This time it was Daniel’s turn to laugh. “Seriously, bro? If you’re not interested, let me know. I’d tap that.”
“Fuck you.”
“So, what are you, friends with benefits?” asked Dalton.
“Right, because that always works out,” Kurt said with a scoff. “Bitches be crazy, dude, especially those independent hippie types. They’re smarter than the average bimbo.”
“Dude,” Dalton said. “Quit calling every woman you see a bimbo.”
“Why? You think that they don’t call us dumb jocks behind our backs?”
“Both of you shut up.” I sat down on the bench and stretched my arm behind my back, wishing suddenly that I could blow this place, find Macey, and spend the next twenty-four solid hours justbeingwith her. Talking to her. Hanging out with myfriend.
Before Macey, I didn’t care about impressing anyone with a win besides myself and my coach. And even before him, my mother. But today, I wanted nothing more than to do good for her. And why? I had no idea.
“Don’t tell me, man,” Dalton said, sitting down to tighten the laces on his turf shoes. “You’re whipped.”
“I can’t be whipped. We’re not even a couple. We’re friends, Dalton. End of story.”
“And is that your fault or hers?” Kurt asked, but I didn’t trust myself to answer him. The truth was, I’d been so smitten with Macey from the very moment I’d laid eyes on her that my fear of rejection if I asked her to be my girlfriend, outweighed the fear of anything else. She had already flat-out denied me twice, and we’d agreed to be friends instead. But could I do that? Could I be nothing more than a mere friend to her? I’d have to be.
“Have you two fucked?” Dalton asked, and I glared at him.
“Of course not. Like I said, we’re just friends.”
“Well, you better figure out where you stand with her before someone else does,” Daniel said softly, and for the first time in my adult life, I had to mentally restrain myself from lunging at Daniel and beating the shit out of him.
“Men!” Coach yelled into the now-empty locker room. “Dalton, Jayce, Kurt, Daniel, and the rest of you...get your asses out here. It’s time to win this game.”
We played well. Exceptionally well, considering it was our first game of the season. In fact, we won by a long shot, and a big part of me wanted to admit that the reason I, in particular, pitched better than usual was that Macey was sitting in the front row, cheering me on for the entirety of the game. I didn’t even bother going back to the locker room to change as the game wrapped up. I walked straight to Macey and pulled her into me for a hug. She hugged me back, smiling proudly, not even remotely grossed out by the dirty stains on my pants and the sweat tinting my skin.
“I’m so proud of you,” she said. “And you were right. I just had to watch you play to fall in love with it. How did that even happen?”
“So, you did enjoy it?” I teased. “Because I was full of shit before. Lots of people see the game and still don’t like baseball.”
Macey laughed, that light, airy giggle that set everything right in the world. Down on the field, I noticed Daniel standing near, and his eyes were on Macey and me. Mostly Macey. She didn’t notice, but I did, and my fists clenched automatically.
“It must have been you I enjoyed watching then,” she said with a shrug, pulling my attention back. “And I wasn’t the only one.”
“No?”
“No. Basically seventy-five percent of the females at that game had eyes only for you, you know.”
“Only seventy-five percent?” I asked, pretending to be shocked, and Macey playfully punched me in the arm.
“Don’t let your head swell.”
“Well, unlucky for all of those girls, I only had eyes for one girl.”
“Let me guess,” Macey said with a grin, tapping her bottom lip with one finger. “Jessica Hansen, valedictorian and queen of the school?”
“Yes,” I said, and Macey punched me again. “It’s Jessica.”
“Does she know that?” Macey asked, and she was still smiling. “Because I think I saw Jessica today in the stands with the current boyfriend. But maybe I was seeing things.”
“Definitely seeing things,” I agreed with a nod. “But Jessica Whoever isn’t even a blip on my radar.”
“Oh really.”
