Page 7 of Single Glance

“Beforedinner?”

Tori rolled her eyes and tossed my couch pillow at my head. “Normally, he wouldn’t, but Adam’s leaving to meet with some studio executives for a week, so he wanted to get some time in with her.”

“Good man,” I said. “How’s he treating you? Still a romance hero brought to life?”

I loved to tease Victoria about her love life, but inside, I felt a little jealous. No one deserved a great love like my best friend. She was all heart and deserved someone who treated her like a queen. Luckily, Adam fit the bill. When they first connected, I supported it, thinking Victoria needed a fling to move on from her ex. Instead, they fellin love, and while I was so happy for their little family, it put a pin in a lot of our plans.

For years, Victoria and I talked about opening our own daycare. With my teaching license and her business mind, I was sure we’d be successful. I’d imagined the centers we’d create, finding a balance between affordability and quality care. Growing up, there weren’t a lot of options for childcare. Most of my neighbors relied on each other to watch their kids when they had to work. It was a system that worked, but it wasn’t the best for the kids. They were missing out on opportunities to socialize, to learn new skills, all things their more affluent peers took for granted. I wanted to help bridge that gap, and I thought Victoria felt the same way.

At least, until she moved up here with Adam.

“He is,” Victoria said, her cheeks filling with color. “But that’s not what I’m here to talk to you about. I need you to come up to the main house. We’re celebrating Cam’s first day on his new team, and we want you there.”

I rolled my eyes. No, thank you. Celebrating the golden boy was not how I wanted to spend my evening. “I think I’ll pass. Plus, he’s been on the team for weeks. Isn’t that why he was down in Florida for spring training?”

“Technically, yes, but that was the farm team. Now, he’s on the major league team. It’s a really big deal...” She stood and tugged me up from the couch. “C’mon. It’ll be more fun with you there. Besides, what other plans do you have? Watchingthe Real Housewives of Beverly Hillsand pondering why so many guys use fish as props on their dating profiles?”

“First, rude. And second, you’re wrong. I’ll be watchingthe Real Housewives of Salt Lake City.” She definitely had me on the fish thing, though. Whatwas that about?

“Aren’t they the same thing?”

I gasped, pulling my hand to my chest. “The fact that you even asked that makes me question our friendship.”

“Get over it,” Tori chuckled as she pulled me toward the door. “You’re stuck with me for good.”

Just the way I wanted it.

SIX

I was drained by the time I pulled into Victoria’s driveway. If I thought playing in the minors was taxing, I was a damn fool. The majors paid better, but the pressure increased tenfold, especially on our home turf. The raised stakes affected every player on the field, especially me. I only played one inning because it was a tight game. The team from Atlanta came to defend their standing, and the veteran guys defended their positions. But at the end of the fifth inning, they needed a break, so Benny called in. Outfield was new to me—I’d been a shortstop my entire career, but those spots were filled. So instead, I stood out in the right field, catching any fly balls careening my way.

I might have only gotten to play in one inning, but I made it count. I caught a fly ball and assisted in a double play that ended their run. That, tied with the couple of lead-ins I’d batted, my first game in the majors had gone pretty well.

The outfield and batting coach seemed happy with my performance. Gray might have been the pitching coach, but he’d come over to congratulate me on a good game. The onewild card? Our manager. Benny Weber’s quiet, stern demeanor was notorious throughout the league. He played his cards close to his vest, at least until he got pissed. Stories still floated around from when he played for the Boston team, getting tossed out of a couple of games for arguing with the umpires.

Shit, this was going to be a long season. We still had over 100 games to play, and I was already exhausted. Muscles I didn’t even know I had ached, and all I wanted was a long shower and to sleep for the next twenty-four hours.

As I drove down the long driveway, I stared at the old farmhouse, barely recognizing it with the exterior almost finished. When Victoria and Adam purchased the house last year, I was one of the first ones to come tour the property. I said nothing to them, but inside, I had doubts. They had a lot of work ahead of them, and while Adam had deep pockets, they could’ve been buying a money pit.

But somehow, they’d turned that dilapidated old farmhouse into their dream home, a place that would suit their family for many years to come.

I loved all the work they’d put into it, but my favorite part was the wrap-around porch. It went all the way to the back of the house, showcasing the valley and lake below. It was something out of a postcard. The whole place was calming, making you leave your worries at the door. My stress was already fading.

I pulled my truck next to Adam’s SUV and noticed a third car parked there. The beat-up teal sedan was familiar, especially when I saw the cluttered back seat. No one else would drive a car with that obnoxious color and have that much crap left inside.

“Hadley,” I muttered under my breath.

Hadley was the last person I wanted to see after a long day. What the hell was she even doing here?

Last I’d heard, she wanted to travel across the country, planning on visiting all fifty states before she settled down. It tracked for her. Hadley was always a bit of a wildcard. Even though we’d stopped spending time together after Victoria dropped out of school, it was impossible to ignore her. Hadley drew everyone into her orbit, making you want to get closer, even if all of your instincts screamed to stay away.

Over our four years at school together, I’d watched plenty of people fall at her feet, desperate for an ounce of her attention. It might have been her smile, the kind that made you light up inside even on your worst days. Or it was because the girl was objectively stunning. When I first met Hadley, her full lips and her freckled, tanned skin called to me. Made me want to reach out and brush her honey blond curls over her shoulder, just to see how they felt. Everything about Hadley was the perfect lure, drawing me in until my defenses went down.

And that’s when she would strike with her razor-sharp tongue, trying to find all of my weak points and go in for the kill.

No matter how high I tried to put up walls between us, it didn’t matter. Hadley was a hurricane, a god-damned force of nature. Even though being around her was aggravating and frustrating, keeping a distance between us was a challenge. And with her close friendship with Victoria, she’d always be around. Even more, now that Emilia was obsessed with her.

That was the one good thing I could say about Hadley. She always had Victoria’s back, and, by extension, Emilia’s. If my daughter needed Hadley, she would move mountainsto get to her. For all of her flaws, Hadley was loyal to a fault. She’d never let anyone hurt my family.

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