AJ had opened both eyes now and was glaring at Sabian. Sabian squeezed an eye open suddenly and grinned when he saw AJ staring at him.

“I knew it,” he said, opening up the other eye and bringing his seat upright. “How romantic,” he said in a coddling voice then laughed but brought his voice down when AJ gave him an even more murderous glare. “When I saw how tight you and that little girl were getting, I wondered what her mom might look like and if you might not hit it off with her too. Then she showed up looking all like damn and shit, and I knew you two were gonna have some kind of connection. How could you not? But I still wasn’t sure. Then you went off on Biggs, and Biggs”—he lowered his voice even more, glancing around the first-class cabin where some of the rest of the team were sitting—“is big.”

“I don’t give a fuck,” AJ muttered with a frown.

“I know you don’t. You’re just as big. But even then I thought, okay, I could still be wrong. Biggs was being disrespectful, and it could just be you reacting in the heat of the moment. You’re known for that, but then you gave that speech today warning everybody on the team they’d be answering to you if you ever heard them talking about her, and I knew I’d nailed it!”

Sabian smiled too smugly, even as AJ shook his head. “It’s nothing like that,” AJ lied, glancing out his window, pissed that he’d forgotten Sabian would be the type of guy who paid attention to all the romantic details.

“But it’s alright if it is,” Sabian said.

AJ turned to him, feeling even more annoyed. “Is it really? Thanks. I’m glad to hear you’d be okay with it.”

Sabian laughed again. “Look at you, man. It’s so obvious this chick has you all twisted and shit.”

“No, she doesn’t,” AJ insisted and part of him meant it.

So he was intrigued by her. Impressed. Big deal. He still didn’t know much about her. Just because she wasn’t seeing Clair’s dad and she hadn’t dated anyone on the team, didn’t mean she wasn’t seeing someone else, a non-baseball player. Addison could turn heads. That’s for damn sure. The guys had already made that infuriatingly clear. It wasn’t just his relationship with Clair that had him struggling to keep his cool around her. She’d gotten a little weird on him when he’d brought up Clair’s dad. A little too touchy. He didn’t know what that was about and wasn’t sure he wanted to find out.

Even with four siblings AJ was close to, it wasn’t surprising the only other time he’d had this kind of conversation with anyone was with Sabian. Why the hell hadn’t he thought of that before he took the seat next to him? The other girlie conversation he’d had regarding feelings and what not was, of course, all Sabian’s doing. And the only reason AJ had no choice but to actually participate in such a conversation was because it involved AJ’s younger sister. Sabian had dated her for a few months way back and had done the right thing, asking AJ if he’d be okay with it first. But then Sabian had taken it upon himself to talk about his feelings for her with AJ. Nothing raunchy, of course, but it’d been the only time AJ had been forced to have one of those types of conversations.

Now he had a four-hour plane ride ahead of him, sitting next to a guy who looked ready to analyze something that didn’t even exist. Well, AJ wasn’t having it.

“I know as much about her as you do,” AJ said, even if that wasn’t entirely true, but then added something that was. “Just because Clair’s dad isn’t around doesn’t mean her mom doesn’t have someone else keeping her company.”

“Wouldn’t Clair have mentioned her mom having a boyfriend?”

“Not if her mom hasn’t told her about it.” AJ had the feeling Sabian would be countering anything of AJ’s theories. So before Sabian could, AJ continued but lowered his voice. “Look. Obviously she’s attractive, and I’d be lying if I said the thought of hanging out with her again hadn’t crossed my mind. But she’s the coach’s daughter and Clair’s mom. It’d be too awkward if things didn’t work out.” He leaned a little closer to Sabian and made his next statement through his teeth. “And I’m done talking about this here.”

Finally Sabian pulled his seat back again, but AJ could have kicked himself when they finally landed in San Diego. He’d completely forgotten he’d told Sabian he could stay with him during their home series this time. Unlike the rest of the team, most of whom didn’t live in the San Diego area or even California, Sabian wouldn’t be parting ways with him at the airport.

The moment they were alone in the cab Sabian started in on him again. “I don’t see why it wouldn’t work out between you and Addi.”

“Are you kidding me with this shit?” AJ turned to him, beyond annoyed now. “And why are you calling her that?”

Sabian laughed. “Coach calls her that.”

“You’re not her dad.”

That made Sabian laugh even more and shake his head. Then as if he wasn’t annoying enough, he added a slow whistle. “Ooh boy, this is gonna be fun.”

“You know what?” AJ said, pulling out his phone. “I changed my mind about you staying with me. This guy can take you back to the hotel when he drops me off.”

Sabian continued with his exasperating laughter even as AJ ignored him and checked his phone. As fun as it normally was to hang out with Sabian, because in the last year he’d become one of his closest friends, AJ seriously wished he didn’t have to be around him so much right then. His mind was still too muddled when it came to thoughts of Addison. He didn’t need Sabian adding to the confusion.

Truth was AJ had begun to lean towards playing it safe and not doing anything about his attraction to her. It was just an attraction, and he could easily take care of those kinds of temptations elsewhere. Never mind that ever since he’d met Addison he hadn’t been the least bit tempted by anyone else. It was as infuriating as it was unnerving.

The reality was AJ had long ago accepted that any type of real relationship with anyone would be nearly impossible with his career. He’d seen and heard it too many times. Guys would get into serious relationships on the team only to be single within months when things hadn’t worked out because they were on the road so much. Even the married guys had issue after issue in their marriages.

His attraction to Addison was nothing more than forbidden-fruit syndrome. He’d get over it soon enough.

Chapter 6

AJ

The first two games in San Diego were night games. Clair didn’t make it out to the games on school nights. AJ was secretly glad it was almost summer. She’d mentioned wanting to travel with her grandparents during the summer as often as she could to follow the games.

AJ kept going back and forth about whether or not he should even consider trying for anything more with Addison. Though admittedly when Clair had told him about wanting to travel with the team this summer he’d secretly hoped that meant bringing Mom along for the ride. But then she did have to work for a living, so that might not be realistic. As unrealistic as any kind of serious relationship AJ might have with anyone would be, trying for one with the coach’s daughter would be even more complicated.

Friday night he’d begun to think maybe his little buddy hadn’t made it to the game again. But as soon as he was done mingling with a few of the players from the other team and was back to the Padres’ side of the field, he saw her and remembered. Clair was as obsessive about her superstitions as she was about keeping stats. One of her big ones was she didn’t mix with the players on the other team. Ever.

Ironically, her grandfather had insisted AJ make it a point to be friendly and even get to know the players on the other team. He’d go over and welcome them when they were in his house. Wish them luck and a good game. The courtesy was extended to him and his teammates when they were on the road too. It was one of the first things Coach Lara had ingrained in AJ’s mindset.