The Boyfriend League Read Online Free PDF Page A

told myself I wasn’t going to have a problem, either, but I wasn’t so sure.
    â€œI’ve got an idea,” Bird said. “Why don’t you date my guy, and I’ll date yours?”
    It seemed like an easy and perfect solution. I didn’t know why I didn’t jump on it. Maybe because I couldn’t see her with Jason. Maybe Ididn’t want to see her with him. “I don’t know.”
    â€œYou can’t date Jason,” she reminded me.
    â€œI know.” Mom hadn’t made Tiffany and me sign a contract, but she had made us cross our hearts like we were five years old. Sometimes our parents just didn’t see us growing up.
    â€œThey have their first practice tomorrow,” Bird said. “I went out to the team’s website and printed off a roster of the players. We’ll scope them out tomorrow.”
    â€œSounds like a plan.”
    A knock sounded on the closed door. Could it be Jason? What if it was? I hadn’t changed for bed, but still…
    â€œI’ve gotta go,” I said.
    â€œâ€™Kay. Later.”
    I closed my cell phone and set it on the nightstand.
    â€œDani?”
    It was my mom. Before I could respond, she opened the door and peered in. “You okay?”
    It seemed like an odd question.
    â€œWhy wouldn’t I be?”
    She came inside and sat on the edge of the bed. I pulled my legs up beneath me.
    â€œYou’re usually the one your dad plays ball with. I wasn’t sure how you’d feel about him playing with Jason.”
    I shrugged. “I’m fine with it. It was part of the reason I suggested we host a player, so Dad would have a guy to pitch to.”
    â€œYou know your dad doesn’t wish you’d been a boy.”
    â€œI know. But that doesn’t mean he didn’t wish he had a son.”
    â€œThat’s true, I suppose.” She lifted some lint off the bedspread.
    â€œWas there something else, Mom?”
    She looked up, held my gaze. “You seemed pretty infatuated with Jason during dinner.”
    I felt the heat rush to my face. Did anything ever escape her notice? “I’m just not used to having a guy at the table, that’s all.”
    â€œAnd the extra mascara before dinner?”
    â€œA tip I picked up from Tiffany’s blog. Obviously she neglected to mention it takes longer to dry with three applications.”
    She grinned. “You read Tiffany’s blog?”
    â€œShe’s the glamour expert.”
    â€œYou’re not usually into glamour.”
    â€œI’m almost seventeen. Don’t you think it’s time I was?”
    â€œI think you need to be true to yourself.”
    I couldn’t help it. I rolled my eyes. It was such a Mom thing to say.
    She patted my knee. “I’ll leave you with that thought.”
    Mom was really good about not belaboring a point. She got up.
    â€œMom?”
    She turned and looked at me.
    I scrunched up my face. “I’ve never had a boyfriend.”
    She smiled sadly. “I know, sweetie, but it’ll happen.”
    I nodded. That was her standard answer, but I really needed more. “Thanks for letting Jason stay with us for the summer.”
    â€œJust let me know if there are any problems.”
    â€œI will.”
    After she left, I tried to look at my room through the eyes of a stranger. With theexception of my posters of Hugh Jackman, Green Day, and Chad Michael Murray, everything was baseball. I loved it.
    But the important question was: Do guys like tomboys?

Chapter 5
    â€œI s Brandon Bentley totally hot or what?” Bird asked, referring to the player standing at first base waiting for the coach to hit a grounder to him.
    Bird and I were sitting on the bleachers at the baseball field, watching as the Ragland Rattlers practiced. A couple of other girls—“Summer Sisters” they’d announced as they’d walked by wiggling their fingers—were sitting at the far