Free Caught by You by Jennifer Bernard Page B

problem. I can be your guilty secret. That sounds kind of hot.”
    Why did his voice have to curl through her insides like warm butterscotch? “It won’t be. You’re wasting your time.”
    â€œHey, it’s my time. I can do what I want with it, at least before batting practice and after the games. What if I just want to talk? Get to know you better?”
    Her phone started to slide off her shoulder. She clamped her lower jaw onto it, trying to pin it in place. “There’s nothing . . .” The words came out funny, since she couldn’t close her mouth without losing her phone. She grabbed it with her right hand, the one that held the nail polish wand. “ . . . to know.”
    â€œEverything okay over there?”
    â€œYup.” Well, except for the nail polish she’d just gotten on her cheek. Could you put polish remover on your skin? Was that safe?
    â€œWell, Red,” Mike was saying, “I don’t want to call you a liar, but that sounds like an untruth to me. Tell me this: How did you meet Zack’s father and why aren’t you with him?”
    â€œWow, you really go right for the jugular, don’t you?” She rose to her feet to check the damage in the mirror. Yup, a slash of puce right across her cheekbone.
    â€œI believe in swinging for the fences. Going for broke. Sports metaphors of all kinds.”
    Donna scowled at her reflection. Maybe she should dye her hair puce to match the nail polish. Better yet, dye it maroon and white, Texas A&M colors. “How about going down for the count?”
    â€œNice one. How about this. I’ll tell you one big thing if you tell me one big thing.”
    â€œWhat makes you think I care about your big thing?”
    A loaded silence followed. Donna tried not to laugh, tried really hard. She bit her lip until her face turned red, the streak of puce standing out like a scar.
    â€œNow that’s just mean, Donna MacIntyre. You don’t care about my big thing? You really know how to hurt a man.”
    She gave in and let out a laugh. It seemed as if she never laughed anymore. Only with Mike. “Fine, I give up. We’ll exchange big things.”
    â€œExcellent. You first, since I asked first. And I really want to know about Zack, because he seems like a great kid.”
    The one sure way to her heart was by complimenting Zack. Donna settled herself on the toilet seat and crossed one leg over the other.
    â€œZack’s father is Harvey Hannigan. When I was a naïve eighteen-­year-­old, I thought I was in love with him.”
    â€œYou weren’t?”
    â€œTo be honest, it was mostly about his Harley, and pissing off my stepmother, and the way his hair kinked at the hairline.”
    â€œThe old Hairline Kink. Get the girls every time.”
    â€œYeah. I thought it meant he was sensitive and poetic. Like Edward in Twilight . Anyway, I got pregnant, and yes, I was on birth control. Sometimes things just happen. He broke up with me right away.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œHe didn’t want a baby because he was right in the middle of rebuilding his bike. And no, I’m not making that up. He wanted me to get an abortion, but the thing is, as soon as I did the pregnancy test, the name Zack popped into my head. A blue plus sign   . . . Zack. That quick. I always knew it was a boy too. Sounds crazy, huh?”
    The fumes of the nail polish must be going to her head. She’d never told anyone this, ever.
    â€œI don’t think so. I’ve made lots of decisions based on gut instinct. So obviously you chose to have the baby anyway. Why doesn’t Zack live with you?”
    She wasn’t ready to tell that part of the story. “No way, buster. That’s big thing number two. Your turn first. Cough it up, Solo. What deep, dark secret are you hiding from the world?”
    â€œWell . . .” He hesitated for a long moment, long enough that