Having most of her team show up to crash our date wasn’t how I would’ve planned it.
But it’s fun.
And putting Addie in a position where she’s relaxing with her team is good.
“You stole my black hole, Brooks Elliott!” she shrieks. “You aresopaying for this at practice tomorrow.”
Everyone cracks up. Pretty sure no one believes her.
It’s like watching her with the teenage softball team.
I don’t know what she’ll be like with them tomorrow on the ball field.
But I’m glad she’s getting this opportunity today.
20
Addie
If you’d toldme the best date of my life would be crashed by all of my players while the man I’m sort of seeing took it all in stride like he had no idea that my heart was pounding in equal parts joy and terror for most of the afternoon, I wouldn’t have believed you.
I taught myself over a decade ago to not rely on a man for happiness, and when I slipped and let Duncan in only to have him walk away four years ago, I thought I’d learned my lesson.
But every moment I spend with him now, every moment I talk with him on the phone or text him while I’m gone, I’m falling harder and harder.
And I don’t want to be afraid anymore.
What’s the very worst thing that happens if you let him in again?Waverly asked me when we were in LA.
I can think of a thousand terrible things.
He breaks my heart again.
We adopt a dog together and he takes the dog when we break up.
We decide to have kids together and things are hard when we break up.
But every single answer towhat’s the very worst thing that happensiswe break up and I move on.
It’s notI sacrifice my happiness for his in the hopes of making it last.
I hurt for a little bit, and then I move on. I remember the good times. I regret the bad times. And I move on.
And what’s the best thing that can happen?she asked me.
He makes me see the world in brighter colors and takes me to new highs and is there holding my hand during my lowest lows. And I make his world brighter and take him to new highs and I’m there holding his hand during his lowest lows.
Inviting him up to my apartment after our date is the most natural thing in the world.
Even though it’s gorgeous outside—no risk of thunderstorms breaking the elevator—we take the stairs.
“I’m getting a dog when I retire,” Duncan tells me as we climb.
“Like Doc Rover?” I ask.
“Like something that can devour the kitten of death.”
I slip my hand into his and squeeze. “I meant it when I said I’d make my players run extra on the treadmill. I’d absolutely do that for you. Four kittens of death for a guy who was eaten alive by his housecats in a former life is extreme.”
