Chapter 7
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Geez, everything here in the Chem department seems so boring now that Edward doesn't call anymore. Even writing out extra credit abstracts for bio-chem lab has lost its luster. That used to be the best part of my day.
Damn that hot boy with muscles and perfect face. I never had to worry about that in this department. Jasper is the resident "hottie" in these parts. And he's like a strange older brother. You know that smart one that still lives at home and doesn't allow anyone in his room. I mean he's cute and all...but Jasper doesn't fill out those track pants in the same way.
I try to study a bit to keep myself occupied, but I'm already three weeks ahead in each of my classes. I text Alice, but I know she's in class.
No, Bella, you are not going to count the minutes until baseball practice. That would be incredibly sad. And a waste of time since you already did it.
"Hey Bella, have I showed you the specs I drew up for my chemistry joke app?" Jasper says, walking in the office and halting my slow descent into madness. "I think it's going to be a big seller. The jokes they have online are so juvenile. And they have very little accuracy in the chemical content."
"Um, no. That's great, Jasper." I guess his "Got Gas?" shirt with the chemical formula is totally mature. I see Alice's point a little more clearly now. Man-training is definitely needed.
"Well, I want you to test out the prototype and give me your opinion." Chemistry jokes are lame, Jasper. I just summed it up for you. Though I guess that would give me something to do here at work.
"Uh, sure." Now please stop talking about your app and tell me what you know about Edward. He dumps his backpack on the desk and starts rifling through it.
"Hey, can I borrow your book for organic chem? I must have forgotten mine at my sister's house." Yes! Finally something I care about.
"Your sister?" I ask. I hope I sound convincing. Probably not, since my teachers never let me play any parts in the school plays. I was always stage manager.
Sigh. Even back then I was lame.
"My sister, Rosalie. I've been trying to spend more time with her since she moved back to Phoenix with her kid. I was doing some experiments with my nephew."
"Your nephew, Riley, right? I think he's on Seth's baseball team." Oscar caliber performance, Bella. Meryl Streep would laugh at you.
"Yeah, how did you know his name? Oh right, Edward came in here making a scene. I'm sorry about that."
"No problem. Emmett is your brother-in-law, then? He's coaching the team."
"Yeah. He's a dick. My sister would cry all the time about him. You know that he got her pregnant when she was 20 and he took off? She followed him and she didn't even get to finish college. She moved all over the country while he tried to make it into the big leagues. But she finally left his ass last year."
"That's really terrible, Jasper. I hope things are better now." I don't want to think bad things about Emmett, but all evidence points in that direction.
"She's better now and she's going to college again. But she's still sad. I'm going to help her out by taking Riley to practice. Edward took him last time, but she'd rather it was me."
"She doesn't like Edward either?" Please don't tell me he's a horrible person. He's so hot...I mean, he seems nice.
"She doesn't know him very well, so she wants me to take him." I guess that's better than "he's a total douche."
"So I'll be seeing you there at practice. Are you going to help out?" I ask to be polite. Jasper has no athletic ability. He once broke my Marie Curie bobble head trying to toss me a soda can. The bobble head was across the room from me. I tried to figure out how he threw it, but it defied the laws of physics.
"Uh, I'm more of a theoretical person...not so much with the practical application. I did design an experiment showing the changes of velocity in the ball when heated to-"
Holy crap. Do I sound like this? No wonder I can't get a date. Or a friend other than Alice.
"Maybe you can help with the equipment or something." At least he's aware of his limitations. The kids might make fun of him if he tries to throw. Or catch. Or hit.
"I really don't want to touch Emmett's equipment. I prefer that people don't touch mine, so I don't want to handle his, or Edward's." And now I have a really vivid image of all three men touching themselves. I save that one for my shower tonight.
It's almost as good as the one where I'm Edward's personal ball washer.
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Seth has a perma-smile on his face the whole way to the park. He's actually leaning forward in his seat like it'll propel us faster. I love his enthusiasm. I wish I had the same feeling. I can't help the knot in my stomach when I think about seeing Edward. No, that's not true. Seeing him is the fun part. It's the talking that makes me nervous. And being near him. And maybe smelling him. I think he releases special pheromones that contain hallucinogens.
Fuck. I'm a total whack job. Though I have read some journal about plants that actually do that. So there is some speculation in that area.
I resolve to merely observe the practice tonight and avoid all contact with Edward. I mean, it's ridiculous. I'm being stupid for no reason. He's shown no interest in me other than polite conversation as I practically drooled all over him. I'm sure he's used to banging his way through baseball groupies. And I am so not one of those skanks.
And he's not my type. Okay, so he's every person with a vagina's type, but he's not for me.
The skanks can have him.
I pull into the lot and I have to remind Seth not to run out without his bag. I grab my stuff and head over to the bleachers. Emmett and Edward are setting up the field. Seth runs over to them and they look up and wave to me. Edward's wave seems to last a little longer than Emmett's. But I didn't time it or anything. I was distracted.
He's wearing a sleeveless shirt and shorts. Because I needed to see more of his tanned, muscled bod.
I might have whimpered when he ran his fingers through his hair and adjusted his cap. But I'm sure no one heard me.
"Hey, are you okay, Bella?" Jasper asks, taking a seat on the bleachers. "You sounded like you were in pain right now."
Yeah. My vagina was crying.
"Oh, um, I'm fine, Jasper. Just stubbed my toe."
"Okay, I'm going to go keep a closer eye on Riley. See you later."
"Later, Jasper."
I try to concentrate on my book during the practice, but I fail miserably. I keep glancing over at him. I mean, them. I don't think he catches me because I've cleverly remembered to bring my sunglasses. Ha!
Jasper has given up trying to help (good thing the ball only hit Emmett) and is sitting in the dugout playing around with his phone. Probably designing a new baseball app or something equally as useful.
When practice is over I grab my stuff and wait for Seth over by my car. I don't want to seem like I'm waiting for Edward like some desperate groupie. That is something that Renee would do. Did do, actually. I scowl as I think of her.
I shut my eyes to hold back the tears that usually threaten to fall whenever I think about her. When I open them, Edward is standing in front of me. He's got a dirt smudge on his cheek and he looks a little sweaty. Good god, give me strength.
"Hey."
"Hey."
"Uh, Emmett wanted to know If you'd be the team mom."
"All the other parents said no?"
"No. I want you. I-I mean we want you. To do it."
"Okay."
"Okay? Great." He beams then exhales a breath. "So, um, can I have your number?"
"You have my work number. And my home phone and email is on Seth's registration form. Emmett has it. He can email me a roster and the contact numbers so I can get in touch with the parents."
Edward looks confused. He says, "Wait, that's not what I meant when I asked. I want your number. To call you."
Now I'm confused. He steps closer, which doesn't help clear my head.
"Bella, I want to see you. Not as the team mom. Just you and me out...together. Will you let me take you out?"
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A/N: Your reviews make me smile. I apologize for not responding to more of you.
Cosmogirl keeps me sane and holds my hand through the writing of every chapter.
Thanks to rtgirl and twilover76 for their advice.