Current Day

Tap. Tap. Tap.

My fingers rap against the hotel’s laminated bedside table in a feeble attempt to guide the frustration into the veneer. Fuck, that doesn’t make sense. I don’t make sense. What does make sense? Zach’s words. They’re as clear as the bright blue skies during an afternoon game at Wrigley. Only they’re not what I want to hear.

“Just give me her number,” I mumble. Zach’s refusal to hand over Jocelyn’s number is pissing me off.

“No.”

I grunt in frustration. “I hear what you’re say—”

“Do you? I know you. The closest relationship you’ve had is with a sixty-nine Chevelle.”

Ah, yes. My sorely neglected baby. “Not true.”

“High school doesn’t count.”

“But—”

“Freshman year doesn’t count either,” he interrupts for the second time. “I’m going by the past ten years. You’re too much of a player to be messing with a mom.”

“My, my, haven’t our roles reversed?” I ask dryly. The familiarity of the conversation isn’t lost on me. Zach and I didn’t quite agree when he first started dating Lacey. Nothing against her, but I witnessed many girls exit our apartment door and didn’t want Lacey to be included. She wasn’t a cleat chaser, and I didn’t want her hurt. Little did I know he actually liked her. Now, with my words thrown back at me, his pissy-ass mood toward me back then all makes sense.

“Yeah, but your situation is different. Kids are involved, and that’s a whole other playing field.”

I release a steady stream of air and rub my fingers over my jaw. He’s right on that level. My future consists of a kid-free zone. Not once have I envisioned children in my life.

“That does complicate things.” The sound of defeat rings in my tone, and Zach pauses. A few moments pass before he speaks.

“Look, all I’m saying is think long and hard about why you want her. I know she’s your kryptonite—that was apparent after your first date during freshman year—but I’m telling you the last year has been hard for her. Jocelyn deserves a man who’s willing to settle down and stay. I’m not saying it can’t be you, but if all you’re after is to extinguish some old flame, you need to step away.”

“I hear you.” Loud and clear. I glance at the time and cringe. Nana is going to kill me for being late. “I gotta go.”

“All right, man. Later.”

Fuck! I toss the phone onto the mattress and run my hands through my hair. Why do I want her? Does anyone really know the answer to that question? My immediate thought goes to her delicious body, which is shallow even by my standards, but I know there’s more. There has always been more. It’s not like I can make a list of her attributes. Although her list-making skills would definitely make the top ten.

Maybe Zach’s right, and I should leave Jocelyn alone. I’ve never dated a woman with kids. Hell, for the past ten years, I’ve never dated, period—quick hookups certainly don’t count—but a woman with kids? As in plural? That would be a huge undertaking. I can’t get involved. I shouldn’t. But here’s the thing. I didn’t listen to Zach back in college. So why start now?

JAX

Late September, Ten Years Prior

The whoosh from the heavy door draws my attention away from the spawn of Satan currently disguised as calculus. Zach, my new roommate, crashes on our latest bargain find—the slightly worn black futon. We’re over six feet tall. Our bodies alone fill the tiny dorm, so we needed more living area. We wasted no time lifting our beds and sliding the futon against the wall. Instant space. Sort of.

“Mixer next weekend. You game?” Zach asks.

“Nah. I’m going to ask Jocelyn out again.” A slight smile crosses my face. We’ve been on a few dates, and I’ve had a blast, tackling the items from her list. But honestly, the most fun is just being with her. Even though going to a frat party is a task to check off, we can pick any weekend to make that happen. Whenever someone gets thirsty or horny, they throw a party. For our next date, I have something more meaningful to cross off.

“What’s the deal, man? You looking to be tied down already?” Zach picks up a baseball and glove and starts tossing the ball in the air. I bite back a laugh. That guy is always messing with a ball. “Why settle for one? We have four years to explore.”

“I don’t know about being tied down, but I do like her.” Shit, it’s only been a few dates. I’m not ready to answer relationship questions. “What’s wrong with dating, anyway?”

“Nothing’s wrong with dating as long as it’s not with the same girl.” Zach shudders. “You really have to ask?”

I get it. He’s determined to make the pros and thinks having a girlfriend will deter him, or whatever. Other than saying he had a twin sister, Zach hasn’t mentioned his family much, and they were a no-show during move-in day. I suspect he has more riding on this than me. Don’t get me wrong, making it to the majors is my ultimate goal, but unlike him, I’m not opposed to being with the same girl. Hell, I did back in high school, and it was nice. Convenient. It removed the guesswork about who I’d be with on the weekends. Not to mention the benefits were great. Girls, or more specifically a certain girl, are definitely not the distraction Zach seems to think.

Big surprise. My high school girlfriend and I didn’t last, but unlike most couples, we ended on good terms. Our lives took different paths. It’s that simple. We knew better than to try a long-distance relationship. The hard truth? We don’t love each other. I respect the hell out of Lauren, but I don’t love her. She knows it. I know it. That fact doesn’t negate the fun we had during the two years we dated, though.

I’m not looking to replace her. It’s not like I need to have a girlfriend, but ever since Jocelyn rammed into me during class, I’m intrigued. She’s more reserved than what I’m used to but in a good way. There’s a side of her that most people don’t see—at least, that’s my impression—and I get to be the one to bring it out in her. Plus, she’s nothing like Lauren. Lauren’s tendency to nag was as daunting as this homework. Jocelyn’s tight little body doesn’t hurt, but her genuine smile makes her the hottest girl in the room. Sue me for wanting to be with her again. But, seriously, why deny myself a chance to see if something develops between us?

“Jocelyn’s cool. You’d like her, if you got to know her,” I finally say.

“I’m not saying I don’t like her, but dang, man. We just got here. Don’t drag yourself down this early.”

“Yeah, whatever.” I don’t argue. It’s no use. Zach can do whatever he wants, and I’ll go after what I want. And what I want is Jocelyn Kennedy.

These past few dates have been the best times of my life. I’m certainly not going to screw up our chance at a relationship because of my roommate’s weird hang-up.

There’s no stopping my smile as my mind drifts to those warm, medium-brown eyes staring at the rock wall with slight panic. There was a neurotic cuteness to her hesitation, but she’s a walking contradiction. I can tell a lot of thought went into her lists, but, when push came to shove, I had to talk her into doing the highest-ranked item. Do not be fooled. Jocelyn Kennedy is way more adventurous than she realizes. My smile morphs into a smirk from being the one to give her that adventure.

“Uh, do you need me to stay clear next weekend?” Zach asks.

I open my mouth to speak, but I don’t know how to answer. His question does get me thinking, though. “We should really look into getting apartments next year. Maybe include another team member or two.”

“I’m game. This sorry-ass excuse for a room sucks. Until we get our own space, we’ll have to work out a schedule.”

“Schedule?” I dare to ask.

“Yeah, the fucking schedule.”

Damn, Jocelyn’s right; my new roommate is a pig.