A Diamond for the Perfect Girl: A Matt Carpenter Love Story

Chapter Twenty-Three

  Ashton's P.O.V.-
I was walking into the stadium when I heard my name being called. I turned around and Carpenter was walking over to me. I groaned and continued walking. He caught up with me and stopped walking right in front of me. I tried to walk past him, but he wouldn't let me.
"Matt, I'm trying to get to work here." I said crossing my arms.
"I would like to talk to you for a minute." He blocked me again as I tried to move. "I called you last night and texted you, but you didn't answer."
"Probably because I didn't want to." I told him.
"I get that you're angry I cancelled, but at least let me explain as to why I cancelled."
"You went out on a date, which I totally get. You didn't want to go clothes shopping with me anyways. I don't care." I pushed past him and headed towards the dugout.
"That's not why I cancelled." He followed me.
"Matt, I don't really care. It doesn't matter anyways. You were just being nice by agreeing to come with me and then you decided you didn't want to go because you had a date, which like I said I totally get." I was angry at that point, but tried to hide it.
"Ashton, can you please stop and listen to me."
I spun around and faced him. "Matt, I'm running late for work. I'm done talking to you." I turned back around and he didn't follow me. Not like I cared anyways. It wasn't my problem.
*Later in the day*
"Ashton, we need to talk." Matt said coming up to me. It was the afternoon and I still wasn't in a good mood.
"No. Why don't you take the hint and leave me alone?" I asked facing him. I was taking some Advil out, so I could take it for my headache, which he wasn't helping.
"Ashton, at least let me explain." He begged.
I walked past him and headed up to the field. He followed after me. "Matt, I'm not going to discuss this with you here."
"Then when are you going to let me explain? Tomorrow? Next month? Next year? When?" He asked stopping right in front of me again.
"I'm not going to discuss this. We're at work and I would like to do my job." I crossed my arms and glared at him.
"No. I just want to explain as to why I cancelled. It will take five minutes."
"Matt I told you already. I'm not going to discuss this here." I tried to walk past him, but of course he blocked me just like this morning. "Matt..." I growled.
"Ashton, you are going to let me explain."
"I already know why you cancelled. You had a date." His face went slightly pale. "I saw you at the Galleria when I was there with Adam, so I know why you cancelled."
His face returned to full color. "It wasn't a date. It was an appointment. The guys left me in charge of..."
"Ashton, you have a visitor." My dad shouted.
I turned and saw Katie standing in the dugout next to my dad. I faced Matt again. "This conversation is over." I then headed back to the dugout. "Katie, what are you doing here?"
She smiled at me. "You left this at home." She handed me my phone. "I figured you'd want it."
I took it from her. "Thanks. You didn't have to bring it down here."
"Yeah I did. You can hardly live without it." She chuckled at the thought of that.
"Thanks. I'll show you out." I led her towards the entrance.
Grichuk was running down the hall with his bag over his shoulder. He was really late and he stopped when he saw me. "Ashton, I know I'm late, but I have a good reason." He said out of breath.
"Oh you better have a good reason. My dad wants to talk to you as to why you're late."
"My car wouldn't start this morning and then when it did, it broke down again, only on the highway this time. I had to wait for almost 2 hours before the tow truck arrived and then I had to run from the car lot here. And on top of it all, my phone died just after I got off the phone with the tow truck company." He explained.
"Well, that's a good reason. Now go before you get fired."
"Thanks." He then took off running again.
"He's cute." Katie commented after he was out of earshot.
"Katie!" I dragged her to the entrance. "Thanks for bringing me my phone."
"You're welcome. Do you need anything done because I have nothing to do today."
"Grocery shopping. The list is on the fridge at home."
"Sweet. I'll get that done."
"Thanks. See you later." I hugged her before heading back to the field. And the worst part was, my day had only just begun.