Because of J.K. (Jordan Knight Fanfic)

Eight

A cool evening breeze rustled through my hair as I walked along the near empty bleachers and watched the few lingering little league players pile their exhausted bodies into their parents' minivans. Similar to the little blue Cape Cod-style cottage in the neighborhood that Jonathan had remodeled, this seemed like yet another glimpse into the sweet family life that I'd always wanted.

There was something special about spending an innocent evening surrounded by children's laughter and old-fashioned fun. It made me realize there was still some basic good in the world, but it also pierced my heart and made me reflect on all the basic things that I'd missed out on as a kid. It was one thing to read about these kinds of days in books and yet it was quite another to experience it first hand.

I just needed a moment alone to soak it all in and try to capture the memory in my head.

Jonathan had offered to walk me to my car during his departure and Sharon had given me an invitation to join them for a big cookout tomorrow, but I'd politely declined both of them.

I didn't want to interject myself into Jordan's life if he truly didn't want me there. As wounded as he was, he was right, we weren't the same. Unlike me, he was lucky to have a family to fall back on and he didn't need me to fill his voids. As much as I tried to deny it, I was the only one of us that needed our dysfunctional relationship to keep going.

The low humming sound of the field lights coming on told me that it was time to finally go and I carefully made my way down the metal steps. As I walked, I spotted a sole yellow wildflower peeking through the pristine cut grass in the center of the green space of the baseball field. It seemed like a special gift from above waiting for me and I diverted my pathway to move towards the lonely blossom.

Suddenly, a clicking noise followed by a whoosh caught my attention and my eyes widened.

Crap, Julia.

I tried to run, but it was too late.

Within seconds, the sprinkler system was going full speed and I was quickly soaked to the bone as I ran through the maze of water back towards the parking lot without even bothering to grab the wildflower. My heart beat rapidly in my chest as I batted my hair out of my eyes and tugged at my dress that clung to my skin whilst I sloshed my way to my car.

I silently hoped no one saw me in my current state of disarray as my eyes darted about the practically empty parking lot.

Yet, as fate would have it, the moment I neared my own parking space, I spotted Jordan sitting on the hood of my car. His baseball cap was turned backwards and his chiseled bare chest glistened with sweat under the setting sun as he leaned back onto his forearms. He looked like sex on legs.

Butterflies flooded my stomach and in a split second, I decided to turn and run back in the opposite direction. He was the last person I wanted to see me stupidly drenched from the sprinklers.

"Julia?"

The way he said my name made my breath catch in my throat. I bit my lip and turned around to face him with burning cheeks.

I cleared my throat, "Jordan, I didn't expect to still see you here."

"More car trouble," he said simply as his chocolate eyes scanned me up and down and an amused look filled his face. "I was waiting for you."

"Oh," I glanced over at his black car that was parked next to my pinkish-white one. "You need me to get you off?"

Jordan's eyebrows lifted lightly and my embarrassment increased about ten times over as I realized what I'd said.

"Jump," I stuttered. "I meant jump you off. No, not you. The car. Jump the car."

A smile came to Jordan's mouth and he had the nerve to laugh. It was a big, hearty laugh that captured his entire face and rumbled through his chest until he nearly fell off the hood.