Page 40 of Payoff Pitch
“Hedoesn’t see me any other way. I’m simply the nanny to him, that’s it.” I swear there was a moment at the campsite where he wanted to kiss me, but I think it might have been the whiskey in me seeing things. Hoping for them.
“Whatever you say. If you’re not careful, soon you’ll be going from dancing clubs to Sam’s Club. Phrases likebulk buywill turn you on.”
I let out a laugh. “Cut it out, freak.”
I hear my name being shouted. Looking around, I notice Harper and Tanner up in the owner’s box. They’re both waving at me.
I wave back and smile. Harper looks so darn cute in her oversized Layton Lancaster jersey and Cougars hat. Tanner is in jeans, a Cougars sweatshirt, and a Cougars hat. He looks hot.
Kam catches my line of sight. “Look at that, it’s Harper and Tanner. Right on cue.” She lets out a whistle. “He’s fucking sexy. He better keep that hat facing forward.”
“Why?”
“When a man’s hat goes backward, he goes from dad to daddy.”
I giggle. “Seriously, where do you come up with this shitake?”
She smiles as we see Gemma walking down the aisle toward us. She rarely makes it to games with a little one at home. That and she’s a successful attorney. I learned a few weeks ago that she writes romance novels under a pen name. The other girls don’t know yet. It slipped when she and I were talking, and she asked me to keep it quiet for now.
She sits next to me. “Sorry, it took me a while to get out of the office tonight. It looks like we’re doing great.”
I nod. “We are.” I lean over and whisper. “I finished your first two books. I’m obsessed with them.”
She smiles. “Really? Thanks. I have so few of my real-life friends who read my books. I appreciate that you made the time.”
That’s kind of shocking. She needs better friends. “I can’t imagine why. I love them. I’ve already ordered the rest. The love stories are amazing.”
“Thank you. I’m so sick of people calling them porn books. They’re love stories.”
“I agree. I told Tanner the same thing.”
“You discussed my books with Tanner?”
“Yes, I was reading one at Harper’s retreat last week after she went to sleep.”
She smiles. “You were at the retreat? Is something going on with you two?”
I shake my head. “Of course not. He’s my much older boss.”
She lifts an eyebrow. “Do you have any idea how popular age-gap romance books are?” She winks. “Get back to me after you read my ninth book. Add in a little single dad and nanny aspect, and we’ve got ourselves a best seller.”
After Quincy gaveup a few runs late in the game, Layton hit a huge home run to lift the Cougars to victory. We’re all at Screwballs celebrating. Kam and Cheetah have been trading sexually charged jabs all night. I wish those two would just do it and get it over with. It’s so unlike Kam to drag someone along like this. I wonder if she genuinely likes him.
Gemma leans over and asks me, “Do you guys know what you’re wearing to theSports Illustratedreveal party?”
I nod. “Yes, we all got new dresses. You should join us for hair and makeup that day. Reagan hired us professionals. They’re coming to Arizona and Ripley’s apartment that afternoon. Do you have your dress yet?”
“I’d love to come, thanks, and yes, I just bought something. My grandmother is in town and she’s my best shopping partner.”
Cheetah interrupts, “Grammy Jane is in town? I miss her brand of crazy.”
Gemma smiles. “Yep. She’s here with herlover. They’re home with Fletcher tonight.”
Cheetah chuckles. “I love that Grammy Jane is in a reverse age-gap romance. She’s the coolest grandma ever.”
Gemma nods in agreement. “Yep. She’s definitely not the kind of old-school grandmother who has plastic on her sofas, though I don’t think people have plastic-covered sofas anymore.”
Kam and I look at each other and smile. I admit, “Ourgrandparents totally had plastic on their sofa when we were growing up. They lived in fear of us spilling grape juice on it.”