did she suddenly feel as if she’d accepted an invitation to go out on a date with him? Marla’s quick smile didn’t help her feel any better. Cedar Bluff wasn’t exactlya big place. Surely the rumors would start buzzing if she was seen out with Seth? Just what she didn’t need.
Vowing to make sure she sat by someone else, she almost didn’t hear him say, “I’ll see you after the game, then.”
“Sure. Good luck.” She shadowed her eyes with her hand as Seth jogged back over to the dugout.
“He’s next up at bat, Mom,” Ben pointed out, as Seth picked up a bat and took several practice swings.
“I see him, Ben.” She wished she didn’t. Because watching Seth’s backside as he waited for the pitch was a little too intriguing.
The pitcher—one of the nurses who’d managed to strike out the first batter—took her time, as if attempting to psych Seth out. Finally she threw the ball and Seth swung at the first pitch, hitting the ball dead center with a loud crack, sending it sailing over the nurses’ heads. The nurses in the backfield took off running, but their efforts were in vain as the ball flew well out of their range.
Ben shouted at the top of his lungs as Seth ran the bases. Seth flashed them a cheeky grin and waved as he ran past the third base marker, then slid into home with a flourish.
The nurses’ side of the bench groaned, while the physicians’ side cheered.
“A home run! Did you see that, Mom?” Ben’s voice was full of awe. “Dr. Seth hit a home run.”
“I saw it,” she replied absently. Unfortunately she couldn’t seem to tear her gaze away from him as Seth’s teammates congratulated him with a series of high fives and he headed toward the dugout.
He went down into the dugout, disappearing from view and breaking the invisible hold he had on her. Taking a deep breath, she swallowed hard. She was in trouble. Deep trouble. She liked Seth. Too much.
Staring at her feet, she tried to think of a way to get out of the post-game pizza party. As much as she didn’t want to disappoint Ben, she needed to protect herself.
She’d been alone for a long time. Any man’s attention would probably make her feel this way. Maybe she needed a fling with some other guy? Someone who could take her mind off a certain rather athletic ED physician.
Ben was oblivious to her discomfort as he continued to loudly cheer for Seth’s team.
The game was tied at the bottom of the last inning. Still seated on the doctors’ side of the bench, Kylie found she was impressed at how well the nurses held their own—especially when men dominated the physician players. Beside her, Marla was rooting almost as loudly as Ben, and she soon figured out her husband must be on Seth’s team.
Seth was up at bat again, and the nurses’ team had sent in a relief pitcher to give the previous one a break. He stood in the batter’s box, waiting for the pitch. The first ball went way wide, nowhere near his bat, so he didn’t swing. The pitcher tried again. This time her pitch went wild in the opposite direction, heading straight for Seth. He ducked to avoid getting hit, but too late.
Kylie heard a loud thunk as the ball hit him, the sound carrying all the way to her seat. For a longmoment he stood there, but then slowly sank to his knees, his hand cradling his head.
Her heart jumped into her throat.
One minute he was thinking about slamming the ball over the back fence to win the game, and the next he was lying flat on his back, staring up at the sunny sky.
His jaw throbbed. Seth squinted against the brightness, gradually remembering what had happened. Rachel’s second pitch had gone wild, smacking him in the face.
Rachel also just happened to be the nurse who’d gifted him the Romeo moniker. Had she hit him on purpose? Nah, he didn’t really think so. Pushing aside the well-meaning doctors and nurses who’d gathered around, he sat up, gingerly sliding his jaw back and forth. Man, he hoped nothing was
Vowing to make sure she sat by someone else, she almost didn’t hear him say, “I’ll see you after the game, then.”
“Sure. Good luck.” She shadowed her eyes with her hand as Seth jogged back over to the dugout.
“He’s next up at bat, Mom,” Ben pointed out, as Seth picked up a bat and took several practice swings.
“I see him, Ben.” She wished she didn’t. Because watching Seth’s backside as he waited for the pitch was a little too intriguing.
The pitcher—one of the nurses who’d managed to strike out the first batter—took her time, as if attempting to psych Seth out. Finally she threw the ball and Seth swung at the first pitch, hitting the ball dead center with a loud crack, sending it sailing over the nurses’ heads. The nurses in the backfield took off running, but their efforts were in vain as the ball flew well out of their range.
Ben shouted at the top of his lungs as Seth ran the bases. Seth flashed them a cheeky grin and waved as he ran past the third base marker, then slid into home with a flourish.
The nurses’ side of the bench groaned, while the physicians’ side cheered.
“A home run! Did you see that, Mom?” Ben’s voice was full of awe. “Dr. Seth hit a home run.”
“I saw it,” she replied absently. Unfortunately she couldn’t seem to tear her gaze away from him as Seth’s teammates congratulated him with a series of high fives and he headed toward the dugout.
He went down into the dugout, disappearing from view and breaking the invisible hold he had on her. Taking a deep breath, she swallowed hard. She was in trouble. Deep trouble. She liked Seth. Too much.
Staring at her feet, she tried to think of a way to get out of the post-game pizza party. As much as she didn’t want to disappoint Ben, she needed to protect herself.
She’d been alone for a long time. Any man’s attention would probably make her feel this way. Maybe she needed a fling with some other guy? Someone who could take her mind off a certain rather athletic ED physician.
Ben was oblivious to her discomfort as he continued to loudly cheer for Seth’s team.
The game was tied at the bottom of the last inning. Still seated on the doctors’ side of the bench, Kylie found she was impressed at how well the nurses held their own—especially when men dominated the physician players. Beside her, Marla was rooting almost as loudly as Ben, and she soon figured out her husband must be on Seth’s team.
Seth was up at bat again, and the nurses’ team had sent in a relief pitcher to give the previous one a break. He stood in the batter’s box, waiting for the pitch. The first ball went way wide, nowhere near his bat, so he didn’t swing. The pitcher tried again. This time her pitch went wild in the opposite direction, heading straight for Seth. He ducked to avoid getting hit, but too late.
Kylie heard a loud thunk as the ball hit him, the sound carrying all the way to her seat. For a longmoment he stood there, but then slowly sank to his knees, his hand cradling his head.
Her heart jumped into her throat.
One minute he was thinking about slamming the ball over the back fence to win the game, and the next he was lying flat on his back, staring up at the sunny sky.
His jaw throbbed. Seth squinted against the brightness, gradually remembering what had happened. Rachel’s second pitch had gone wild, smacking him in the face.
Rachel also just happened to be the nurse who’d gifted him the Romeo moniker. Had she hit him on purpose? Nah, he didn’t really think so. Pushing aside the well-meaning doctors and nurses who’d gathered around, he sat up, gingerly sliding his jaw back and forth. Man, he hoped nothing was
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