Free Life Rewired (Aspen Friends, Book 3) by Lynn Galli

enjoyed every minute of working with them.
     
     

11
     
    Black curls blew into my face from the breeze on the bar’s patio. The woman who sported the black curls was leaning into me, whispering something in my ear. Whatever she was saying made no sense. The words were slurred and out of order from all the wine she’d consumed. I stared at her friend wondering why she wasn’t doing something to protect her from being taken advantage of, but she was busy flirting with the third basemen on our team.
    Molly caught my stare and turned a knowing smile toward the two women who were trying to get her attention. I shook my head as the woman gripped my neck and brushed her lips against my ear. She must really want to get her point across. Our entire outfield was staring at her draped over me. They were wide-eyed and grinning. Men and their fantasies.
    When Molly suggested we join a Wednesday night co-ed team instead of her usual Sunday night all women’s team, I was a little hesitant. She couldn’t get Sunday nights off this summer, so she wanted to play with a few of her friends on this co-ed team instead of finding a women’s team. I agreed to fill in occasionally, not wanting to commit to something permanent.
    “You’re the hottest wingman Kirk’s ever had.” Peter leaned into my other ear. “He’s going to get lucky with her friend, and she’s climbing all over you.”
    Peter played beside me in left field and seemed decent, but like most men, seeing a woman on another woman made him forget the decency. His eyes kept darting between me and Molly. The two women trying to win her favor were at least standing a few inches away from her. I was practically wearing drunk lady.
    I pushed at the woman leaning onto me, blowing her curls out of the way. “You’ve had enough, hon. Time for you to get a cab home.”
    She whined far longer than any person over the age of five should whine. “You could take me home.”
    I wasn’t sure what planet I was living on, but since moving to Aspen, I’d been hit on by three pretty hot women. My ex-girlfriend hadn’t been anywhere near as hot as Joanna, Brandy, or this woman. She’d been pretty enough but not really hot. Her other qualities were what I’d liked until some of them encouraged me to do things I shouldn’t have done.
    Molly somehow recognized a look she’d never seen in my eyes before because she leaned forward on the table to say, “She’s my ride home, sweetheart.”
    The curls swished around as her head turned to look at Molly. “Oh, are you two together?”
    Flames shot from the eyes of the Molly groupies before she chuckled and said, “No.”
    The rest of the outfield swung their heads back and forth watching the conversation play out. Peter’s brow rose in question toward me, like I’d have a different answer for him. I wouldn’t have let this woman drape herself all over me if Molly and I were together.
    “Next game?” the woman asked me.
    I felt my pulse kick up at the prospect. She was the look I generally went for, but I wouldn’t even consider taking her home if she got sloppy drunk again. I tilted my head and smiled, not wanting to give a promise.
    “I’m going, Francine. You staying?” she was talking to her friend who had her tongue down Kirk’s throat. Francine waved her off. “Walk me out?” she batted her eyes at me.
    I had no doubt she’d try to coax me into the cab with her. If I was sure a sloppy drunk could make her way through the bar and into a cab on her own, I would have declined. A breath pushed out as I kicked my chair back to stand.
    “We’ll both walk you out, sweetheart,” Molly spoke up, receiving startled groans from the two hopefuls at her side. I bit back a smile as Molly gave them each a cheek kiss and slapped the hands of our first baseman and pitcher before joining us.
    “Mmm, lucky me.” Drunk lady slipped her hand through Molly’s elbow and locked her other around my waist, dragging us toward the door.