Chapter Two:

Jace POV:

The next day at Spring Training, I still couldn't get the girl from the club out of my head. It was rare for me to be caught up on someone, but I couldn't help it. Talking to her made me feel better, like I had known her all my life. It made going out last night because I got to meet and have a good conversation with someone who I felt like was a genuine and real woman. Those were rare moments, and I wish I had more of them in my life.

"Yo Jace." I heard a teammate call on the field.

"What's up?" I asked.

"A bunch of us are going to get dinner tonight, you in?" He asked.

"Yea, I'm down." I said and he nodded. A night out for dinner was lot better than a night out at a club, that's for sure. Practice continued and when I got back to my room, I took a quick nap before I had to get ready for tonight.

Time Jump – Later That Night

Clary POV:

"I just can't believe he wanted to take me home. I mean come on, I had a bachelorette sash on and everything." Seelie cackled for the hundredth time tonight. She would not stop talking about the club last night, and all I wanted to do was rip my eyes out of the socket.

"He was totally into you." Her best friend, and maid of honor Kaelie said.

"What can I say, I'm a catch." She giggled, and it took everything in me not to roll my eyes. Her whole party was a bunch of stuck up social elite princesses, and it made me sick. The 14 of them were giving me a headache, and I couldn't wait until this weekend was over.

"Oh my god, look who just walked in." Aline said and every girl started gossiping like a teenager. I could careless who walked into this restaurant, I wanted to get the hell out of it.

"They're even hotter in person." Kaelie said. "Maybe one of them will give me their number.

"As if." I said under my breath but I guess it wasn't quiet enough.

"What's up your ass Clarissa?" Seelie said and I just rolled my eyes. Finally looking up, I caught a glimpse of the guys they were talking about, and I was shocked to see Jace among them. Thinking how funny it would be to show them that I know one of them, I got up from the table and made my way over to them.

"Hey." I said once I got close enough. Jace looked over and his eyes widened in surprise.

"Clary?" He questioned and I nodded. "What are you doing here?" He asked as he got up and pulled me into a hug.

"Bachelorette party from hell, remember?" I said and he laughed. "What about you? And why is everyone staring at you?" I asked once I realized everyone in the restaurant was kinda looking.

"You don't recognize us?" The one guy from the table asked.

"Nope." I said honestly, and they laughed.

"We play for the LA Angels." He said and I nodded. "The major league baseball team." He continued and I just kept nodding.

"Cool." I simply said. I didn't follow baseball, so that really didn't mean much to me.

"Clarissa." I heard from behind me, and when I turned around, there stood the party.

"Yes?" I asked.

"Aren't you going to introduce us?" Seelie batted her eyelashes like she always did. I prayed her husband was just as superficial as she was because this marriage was doomed if he wasn't.

"I don't think so." I said and I turned back to Jace. "It was nice seeing you again, but I should probably get going." I smiled before I walked out of the restaurant. I hadn't meant to just leave him, but I really couldn't stand Seelie and her posse anymore.

"Clary!" I heard and when I turned around, there stood Jace.

"Hey, what are you doing out here?" I asked.

"What can I say, I'd much rather spend my night with you, than the guys." He said and I smiled.

"What do you wanna do?" I asked.

"Anything." He said honestly and I nodded.

"I have the perfect idea." I said as I took his head and pulled him towards my car. Even though I found out that he was a major league baseball player, I didn't view him as that. He was simply a guy I met in an alleyway, and I wanted to get to know him more.

We got into my car and I just started driving. I never lived in Arizona, but once my dad moved here with his new wife, I visited at least once a year so I knew my way around pretty well. Once we got to this spot I found a couple years ago I put the car in park and we made our way over to the cliff. I grabbed a blanket out of my car and placed it on the ground and we both sat.

"This is nice." Jace said and I nodded. The lights in Arizona had lit up the night sky.

"I find myself here every time I come visit my dad." I admitted.

"I'm guessing that's not often." He said and I laughed.

"I try to make it here once a year, but after this weekend, I might not come back for a little while. There is only so much I can take of my stepsister, and my stepmom." I admitted.

"Was she the one at the restaurant?" He asked and I nodded. "She seems…..like a hand full."

"My parents got divorced when I was 18. They got married about a year after, and she's been a nightmare ever since. I think I might have gone insane if I ever had to live in the same house as her." I explained and he nodded.

"How much longer are you stuck with her?" He asked.

"I actually have to leave this lovely weekend early." I said and he nodded. "One perk about being a freelance artist is that when work calls, I answer. I'm leaving for Oregon tomorrow afternoon, and I can't wait."

"What will you be doing in Oregon?" He asked.

"A painting for a man who lost his mother earlier this year." I said. "Wants me to paint his favorite picture of her on a giant canvas."

"How long will that take you?" He asked.

"Probably a couple weeks." I admitted. "It'll be nice though. I haven't been to Oregon yet."

"I heard it's beautiful." He said and I nodded. It was quiet for a little while we both took in the scenery. "What time do you have to be at the airport?" He asked after awhile.

"My flight is at 4:30, so I'll probably get there around 2:45." I explained. "Why?"

"How would you like to come to my proactive tomorrow? Its at 9 am." He asked.

"You can do that?" I asked, a little shocked and he laughed.

"I can anything I want honestly." He said and I smiled.

"I think I can make time." I said and he smiled. He pulled out his phone and handed it to me.

"Put your number in, and I'll send you the address, and where to park." He said and I nodded. I put my number in and handed it back to him. A few minutes later, I got a text. "I'll tell security your name and you should be good."

"Sounds fun. I've never been to a baseball game before, let alone a practice." I admitted and he smiled.

"Funny how out of everyone in the world, you'd meet in that alley, it was a baseball player." He said and I laughed.

"Better me than my stepsister." I pointed out and now he laughed.

"You are very right." He said.

We spent the next couple hours on that little cliff talking about anything and everything. Knowing that he was a pro baseball player was kinda shocking. He didn't act like he was a professional athlete, but it was nice. He wasn't a cocky bastard like what I imagined a professional athlete would be. He was genuine, and I enjoyed his company.