The Trade(18)

“Yes, but did you see those pictures of him in the Body Issue? The forearms? The abs? I mean . . . if I wasn’t happily coupled with Jason, I might turn in my Bobbies jersey for one night with him.”

“With who?” Jason asks, coming up next to us and looking at Dottie’s phone. We freeze, his eyes narrow and then he glances up at Dottie, a frown framing his mouth. “Are you talking about hooking my sister up with Maddox Paige?”

Dottie tries to give him a charming smile but it comes off more nervous than anything. “I mean—”

“Absolutely not.” Jason shakes his head. “Not only is the guy a douche,” he whispers, “but he’s a player.”

“He’s also the Rebels number-one pitcher and went twenty-two and five last season.”

Jason’s eyes shoot up to his hairline. “Why do you know his stats?”

“Someone should, and maybe the person who’s going to catch him next season should learn them.”

“I know them, I’m just wondering why you do.”

Dottie absently waves her hand and turns back to me. “I think you should give him a shot. He’s over there by the bar, leering. I mean . . . he even makes leering look good.”

“You’re not making me feel great right now,” Jason says, shrugging in his suit jacket.

Dottie pats his chest. “You know you’re the only penis I want in my life. I’m just trying to help your sister.”

I shake my head. “Maddox Paige is a giant no. He’s attractive, but his personality isn’t. No, thank you.”

“You never know, he might be a softy underneath. One of those guys who’s damaged but with the right woman, he becomes totally and utterly obsessed and devotes his life to making her happy.”

“I’m not that woman.”

Resigning, Dottie says, “Fine. That leaves us with Timmy Hinklin and . . . oh God.” Dottie looks up from her phone, a giant smile on her face. “I can’t believe I didn’t think about him to begin with.”

Uh oh.

I haven’t known Dottie for very long, but what I do know about her is when she gets an idea in her head, one that she thinks is totally viable, she goes for it and doesn’t let up until it becomes something.

She has that determined look in her eyes and it scares me.

“You know, maybe I should just take off,” I say, starting to walk away, but Dottie snags my hand and holds me in place.

“Oh no, you don’t. You are not going anywhere. Not when I have the perfect match for you.”

Jason stares down at Dottie and then back at me. With an apologetic smile, he hands me my drink and says, “You might need this. I know that look in her eyes. You’re at Dottie’s mercy now.”

“You know, I don’t want to make things weird for Jason. Dating one of his teammates doesn’t seem like a good idea.”

Jason shrugs and says, “They would be lucky to talk to you.”

“See?” Dottie says. “He’s fine with it.”

The one time Jason isn’t going to freak out about something, honestly. Maybe if I set my drink down and don’t announce I’m leaving, instead bolt, maybe I could—

“I see that look on your face. You’re looking to flee.” Dottie moves closer. “No way. You aren’t going anywhere until you talk to Cory Potter.”

I snort, straight-up snort, expelling snot from my nose and everything. Chuckling, I bring my glass to my mouth and take a sip. After I wipe away said snot expulsion with a napkin. “Okay, Dottie.” I roll my eyes. “Yup, let me just go talk to Cory Potter and try to seduce him. Yeahhhhh, no biggie at all.”

Mumbling to himself and staring out at the event, Jason says, “Cory Fucking Potter,” and then he smiles.

Jesus, could his man-crush be any more obvious?

“What’s wrong with Cory Potter?” Dottie asks, ignoring her gushing boyfriend.

“Nothing. Nothing is wrong with him,” I answer, setting my drink down. “He’s perfection.”

“Exactly. So go talk to him.”

“Dottie, you can’t be serious.” Leaning in, I whisper, “He’s way out of my league.”

“No, he’s not,” both Jason and Dottie say at the same time.

Before they go on a tirade, I say, “You know I love you both and your support for me and wanting me to get out into the dating world again, but you’re delusional if you think Cory Potter would want to go out with me. Yes, he was super nice at the fundraiser, but that’s who he is, a nice guy. Trust me when I say, I know who’s in my wheelhouse of dating, and Cory Potter is not.”





“Are you really going to ignore me for the rest of the night?” I ask Dottie, who has her arms crossed and looking anywhere else but me.

She doesn’t say anything.

“It’s been twenty minutes.”

Silence.

“Fine, I’ll just leave.”

“Leave, and I will make sure Jason is extremely annoying at your next meeting for The Lineup. You know he will do whatever I ask, especially when naked.”

“Ugh, gross.” I lean back in my chair.

Jason’s talking to some of the guys, Dottie and I are sitting at a high-top table in two bar-height chairs, and we’ve munched on quite a few appetizers by now that I’m starting to feel full, and yet, waiters keep walking by with brimming trays.