He tsks. “Stop three is a surprise, too, but it’s a further drive, so we have time to do a Q & A now.” He looks over coyly. “If you’re ready, that is. No doing a shot to pass now, so you have to answer.”
“Dane, are you cowering to your own theory about the games? If you want to know something, just ask.” Oh it is so fun turning his words back on him.
“Damn, you’re good. I’m not used to people actually hearing or remembering what I say simply because they choose to. I’m gonna have to up my game,” he laughs. “Okay, so my first question.” He pauses dramatically to think about it. “Where did you grow up?”
“About an hour from school, in Forest. You?”
“Bridgeport, Connecticut. I moved here Tate’s freshman year.”
“Why?”
“Tate picked a school here because it was far away.
He got in, so I followed him.”
“Why would you follow him if you weren’t going to go to school there as well?” I’m usually not this nosy, but he’s opened up the floor for questioning. Plus, I’ve been wondering since I met him why he hung around a school he didn’t go to. In fact, I’m curious what he does all together.
“Ah ah, my turn.” He dodges that one nicely. “So Disney, why Southern?”
“Easy, it’s where I got a good offer; you know, softball. Evan and Kaitlyn, my other best friend, are both at the University of Georgia, but they didn’t want me.” I instantly wish I could take back the last part I’d just blurted out. I don’t want him to think I feel sorry for myself. I was very lucky to get financial aid for my schooling and I’m grateful.
“So Dane, why not Southern?”
“I was never going to go to college.” He doesn’t elaborate.
Pulling teeth here. “Why not?”
“Now, Laney, with all your witty banter, surely you’re able to keep up with whose turn it is.” His lips curl up.
Oh, he’s clever. Yes, I was firing on all pistons with no regard for turns, so I remain silent.
“How long have you been playing softball?” he asks.
“Since I was about eleven, well, on a serious level, anyway. My dad coached me my whole life until I got to high school. They wouldn’t let him on the field then.” I laugh at my answer; oh, Daddy.
“I gotta tell ya, Disney, I never even thought about girls’ softball, let alone appreciated it, until I met you.”
“Our games haven’t even started yet, what are you talking about?” I give him a quizzical glance out of the corner of my eye.
“I can tell softball’s hard work and you’ve obviously dedicated yourself to it.”
“How do you know that?”
“By your body, Laney. No way has that happened on its own,” he remarks in a deeper tone.
“Um, Dane, have you been checking me out?” I blush.
“Only when I’m breathing.” He winks and gives me a sideways beam.
He’d set himself up to be able to tell me he thinks I have a nice body, and Lord help me, I appreciated the effort.
“Alright, whose question?” I ask with way too much excitement.
“Mine, when we get done—we’re here.”
Ty’s is a very nice gym and I don’t even ask what we’re doing here this time, working out is fine with me. I have to say, I don’t think Dane’s plans have or will ever be mimicked. I wouldn’t have guessed today’s agenda in a million years.
Here, too, it’s all Mr. Kendrick this and Mr. Kendrick that, and once we’re suited up in protective gear, it appears this won’t be a standard workout and that we’re the only two in class. A burly man named Kit explains that he’s a self-defense instructor and goes through the basic moves of self-defense. He has me practice them all on him several times. It’s odd how in tune to me Dane is. Self-defense class? Perfect.
Kit next wants me to spar with Dane, who’s grinning ear to ear. “Take it easy on me, badass,” he teases as he grins bigger, if that’s possible.
I flip him off.
His eyebrows pop up. “I’ve never seen that move in a Disney movie,” he laughs. I just roll my eyes.
We go through the scenarios and I actually do pretty well...I think. I’m a bit distracted, I mean, Evan has a great body and is a stellar athlete, but he’s way across a field covered in pads. Dane is right in front of me; shirtless and sweating. It’s scary hot.
The male form in motion is a beautiful thing; skin, sweat, muscles flexing...pay attention, Laney, you’re gonna get knocked out. I stay off my butt, get a few blocks up and get one kick on him, which I’m pretty sure he let me do, but I’d say it’s pretty good for my first performance.
“Remember, Laney, nose or groin, and then run and scream the whole way, got it?” Dane is taking this very seriously. “Let’s do it again, I’m attacking you from the front.”
And he does, I get the shove your nose up move in and turn to run.
“Make sure he’s down before you turn your back, Laney,” he reminds me as he grabs my arm.
I do the backwards elbow up to his nose that they taught me, and this time I spin and do the knee to groin motion, watching him go down, before I turn to run.
“Very nice, Disney, you did very well.”
I square my shoulders and chin. “Thanks.”