Page 18 of Embers in the Outfield

A smile spreads across my face, and it catches Sammie’s attention. “What’s that smile for?”

Something is unsettling about the way she’s looking at me. I try to temper whatever is going through my mind to keep this little game I’m playing with Kennedy from being discovered.

I know Sammie, and she can sniff anything out of us. Shit, the moment I knew Ashton was going to propose, I didn’t answer her call for a week. Turns out that was enough to set off the alarm bells for her, and she knew something was up.

“Just someone I hooked up with wants to hang out later.” There, she won’t ask too many questions.

“Oh really? Do tell.” She gives me a Cheshire cat smile and looks over to her husband.

Well, shit. Now I need to make something up and hopefully stop this from going further.

“Um, not much to tell. It really was just a hookup. Nothing special. We fucked around last night, and I barely slept.” The horrified look on Samara’s face, along with Ashton looking pleased I got some, spurs me on to keep rambling. “I better get more coffee and go pack my stuff. Clothes were thrown across the room, and we?—”

“Please stop!” Samara pleads as she puts her hands up, and Ash laughs. “Dude, we get it.” Okay, so maybe I was a bit too descriptive. But it seems my plan worked, and I got them off the scent that something happened between Kennedy and me. I have no clue why I panic thinking she would assume the woman in question would be Kennedy but I’m a panicked state so my mind is in a state right now.

I look at Sam, and she has a pinched look on her face.

“Listen, I think my work here is done.” I move toward my friends, giving them hugs and wishing them well on their trip.

“Oh, and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

I wink over my shoulder, chuckling as I hear my best friend yell, “The list is endless then!” At that, I hear a smack across what I assume is his shoulder courtesy of his new bride.

The moment I get to my floor, I take my steps a little faster than I would normally, hoping to catch Kennedy before she checks out of her room. I was going to follow her right as she left the table earlier, but I didn’t want to come off as too eager. I look down at my watch to see she left nearly forty-five minutes ago. Shit, time flew.

But when I turn the corner, I’m greeted by housekeeping, Kennedy’s hotel room ajar, and the employee vacuuming the room.

I can’t hide my disappointment as I scan my room key and walk myself into my room. I don’t know what I was expecting between Kennedy and me, but a part of me feels an emptiness that I was never expecting.

Whatever happened in the last twelve hours between us has left a lot of unknowns circling around my head, and the unease that settles in me at the thought that I won’t get to explore this further with her is pushing the disappointment deeper.

I had called for them to fix something in my room while I was downstairs getting breakfast and housekeeping must have fixed up my bed unexpectedly. I move along my hotel room, gathering my toiletries and a few scattered items I need to throw in my duffle bag, when I hear a knock on my door.

For a second, I hope it’s Kennedy waiting for me on the other side, but then my brother’s booming voice carries over, and I quickly realize whatever line I crossed with Kennedy last night was much like a footprint in the sand. With this new day, a fresh layer of sand has been smoothed out, and I have to let the possibility go that the two of us could be more than enemies.

I open the door, and my brother’s gaze is full of mischief.

“You lucky dog. Who was she? Where did you find her? The hotel bar?” Fuck, news travels fast. Damn Ash and his big mouth. He must have texted my brother right when I left the table.

My brother uses that twin instinct and eyes me a moment longer. “Unless you left out the detail that you were with a leggy blonde who seems to push all your buttons. Is that it, brother? Did said blonde push all the right buttons last night?”

I try to slam the door in his face and walk away, but the fucker kicks his foot out to stop it from closing. I can’t lie and say my brother’s attitude is truly upsetting me. Since Abby left last year, he has been a shell of himself. But in the last few weeks, I’ve seen him come alive again, and I feel like I’m getting my brother back.

“You better be careful not to hurt yourself. Chief Daniels will be pissed if you’re out due to a foot injury.”

“Oh, please. Chief and I go way back. He loves me. He said I’m his favorite,” my brother says as he walks into my room.

“We’ve known him the same amount of time. He was Dad’s best friend, and I think he is still pissed at you for making a pass at his daughter sophomore year,” I retort, rolling my eyes.

I grab my duffle and swing it over my shoulder, hoping the hookup he was inquiring about has passed.

“That’s been long forgotten. He loves me now.” My brother puffs out his chest like he’s the biggest and best between us.

“Keep telling yourself that.” I roll my eyes and walk out the hotel room door, my brother trailing me.

“Don’t think I’m going to forget that look regarding this ‘mystery woman’ you hooked up with.” He winks. “I don’t forget things that easily.” He taps his index finger to his temple, as if I need reminding. My brother and I have that twin thing where we can nearly read each other’s minds, and he will not let this go.

I grab my bags, swinging my gaze around the room to make sure I didn’t forget anything. When I turn back to look at Clay, he’s got a pensive expression lining his features.

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