Page 224 of Force Play
Paul cocks his eyebrow. “Friends?”
Ari laughs. “And friends turned into something more. Lucia is my girlfriend now.”
“I should’ve known something was going on with you, Morgan, because we haven’t had to keep pictures out of the press this season.”
He sighs. “You won’t have to worry about that again. That isn’t me anymore.”
“Happy to hear it,” Paul smiles. “I always had a feeling you two would be together.”
“You, your daughter, her husband, and literally every other single one of our friends,” I laugh. “Apparently, we were the only two that couldn’t see it.”
“Keep him working hard, Luc.” He points at Ari now. “Your boyfriend has the Home Run Derby in a couple of weeks.”
Yes, Ari was selected for it, and I couldn’t be prouder of him. Cole will join him for that, and Knox, Lane, and Josh will be out there for the All-Star Game.
“She works me harder than anyone, Skip.” Ari’s tone is playful, but Paul doesn’t pick up on his insinuation of meworking him hard.
Two can play at that game.
“Somebody has to stay on you to make sure you’re doing the right things.” I bat my eyelashes at him, and his lips turn up in a smirk.
A pretty brunette woman—middle-aged, it looks—walks up beside Paul now. “There you are.”
He turns to face her and lights up. “Ah! Ari and Lucia, I’d like you to meet Marlene, the new head of Stars Charity.”
“It’s lovely to meet you both,” she smiles before turning back to Paul. “If you have a few minutes, I’d like to run something by you.”
“I’ll always have a few minutes for you, Marlene,” he chuckles. “Enjoy the rest of the night,” he says to us before they turn and walk away.
Ari and I stare at each other.
“Was Skip just—”
“Flirting?” I finish for him. “Yeah, I think he was.”
“I wonder if Rory knows about that.”
“There might not be anything to know,” I shrug.
“Maybe not,” he replies before gently leading me to the small dance floor where a few couples are dancing to the end of a song.
“What are we doing over here?” I ask.
Ari doesn’t give me a response. Instead, he looks over at the DJ and nods his head.
As soon as the current song ends,Herostarts playing through the speakers.
“How did you manage that?” I question getting into a dancing position with him. “The DJ doesn’t take requests.”
“He does if you pay him enough,” he chuckles.
I gasp at him. “You did not pay him to put on this song.”
“Oh, but I did. I’d do it again, too.”
“Why are you so cute?”
He smiles at me, and everything else fades away. “Because I’m yours.”
