It only builds my ego up all the more.
I focus on the pitcher, ready to knock this one out of the park.
The crack of the ball flying through the stadium is loud, but the cheers are louder.
I run the bases as adrenaline passes through me. If I’m going to get a home run every time she shows up I just might set a record.
When I reach my team, they all jump around me, while our field manager gives me a prideful smile.
Connor claps a hand over my back. “I was kidding by the way, neither of us have a say in whether you end up in her bed tonight.”
I chuckle. “I know. Besides, if I end up in her bed you might want to find some–”
Connor covers his ears. “Do. Not. I swear to God.”
“I’m kidding, man.”
Sort of.
After the game everyone decides to go out to celebrate, but when Connor texts Audrey to ask if she wants to come, she says she’ll pass for tonight.
I debate going back to the room, but Connor tells me to give her some space to get settled.
“Asshat's new girlfriend is almost five months pregnant,” Connor mumbles between sips of beer. “Apparently he had a few people in his back pocket.”
My jaw tenses at his words. “Fuck. Is she okay?”
Connor nods. “She seems oddly at peace with it, honestly. Apparently, it made her realize who Paul was all along. She's who I was texting when you got home last night. I didn’t know if she wanted you to know or not, but earlier today she said she’d rather I tell you.”
I fix my gaze on the wall behind Connor’s head as I say, “I’m mad on her behalf, no matter if she’s alright with it or not … what he did was wrong in so many ways.”
“Me too. He isn’t worth shit. Hopefully he does better for his baby mama.”
“Yeah, maybe he’ll treat her well.”
Neither of us sound convinced.
“I think you should know she’s sticking around for the season. She’ll be moving in with me.” Connor gives me a long look, trying to gauge my reaction. I don’t meet his eyes and he groans. “This feels more frustrating than when we were growing up. It was hard to know what you both felt towards each other sometimes, especially the summer before college.”
I like to refer to it as, “The summer of trying not to pop a boner in public every time I saw her.” But I feel like Connor might not want that information, so I keep that little fact to myself.
I ask him something we’ve never discussed, “When did you realize I liked her?”
Connor takes a long swig of his beer. “Easy. The weekend we went camping, the summer of sixth grade. When you wouldn’t shut up about Barbies.”
I snort—Iwaskinda annoying about it.
She’s playing with her favorite Barbie, dressed in a sparkly dress, and a Ken doll dressed in a baseball uniform.
“Have you seen Connor?” I ask as I approach the front porch.
“He’s inside packing. Last minute, like always.” She tilts her head towards the house, sitting up a bit taller.
I think she expects me to keep walking, but instead I sit beside her, shifting a little Barbie towards her. “That’s a small Barbie.”
She rolls her eyes at me. “That’s Kelly, she’s Barbie's little sister … but sometimes I pretend Barbie is her mom.”
“And what about Ken? Is he the dad?”
