Page 60 of Run Home

Sam laughs and takes my hand as we walk through the maze of doorways, searching for the telltale physical challenge symbol. I arranged for an escape room in Overland Park to open privately so we could have a date without prying eyes. The owner of the business let us in, set us up with wristbands, then left us completely alone to enjoy exploring the forty different challenge rooms for two hours.

We’ve failed more rooms than we’ve defeated. Probably due to the fact that I’m primarily focused on flirting with Sam and not necessarily remembering the details of a fake crime scene to answer what color the lamp was.

When we enter the next room, the challenge requires a combination of physical reflexes and color pattern recognition—a perfect marriage of Sam’s and my skills. When we beat the room with time to spare, Sam’s eyes sparkle as she asks, “Is your head sufficiently reinflated now?”

“You know, you never should have agreed to date me if you were worried about my ego,” I say, draping an arm around her shoulders. “Now that I landed you as my girlfriend, I’m gonna be puffed up with pride forever.”

She scoffs but smiles, squeezing her arm around my waist a little tighter.

The final hour of time passes in a heartbeat, we’re having so much fun together. I’ve always had fun with Sam over the years—everything from movie nights at Griffin’s to her celebrating out with the team to goofing off together at Griffin’s baseball camps when we were supposed to be supervising children.

But I didn’t even realize how much the fun times would be amplified when there’s a deeper emotional connection behind them. When we share pieces of our lives and stories in between the laughs. Like Sam explaining that she chose cosmetology not only because she was interested in styling hair, but also because she likes talking with people. After years of working with her therapist, she realized she enjoys listening to people’s stories and giving advice or encouragement, but she didn’t think she could handle working as a therapist or counselor herself.

Or like me telling Sam more about my early years in the US, what it was like being here alone as a teenager. The Crowns provided housing for all of the Minor League international players, and I had a blast getting to know the guys I lived with while also improving my baseball and English skills. Still, it was lonely to be so far away from home with no family around for the first year—an emotion I shared with her, even if I skimmed over it.

I’ve had a year of growing attraction to Sam, of my senses being tuned to her any time we were in the same place. I was already down bad before I ever openly professed my feelings. But between last week’s dinner date at the Silo place she likes, countless texts and video calls when I was out of town, and today’s escape room date, I’m more convinced than ever that she’s it for me. The more I intentionally get to know Sam on that deeper level, the more I’m certain I could never go back to life without her.

I’ll do everything I can to make sure our world never splits apart again.

Chapter twenty-four

Adrian

“How many books are you taking with you?” I ask Sam. Her gorgeous face is framed by the edges of my phone screen, which is propped up on the nightstand beside me. My suitcase is open on the bed, clothes and shoes spread out waiting to be organized.

“I am taking one book,” Sam replies. “Danae, on the other hand, has five or six packed, at minimum. Five or six physical books, not to mention her Kindle. She said she needed to be prepared for wherever her mood would take her. We’re only at the Airbnb for three days and two nights, so I’m not sure exactly how many reading mood swings she’s able to have in that amount of time.”

“A lot, apparently. Almost as many hat mood swings as I’m able to have,” I joke as I hold up the stack of hats I’m taking with me to the All-Star weekend. I’m rewarded with the sound of Sam’s laugh filling my bedroom. It makes me smile, although I’d rather she was physically present here with me.

We’ve found a sustainable rhythm of time spent together over the past four weeks as an official couple. My schedule of almost daily baseball games—half of them out of town—combined with Sam’s growing client list has created natural limits to our time together. Outside of three official dates and seeing each other when Sam attends home games, we’ve had to settle for daily text messages and a couple of video calls. So I think I’ve done an okay job of listening to Griffin’s advice to not take things too fast.

I haven’t even kissed Sam yet, although I picture what it would be like every time we’re together. And every night when I’m falling asleep. And every minute that I’m not playing baseball or working out with the team.

I’m doing my best to keep building that solid emotional connection between us before I kiss her—wooing her like I’d promised—but I’m getting desperate to finally press that first kiss to her lips. I’m pretty sure she might be getting desperate, too, if the number of times I catch her gaze on my lips is an accurate indicator. Because it’s almost as many times as my eyes linger on hers.

Unfortunately for my kissing desperation, I’m leaving town. With Griffin, not Sam.

But as much as I’d like to spend my time kissing Sam, I’m looking forward to this final hurrah with Griff. Drew will also be with us since he’s hitting in the Home Run Derby, so I’ll almost be able to pretend this is just like old times when the three of us were playing together. When Griff might have been the one hitting in the derby instead of watching from the stands.

I ask Sam, “Does Danae feel okay about leaving town before the wedding? Everything is planned out and organized?”

Sam acts offended. “I can’t believe you would doubt my coordinating skills. Of course everything is planned out and organized.”

“I never doubt your skills, cielo,” I reply with a wink.

She smiles but continues, “Danae doesn’t have a single thing to worry about. Even though we both know she’ll be an anxious basket case anyway. That’s why she has to be forced away to enjoy some downtime. Are you excited for a few days with Griff?”

“I am,” I say as I place carefully folded shirts into one side of the suitcase. “Although I wish you were the one meeting me at the crack of dawn to fly out tomorrow morning instead of your boring brother.” I make eye contact with her through the phone and say, “Kidding. Well, not completely kidding. I do wish you’d be there. But getting time with Griff and Drew is gonna be great. And I’m glad you’re distracting Danae from her anxiety.”

“Attempting,” Sam clarifies. “Not sure how successful I’ll be.”

“If you’re half as successful at distracting Danae as you are at styling hair, you’ll be okay,” I say. “Everything still going well at the salon?”

A conflicted look passes over Sam’s face, so I set down the pair of pants I was folding and pick up the phone to focus on our conversation. “What’s up?”

“It’s nothing,” Sam deflects. “Everything’s really good.”

“Mentirosa,” I say. Sam’s eyes narrow, and I translate, “Liar.”