Page 21 of Chasing Elliott
“Well, you should know he’s quite smitten with you.” He shrugged, trying to act nonchalant about it but a scoff escaped my lips.
I rolled my eyes, somewhat upset with the conversation I had found myself in. “Yeah, hetold me. He’s convinced he’s going to get me to change my mind. Can you talk to him? I don’t want to hurt him, but he won’t listen to me. Maybe you he’ll listen to.”
“Can I ask why you don’t want a relationship?” Benjamin asked and I couldn’t help it as I angrily allowed my elbow to slam down on the table, pinching the bridge of my nose. “I justmean you’re a great catch, is all.”
“Benjamin, I respect you and your friendship with Cooper and your budding relationship with my best friend,but there’s some things I don’t have to tell you, and this qualifies as one of those things.”
I felt Kara reach for the hand that rested between us, the one that was under the table, giving it a soft squeeze before she looked over at Benjamin. “Look, El says she’s not ready, she’s not ready. It’s not right for Cooper to try and push or change that. It doesn’t make him any better than the guys who don’t take no for an answer when she turns them down for… other things. Can you please talk to him, Benji?”
“Of course,” he replied after a moment, his eyes on Kara before he trailed his glance over to me. “I’m sorry, El. I’ll talk to him, I promise.”
“Thank you,” I said softly, giving him a weak smile.
Once the awkwardness of the situation had passed by us like clouds rolling by on a cool summer’s day, the rest of the time was spent with us hassling one another and discussing ourplans for after the game.
Benjamin ended up paying for all of our meals, even though I argued with him about itprofusely. Finally leaving the diner, I noticed we had about forty-five minutes until the game started. However, Benjamin insisted on getting there early so Cooper could see that he had, successfully, gotten both of us there.
Pulling up to the baseball field, we all made our way over to the metal bleachers. For thefirst time in my life, as we walked past people in the stands who were staring at me, I felt selfconscious. Even though I couldn’t hear their whispers, I had a pretty good idea of what they weresaying.
And Ididn’t like it one bit.
“They’re just jealous,” Kara whispered in my ear as we found a seat near the dugout.
“You’re wearing Cooper Hearst’s jersey, after all.”
“I know,” I replied, my hands folding together tightly in my lap. “And that’s the
problem.”
Kara didn’t try to formulate a reply, already knowing how hard this was for me. This
wasn’t something I did; I never wore anything out in public that a man had given me. I didn’t
want anyone to think someone had a claim over me. I was my own person and I’d be damned if
anyone tried to take that away from me.
Yet, here I was, wearing Cooper’s jersey because I didn’t want to hurt his feelings.We’re just friends,I reminded myself with a shake of my head.You don’t want to hurt
your friend’s feelings.
Hearing the sound of feet pounding against the ground pulled me out of my thoughts as I
watched the team run out onto the field. I stared as some of them warmed up with a game of
catch while a few others mingled not too far away from us just outside of their respective
benches.
Catching sight of Cooper, I couldn’t help it as I smiled while watching him toss a ball up
in the air before catching it in his glove. He had such a confident, comfortable demeanor to him
out on that field; it was his home.
Cooper’s eyes suddenly fell on me, and he lit up which caused me to bite my lip to stop
my own smile from growing. He came strolling over so he was just in front of the awning that
