Read Online All Your Loving (Bachelors & Bridesmaids) by Barbara Freethy - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Barbara Freethy
Tags: Contemporary Romance
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no matter how far we drift apart, we'll always come back for each other's weddings. It sounded like a great idea in theory, but lately my friends have been getting engaged every other month, so I feel like I'm on a merry-go-round of bridal showers and bachelorette parties."
"I've had a few friends tie the knot in the last couple of years, too. Fortunately, I only had to usher in one of those weddings."
"Are your friends all ballplayers?" she asked curiously.
"A lot of them are, but I do have one good friend from childhood that I still see. He's an orthopedic surgeon now."
"Maybe he could give you an opinion on your arm."
Matt shot her a smile. "He has. He told me to stop throwing so hard or so often. Obviously, that's not an option."
"You should be careful. You don't want to end up with a serious injury."
"I have a lot of trainers looking out for me."
"Sure," she said, having forgotten for a moment that Matt did not need her to worry about him. He had an entire team of people who were there to support every aspect of his career and probably the rest of his life as well. Their lives were very, very different, and she really shouldn't let herself forget that.
Chapter Six
The dance studio was located in a one-story brick building near the flower mart. As he parked his car in the shadowy lot, Matt wondered just what he'd gotten himself into. Not just because the area was a little run-down, but also because he was stepping completely out of his world. He spent most of his time at the ballpark or the gym or with baseball friends, and it was only since he met Julie that he was beginning to realize how isolating his life had become.
"Don't worry," Julie said. "The neighborhood looks worse than it is. Your car will be safe."
"I'm not worried about my car," he said.
"Really?" she asked doubtfully as she got out of the car. "It's pretty fancy."
He smiled. "I won it, Julie. It was the MVP gift in last year's playoffs. Before that I was driving a ten-year-old jeep."
"You've certainly upgraded. It goes with your celebrity."
"It's just a car. I've never been that into what I drive."
"Then why not trade it in for a less sportier vehicle?"
"You might find this surprising, but I can be a little lazy."
"Except when it comes to baseball, right?"
He tipped his head to her point. "Right."
"Well, you won't be able to be lazy tonight. Isabella will kick your ass."
"Does she own this place?"
"Her aunt is the owner, but Isabella is the manager. They have two studios and all kinds of classes ranging from ballet to hip-hop. In the daytime, they work with more serious professional dancers and at night, Isabella runs classes to bring in the rest of us." She paused as another car pulled into the lot. "There's Michael and Liz. Let's wait for them."
He was happy to see another guy in the mix. Even though Julie had told him there would be men there, he hadn't been entirely convinced. Since Michael Stafford was an ex-pro-football player, they also had something in common.
"Hi guys," Julie said as Michael and Liz got out of the car. "I want you to meet Matt Kingsley. This is my friend Liz Palmer and her fiancé Michael Stafford."
"I've seen you play," Matt said, extending his hand to Michael. "Nice to meet you."
"Likewise," Michael said with a warm smile. "So how did you get talked into this?"
"I wanted to see Julie again, and this is what she was doing," he said simply.
Michael laughed and shook his head. "The things we do for women."
"It's going to be fun," Julie said. "Let's go inside. I think it's almost time for class to start."
"Have you done this before?" Matt asked Michael as they walked into the studio.
"Not hip-hop, but Liz did make me take a ballroom dance class a few weeks ago."
"Which you sucked at," Liz said with a teasing smile.
He gave a cheerful nod. "It's true. I had great moves on the football field, but the dance floor I seemed to trip over myself every two seconds. Although part of the problem was
"I've had a few friends tie the knot in the last couple of years, too. Fortunately, I only had to usher in one of those weddings."
"Are your friends all ballplayers?" she asked curiously.
"A lot of them are, but I do have one good friend from childhood that I still see. He's an orthopedic surgeon now."
"Maybe he could give you an opinion on your arm."
Matt shot her a smile. "He has. He told me to stop throwing so hard or so often. Obviously, that's not an option."
"You should be careful. You don't want to end up with a serious injury."
"I have a lot of trainers looking out for me."
"Sure," she said, having forgotten for a moment that Matt did not need her to worry about him. He had an entire team of people who were there to support every aspect of his career and probably the rest of his life as well. Their lives were very, very different, and she really shouldn't let herself forget that.
Chapter Six
The dance studio was located in a one-story brick building near the flower mart. As he parked his car in the shadowy lot, Matt wondered just what he'd gotten himself into. Not just because the area was a little run-down, but also because he was stepping completely out of his world. He spent most of his time at the ballpark or the gym or with baseball friends, and it was only since he met Julie that he was beginning to realize how isolating his life had become.
"Don't worry," Julie said. "The neighborhood looks worse than it is. Your car will be safe."
"I'm not worried about my car," he said.
"Really?" she asked doubtfully as she got out of the car. "It's pretty fancy."
He smiled. "I won it, Julie. It was the MVP gift in last year's playoffs. Before that I was driving a ten-year-old jeep."
"You've certainly upgraded. It goes with your celebrity."
"It's just a car. I've never been that into what I drive."
"Then why not trade it in for a less sportier vehicle?"
"You might find this surprising, but I can be a little lazy."
"Except when it comes to baseball, right?"
He tipped his head to her point. "Right."
"Well, you won't be able to be lazy tonight. Isabella will kick your ass."
"Does she own this place?"
"Her aunt is the owner, but Isabella is the manager. They have two studios and all kinds of classes ranging from ballet to hip-hop. In the daytime, they work with more serious professional dancers and at night, Isabella runs classes to bring in the rest of us." She paused as another car pulled into the lot. "There's Michael and Liz. Let's wait for them."
He was happy to see another guy in the mix. Even though Julie had told him there would be men there, he hadn't been entirely convinced. Since Michael Stafford was an ex-pro-football player, they also had something in common.
"Hi guys," Julie said as Michael and Liz got out of the car. "I want you to meet Matt Kingsley. This is my friend Liz Palmer and her fiancé Michael Stafford."
"I've seen you play," Matt said, extending his hand to Michael. "Nice to meet you."
"Likewise," Michael said with a warm smile. "So how did you get talked into this?"
"I wanted to see Julie again, and this is what she was doing," he said simply.
Michael laughed and shook his head. "The things we do for women."
"It's going to be fun," Julie said. "Let's go inside. I think it's almost time for class to start."
"Have you done this before?" Matt asked Michael as they walked into the studio.
"Not hip-hop, but Liz did make me take a ballroom dance class a few weeks ago."
"Which you sucked at," Liz said with a teasing smile.
He gave a cheerful nod. "It's true. I had great moves on the football field, but the dance floor I seemed to trip over myself every two seconds. Although part of the problem was
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