3 years earlier:
"What's a pretty girl like you doing alone in a bar?"
I groaned and without even sparing the man a glance responded. "Trying to get drunk without creeps hitting on me."
"So I'm a creep?"
He said with a hint a humor behind his voice. When I finally decided to look at him, boy was I surprised.
"Holy shit."
"What? Is there something on my face?" He asked seriously and began to rub hit hands along his mouth to try to get anything off.
"No. It's just that you were not the type of person I was expecting to see."
"I'll have to take that as a compliment. Can I buy you a drink?"
"You can drink with me, but I can buy my own drink."
"I'm Dansby."
"I know."
"You know? How?"
"I'm kind of the biggest braves fan ever and you're kind of the short stop."
"I wasn't expected to get recognized here." That was kind of stupid of him. Just because he wasn't in Georgia doesn't mean that people don't know who he is.
"Alabama isn't far from Atlanta, but can I ask why you're here?" The braves have a game tomorrow so for him to be in a bar in a completely different state was a little odd.
"I got into an argument with my ex again, so I just got in the car and kept going until it took me here. Now it's my turn to ask a question."
"Shoot."
"So you knew that I was a professional baseball player and you still chose to buy your own drink. Why?"
"It's called not being a gold digger. I don't want you to buy something for me when I can do it myself. I've always been independent."
"So, what are you doing down here?" I expected this question.
"Visiting family. I'm from Alabama but, like you, I live in Atlanta."
"Well, would you care to go to a hotel with me?"
"Sure, but we're not having sex."
"Then what are we doing?" He didn't even seem disappointed, just curious.
"Starting a friendship, Mr. Swanson."
"Mr. Swanson?" He laughed. His teeth were perfect and damn, his laugh made me want to marry him right there. "I still haven't heard your name yet."
"Blakelynn Athena Madison Adams."
"Blakelynn." He said. "That's beautiful."
"Thanks. Catch on to what my initials spell out?"
He thought for a minute before he finally realized. "No. I can't believe it. I refuse to believe it."
"Turn off?"
"Major turn off. How on earth could you be a BAMA fan? I could throw up right now. Is there anything else I need to know about you?"
"I'm 18."
"18? We're in a bar."
"A fake I.D. goes a long way."
"You are something else, Blakelynn."
