Page 16 of Single Glance

When we demolished the last couple of bites, Ollie’s phone rang. “The guys are almost done with press and showers. We should get going.”

“Where?” I asked, my mouth still stuffed with dough.

“The friends and family area,” she said. “Man, Cam needs to give you the tour before the next game.”

“You’re telling me,” I muttered as I climbed to my feet, tossing our trash in the garbage before following Ollie. She grasped my hand as we went straight toward the elevators. She showed them our badges, which, luckily, the attendant had given me before the game started. I hadn’t asked what it was for, but apparently, select friends andfamily got them so they could wait for the team outside the locker rooms.

As we climbed off the elevators, Ollie burst into the crowd, jumping into the arms of one of the waiting players. He didn’t even flinch as she launched herself, catching her with a practiced ease. I recognized Parker from the image on the big screen earlier. Now that he was off the field, he was wearing glasses that made him look like a blond version of Superman. He held Ollie tight for a long moment, then pulled back.

He placed her back on the ground but stayed close. “What did you think, Oleander?”

“I loved it!” she squeaked. She turned around, finding me waiting behind her. “And I met a new friend. This is Hadley. She came with Cam.”

“Nice to meet you,” Parker said as he extended his hand. “He’ll be right out. Coach just wanted a word with him.”

I nodded, too distracted by the rest of the group to listen to his words. Excitement radiated through everyone in the crowd, an intoxicating mix of pride and relief. It was exactly how I felt, and suddenly, I was beyond excited to see Cam.

When he came out of the locker room only moments later, it took everything in me to stay in place, to not launch myself into his arms like Ollie had done with Parker. We were friends. At least, sort of. And friends hugged during moments like this, didn’t they?

As I overanalyzed my next move, Cam stepped closer to me, his eyes almost glassy with happiness. “Hey, menace,” he said as he pulled me into a hug without pause. I relaxed in his arms before placing my own around his waist. My head rested against his chest for a beat, taking in the subtle scent that wouldalways belong to Cam.

I cleared my throat, then shifted away from him. “Good game, sarge. You killed it out there.”

“I did alright,” he said. “Gotta say, never thought I’d see you cheering for me in the stands.”

“You invited me,” I bit out, embarrassed by my enthusiasm. My cheeks flooded with heat, and all I wanted was for it to fade away before Cam noticed.

Cam shook his head. “Didn’t say it was a bad thing, Hadley. I liked seeing you up there.”

“You did?” I asked, my mouth dropping open at the insinuation.

He shook his head, taking my hand and leading me through the crowd. I looked down at our joined palms. Why did this seem so natural? After everything we’d been through, Cam should be the last person whose hand I held.

So why didn’t I want to let go?

THIRTEEN

The drive back to the house was drastically different from our ride out to the stadium. Hadley animatedly asked me everything about the game, wanting to understand every single play. It made me smile, knowing she not only enjoyed herself but was getting invested in baseball.

Victoria was the same way, taking in each game and always wanting to debrief afterward. But Hadley brought her usual spark to the conversation, and it made me smile. I used to pray Hadley had an off-switch, that she’d keep quiet for five seconds, but when she’d gone quiet on me during the ride out to the stadium, I hated it.

Hadley’s fire brought out my own, making me even more proud of the game I played. It was a close one. We’d given up a few too many runs, and there were a couple of plays that should’ve gone smoother, but we were starting the weekend off on a good note, and that was all I wanted.

The majors had been my dream for so long. I still had to pinch myself every time I walked out onto the field. But now that I was starting to make a name for myself, it was even better. When the announcer called my name andI walked out onto the field with thousands of fans shouting my name? That was a highlight of my life. There was no better feeling than the fans’ support.

At least, until I found Hadley in the stands, screaming for me. I usually tried to ignore the crowd, knowing it would only add to the mounting pressure resting on my shoulders. Yet, every time I took my position, my eyes instantly found her.

She looked like she was having the time of her life, even making friends with the other family members cheering us on. Not that it surprised me—no one was immune to Hadley’s charms.

Apparently, not even me.

“And that last catch?” Hadley said. “Pure fucking magic, Cam. I didn’t even see the ball! How the hell did you do that?”

“Practice,” I smirked. “It’s a lot of muscle memory. That, and the coaches make us do drills all day.”

She rolled her eyes. “This whole humble thing doesn’t work for you, Cam. You were incredible on that field. Own that shit.”

“Own that shit?” I shook my head. “Always poetry out of your mouth, menace.”

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