Ha! You’re lucky Mom hasn’t set your ass up with one of her friend’s daughters yet. You know those old ladies in her book club are chomping at the bit to set you up.”

“I can find my own dates. I’m just busy right now. Things are … complicated.”

Considering Eli’s tendency to keep things to himself, his admission that things are complicated makes me suspect something else is going on. Maybe it really is about a woman. When he’s ready to talk, he will. All I can do is wait for him to open up.

“Heard. I need your help.”

“Finally. We get to the point of the call.”

“Fuck off. I sometimes call you for no reason.” I can hear Eli narrow his eyes through the line. He stays quiet, waiting for me to continue. “You’re an asshole.”

Eli chuckles. “It’s genetic.”

“Har-har. I need to send a gift somewhere, but I don’t have the address. Can you find it for me?”

“An address? For whom?”

I hesitate. There aren’t many people I can ask who are discreet. My agent, Charles, would kill me if he knew I was seeing Romero’s sister. That man is the best agent in town, but he would rip me a new asshole if I jeopardized my career.

“Just say it.” Eli sighs. He knows who.

Looking around the locker room, I see only a few people have trickled in after lunch, but I don’t take a chance. “I need her address. She lives with his mom.”

“I love how you listened and stayed away from her.”

“Her name is Talia, and she’s…” Amazing. Smart. Funny. Drop-dead fucking gorgeous. She’s everything. Everything I want and shouldn’t. I know I’m poking the hornet’s nest. I’m not an idiot.

“Yeah, yeah. I get it. Just don’t make me say I told you so.”

“What’s the price?” I ask, ignoring the sense of foreboding Eli has shaken loose inside me.

“Two favors.”

“Two,” I shout.

“The first for keeping your secret, you dumb fuck. The second for the address.”

“How many do I own you now?”Please don’t be double digits.

“Do you really want to know?”

“Hit me with it.” It can’t be that bad. When was the last time I asked for a favor? A year?

“Eight.”

“Eight?”

He has to be fucking with me.

“Eight. Your secret, the address, Christmas shopping, which I had to pay my assistant extra to help me with. Dez was not happy, by the way. Mom and Dad’s anniversary party, Jace and Rylann’s wedding present, and Mason and Emery’s wedding present. Oh, and let’s not forget the one-night stand predicament and your birthday party two years ago. Which should be worth more, but since it was your birthday, I gave you a discount.”

Fuck. I forgot about the one-night and my birthday. I shiver, shoving those memories away. “Can’t I just pay you?”

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