”
Indignation dawned on Tasha’s face, and Jenny straightened in her seat before it could solidify.
“The truth is,” she said with a surprisingly decent imitation of cool disinterest, “the only reason I’m all hot for Bradshaw’s body—aside from it being eminently hot-worthy—is this embarrassingly long dry spell I’ve been in. That and the fact men aren’t exactly thick on the ground around here.”
“At least until the summer people start trickling in,” Tasha agreed gloomily. She crossed her arms over her breasts. “Although there is Max Bradshaw. He’s almost as tasty as Jake, if you go for the whole brooding Heathcliff type.”
“Which, unfortunately, I never have. He’s way too self-controlled. I like ’em a little more—well, not hot-blooded, exactly, because under all that discipline, I’m thinking he has serious potential in that department.” She glanced across the console at her friend before turning her attention back to the road. “I guess I just like a little more spontaneity in my men.”
“I agree. I get Max’s sex appeal as well, but it simply doesn’t call to me.”
“So who does that leave?”
“Wade Nelson?”
Jenny shook her head. “Nah. He’s still waiting for Mindy Neff to come back to him.”
“Seriously, he’s got to get over that. She and Curt just celebrated their seventh anniversary.”
“I know, right?” Jenny shook her head. “Guy Wilson is another rebound guy. The ink’s barely dry on his divorce.”
Tasha drummed her fingers on her thigh for a moment. “How about David Brill?”
“Are you kidding me?” Jenny said hotly. “Mr. Globe-trotter Bradshaw might be a little out of my league, but at the very least I deserve a guy with all his teeth!”
“Crap, you’re right. We’re scraping bottom here. There’s only one thing for it. You know that, right?”
I do.” She gave her friend a solemn nod. “The next chance we get, you and I are heading into Kitsap.”
“Damn straight. And find us some new blood.”
* * *
E VERYONE GATHERED at Bella T’s after the game. When Tasha deserted her for the kitchen, Jenny gravitated toward some of the other parents, making sure to grab a seat as far away from Jake as she could.
Not that he noticed or would care if he did. He was too busy just charming the hell out of everyone left, right and sideways.
“You guys played an ex cellent game,” she heard him say now, then went on to discuss points of the various plays.
Points that totally went over her head.
That wasn’t the case with Austin or his friends or several of the fathers and Coach Harstead. She could almost hear the sucking sound of them being pulled into a spirited discussion.
Sneaking a peek while simultaneously carrying on a conversation with Rebecca Damoth, she watched as Jake homed in on his son.
“You’re a really good shortstop,” he said unreservedly.
Austin was obviously trying to play it cool, but she could tell he was pleased. “Yeah?”
“Definitely. I do have a few suggestions for improving on what you’ve already got,” Jake continued. “Maybe we could talk about them one of these days.”
The boy’s shoulders lifted and dropped. “Maybe.”
God. Jake was doing so much better than she’d expected. He had been way more engaged in Austin’s game than she ever would have given him credit for, his uninhibited enthusiasm for the team and the game firing everyone else to a near frenzy.
Which was saying something, considering how crazy this town already was about its team sports.
She should be glad that Bradshaw was more dedicated to getting to know his son than she’d anticipated...and she was.
Mostly. Because the only way a momentous change, like Jake taking Austin to New York, could be less traumatic was if the teen was fully invested in the relationship when the time came.
But knowing the boy she’d come to love like a little brother would soon be living on the other side of the continent—
Damn.
Indignation dawned on Tasha’s face, and Jenny straightened in her seat before it could solidify.
“The truth is,” she said with a surprisingly decent imitation of cool disinterest, “the only reason I’m all hot for Bradshaw’s body—aside from it being eminently hot-worthy—is this embarrassingly long dry spell I’ve been in. That and the fact men aren’t exactly thick on the ground around here.”
“At least until the summer people start trickling in,” Tasha agreed gloomily. She crossed her arms over her breasts. “Although there is Max Bradshaw. He’s almost as tasty as Jake, if you go for the whole brooding Heathcliff type.”
“Which, unfortunately, I never have. He’s way too self-controlled. I like ’em a little more—well, not hot-blooded, exactly, because under all that discipline, I’m thinking he has serious potential in that department.” She glanced across the console at her friend before turning her attention back to the road. “I guess I just like a little more spontaneity in my men.”
“I agree. I get Max’s sex appeal as well, but it simply doesn’t call to me.”
“So who does that leave?”
“Wade Nelson?”
Jenny shook her head. “Nah. He’s still waiting for Mindy Neff to come back to him.”
“Seriously, he’s got to get over that. She and Curt just celebrated their seventh anniversary.”
“I know, right?” Jenny shook her head. “Guy Wilson is another rebound guy. The ink’s barely dry on his divorce.”
Tasha drummed her fingers on her thigh for a moment. “How about David Brill?”
“Are you kidding me?” Jenny said hotly. “Mr. Globe-trotter Bradshaw might be a little out of my league, but at the very least I deserve a guy with all his teeth!”
“Crap, you’re right. We’re scraping bottom here. There’s only one thing for it. You know that, right?”
I do.” She gave her friend a solemn nod. “The next chance we get, you and I are heading into Kitsap.”
“Damn straight. And find us some new blood.”
* * *
E VERYONE GATHERED at Bella T’s after the game. When Tasha deserted her for the kitchen, Jenny gravitated toward some of the other parents, making sure to grab a seat as far away from Jake as she could.
Not that he noticed or would care if he did. He was too busy just charming the hell out of everyone left, right and sideways.
“You guys played an ex cellent game,” she heard him say now, then went on to discuss points of the various plays.
Points that totally went over her head.
That wasn’t the case with Austin or his friends or several of the fathers and Coach Harstead. She could almost hear the sucking sound of them being pulled into a spirited discussion.
Sneaking a peek while simultaneously carrying on a conversation with Rebecca Damoth, she watched as Jake homed in on his son.
“You’re a really good shortstop,” he said unreservedly.
Austin was obviously trying to play it cool, but she could tell he was pleased. “Yeah?”
“Definitely. I do have a few suggestions for improving on what you’ve already got,” Jake continued. “Maybe we could talk about them one of these days.”
The boy’s shoulders lifted and dropped. “Maybe.”
God. Jake was doing so much better than she’d expected. He had been way more engaged in Austin’s game than she ever would have given him credit for, his uninhibited enthusiasm for the team and the game firing everyone else to a near frenzy.
Which was saying something, considering how crazy this town already was about its team sports.
She should be glad that Bradshaw was more dedicated to getting to know his son than she’d anticipated...and she was.
Mostly. Because the only way a momentous change, like Jake taking Austin to New York, could be less traumatic was if the teen was fully invested in the relationship when the time came.
But knowing the boy she’d come to love like a little brother would soon be living on the other side of the continent—
Damn.
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