Incumbent(18)

“Okay, thanks, Mace.”

What would happen if I gave us a try? Could Mason be right?

I rolled over onto my side and snuggled into a plush pillow while I stared at the flowers on my coffee table.

Drake really was a wonderful man. If only he were a regular person and not in the spotlight.

? ? ?

The rest of my week was relatively uneventful. Tests were given, students had spring fever, and I was bitten by the same impatient bug. Only seven weeks remained in the school year, and then I was off for the summer. Mason and I had planned a camping trip in July, but we still were in the planning stages. Other than that, I was free and clear.

Summer had always been my favorite time of year. No matter how much I loved teaching, I always looked forward to the end of the school year. It couldn’t come soon enough. But right now, I was concerned with starting my weekend.

As I was parking in front of my apartment, a black BMW with tinted windows pulled up behind me. When I saw it was Drake behind the wheel, a jackhammer took up residence in my chest. His car door swung open and my breath hitched at the sight of him. He’d been elegant and handsome in a suit, but dressed down in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt with a baseball cap, he was mouthwatering.

Walking toward me, he raised a hand in greeting. “Hi. I hope you don’t mind me dropping by unannounced, but I was hoping to catch you. I’m on my way to the Nationals game and wondered if you wanted to join me.”

His bright smile brought out his dimples, which I found hard to resist. Or maybe it was him I couldn’t resist.

My thoughts drifted to Mason and I realized he was right. I’d never felt this way about a man before. So I stowed my fears.

Giving him a disbelieving grin, I said, “You’re on your way to a Washington Nationals game via Virginia?”

“Okay, I took a detour, but what do you say? Join me?” He gave me a puppy-dog look, and all I could do was laugh.

“Come on in. I’ll need to change.”

When we walked into my place, I told him to make himself comfortable and offered him something to drink, but he declined and sat on my couch to wait.

I hurried into my bedroom and threw on a pair of jeans, a cute red top, and grabbed a jacket. I didn’t go to many baseball games, but at least I was wearing the team color. I quickly freshened my makeup, brushed my teeth, and ran a little gloss over my lips.

Looking at my reflection, I took a deep breath and whispered to myself, “Here we go.”

Drake gave me a big smile when I walked back into the living room. “Why, Ms. Washburn, you look adorable.”

My face heated as I grabbed my keys, and we left in his car.

Being in such close proximity to Drake still felt surreal. The man exuded such poise and confidence. I glanced over and noticed that even when he was relaxed, his posture was straight.

The car came to a stop on the interstate, and when I looked out the front windshield, a sigh escaped me. “What is with Virginia traffic?”

He chuckled. “Someone should really do something about it.”

“Yes, I agree. Maybe I’ll write my congressman. They seem to know how to get the job done.” I smiled while Drake just shook his head.

After a long forty-five minutes, we pulled into Nats Park. Drake produced a parking pass, and we were waved toward the front entrance where we parked. When we got out of the car, Drake walked over to me and grabbed my hand in his, lacing our fingers.

He lifted our joined hands. “Is this okay?”

“Yes, and thank you for bringing me here. I’ve never been to a Nationals game.” Truth be told, I’d never been to a professional sporting event, but I didn’t want to admit that.

“Well, I’m glad you’ll be enjoying your first time with me.”

That comment held such promise. Of course I wasn’t a virgin, but I had a feeling he could make me feel things I’d never felt before.

The sights and sounds of the stadium made me smile—the crack of bats against baseballs, the smell of popcorn, and the sea of red shirts in the stands. Drake slid on a pair of sunglasses that had been propped up on the brim of his hat as we made our way to our seats. As we descended the concrete steps toward the field, my excitement grew. We were so close, I could smell the freshly cut grass on the field, and inhaled deeply.

Drake stopped and checked our tickets, and then ushered me into a row. “You’re seat number three.” He sat in the seat next to me, leaving an empty seat next to him.

I was pleased to see our seats were cushioned, unlike some of the other seats above us, and they were red like almost everything else in the park.

Once I lowered the seat and sat down, Drake smiled. “Welcome to the Red Porch.”

From here we could see the entire park. We were sitting behind center field, which surprised me. Given the prestige of Drake’s position, I assumed he’d have box seats or a suite of some sort, but these definitely weren’t. Excited, I glanced around to see fans were beginning to file in, but we still had a good hour or so before the game began.

“There’s so much red here.” The comment had flown out of my mouth before I realized how ridiculous it sounded. In my defense, every fan was wearing some form of red or white. Didn’t the opponents have fans in this area?

Drake chuckled. “We’re playing Cincinnati tonight. So their fans will be wearing the same colors as we are.”