Page 8 of Embers in the Outfield

I watch her, fascinated by her beauty. Despite a decade since meeting her, she still carries the attention of everyone in a room. She turns heads whenever she moves through a space, her beauty overwhelming at times. I can’t say my blood doesn’t boil each time someone stares a little too long, but I push those feelings aside whenever I open my mouth. I don’t know what lifewith Kennedy is like without making a comment that seems to get under her skin.

For the first few years, having this banter with Kennedy rolled off the tongue. I was good at keeping myself irritated whenever she was around, but since Ashton and Sammie have been engaged and I have had to see her more often, I’m starting to crave these interactions. I have noticed I want to see her, and I want to get a rise out of her. She’s strong, confident, and smart. She’s the whole package, but it’s too bad she hates my guts.

“Earth to River.” She pulls me from my thoughts, and I think I was just caught staring at her.

“Take a photo. It will last longer,” she scolds, then goes back to swiping the lipstick across her lips. Her soft, pillowy lips. Snap out of it, River!

Fuck, I think I'm digging myself a deeper hold here, whatever these feelings are that are creeping up with Kennedy. Unfortunately, I can’t explore it because I can tell I’m alone in this emotional spiral that’s taking place. I’m starting to feel a pull toward her, and she’s still dowsing herself in River repellant.

“So how much longer? You know I’m scared of your best friend, and I’d like to live to see another day,” I tell her, hoping I’m covering up my feelings well with my response. I can’t come off as too nice, or she’ll sniff this out of me and realize my feelings are shifting when it comes to her.

“I can be ready in a few minutes. Let me just pull the curler out.” She begins pulling the hair ties out from the bottom of the weird hair contraption and unravels the hair. Soon enough, her long, blonde locks are on full display, and now my thoughts are deviating to imagining my hand grabbing said hair and holding it back as I fuck her mouth.

Damn it. I can feel myself stiffen behind my zipper. It’s going to be a long night.

* * *

I’m seated across from Kennedy at the table, the dinner full of laughter and memories being thrown about our favorite times with the bride and groom.

I look over at Ashton, and he’s looking my way, a pensive expression on his face. I lift my whiskey in salute, and he does the same, taking a sip and moving his gaze across the table. I wonder if he’s noticing the way I can’t keep my eyes off Kennedy for long throughout this dinner. I better figure out how to get this attraction under control.

Things were done in a different order than usual with Sam and Ash. The rehearsal dinner took place last night with everyone in the wedding and close family members that came out early to begin the festivities, but tonight is simply a celebration between the bride, groom, and wedding party. All of us have known each other for years, and it’s been nice to catch up. I let my gaze wander across from me for the hundredth time tonight.

“Dude, you’re being fucking obvious,” my brother whispers next to me. I look at him and try to hide my annoyance.

It’s hard to keep things from Clay. He noticed something was off with me when it came to Kennedy a few months back, and I confided in him, telling him how my feelings were shifting, yet I was alone in this turn of events.

Clay is usually the romantic between the two of us, but he’s recently divorced, and this change in marital status has sort of hardened his heart. Abby, his ex, is the love of his life. I can’t even say it in the past tense because she remains his heart and soul.

Their love was the strongest I’d seen until it wasn’t. Seeing her leave and watching him crumble has been one of the hardest things I’ve faced since our father passed away. His pain is mine, and I hope he can start looking forward instead of hoping thingswill work themselves out with Abby. She’s pulled away from all of us, not even attending the wedding. I understand she’s in a lot of pain from all the heartache she has had to endure, but my brother lived through the same pain, and he’s here.

“I’m trying, man. It’s just not that easy when the feelings are getting stronger. I mean, look at her.” I jut my chin in Kennedy’s direction. She’s consumed in a conversation with Jessa, her college friend. They’re both laughing, and I can see the tears forming from whatever stroll through memory lane they’re going through.

Soon, we hear the clinking of metal and glass, pulling our attention to the head of the table. Ashton and Samara stand up, their smiles genuine.

“We thought we’d take a moment to say thank you all for being here, not only tonight, not only for this amazing weekend we’ve been planning for months, but simply being the friends that walk through the fire with us. We are so incredibly grateful for the love and support through the years. Most of all,” he looks over at his bride, “we’re sitting here and realizing we couldn’t have asked for better friends to call our family. As you know, I did not grow up with the best of people to call parents. When I met Sam, I didn’t just gain a partner, but I gained a family in her parents. And we’ve gotten our found family in all of you. Thank you for putting your lives on hold to be here with us. We know things are busy for everyone, but having you here is really filling our cup. We love you all!”

I see tears coming down slowly from Sam’s face, and they raise their glasses and cheers. We all hoop and holler, taking our drinks and clinking them with those around us. I’m next to the couple of the hour and clink my glass to Samara’s. That’s when I realize she’s got water in her glass and not the trademark champagne everyone was given.

Kennedy’s gaze has shifted, and by the look on her face across from me, she’s connecting the same dots as me. We both look over at Samara and Ashton, who are smiling from ear to ear. When they take note of both of our faces, their smiles drop, and Sam looks like her eyes are going to pop out of her face.

“Sammie, I need to use the restroom. Please join me.” Kennedy doesn’t wait for an answer and throws her napkin down and pulls her best friend to follow her out to restroom.

Ashton takes the seat next to me and whispers, “Please don’t tell anyone. We just found out. That’s why Sam’s been acting so agitated lately. I guess the hormones are not quite making her glow in the way people describe. She’s sort of glowing like the devil holding his pitchfork in hell.”

I snort at his comparison, and he shudders. “Seriously, dude, don’t say a word,” Ashton says right as my brother puts a twenty in my pocket.

“Fucker, how did you know?” That’s coming from Clay, irritation marring his features.

“I don’t know. I just threw it out there, mostly as a joke.” I shrug. I honestly had no idea. I just made a joke last night when we were having drinks together.

“Shit, you knew?” Ashton says, his face paling. “Do you think other people know?” He’s looking around the table, and everyone is already at least two drinks in, if not more.

“Naw, I don’t think so. No one has said anything. I was just throwing theories out last night with Clay and guessed it as a possibility. He thought I was crazy to think it, so we made a friendly wager on it.”

“So you guessed I was going to be a dad and thought instead of asking, you would make a buck off me instead?” As much as Ash wants to act pissed, it’s not possible. You’d never guess this guy lived with insensitive parents the way his heart soars for others. I think he put a lot of effort into being his parents’ exactopposite, but whatever the reason, he really is a good person through and through.

“Why not? I mean, times are tough. May as well make some money when I can,” I tease, taking another sip of my drink.

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