To avoid his gaze, I refocused on folding clothes and tucking them into my bag. “It’s fine. Just slept weird.”
Concealing this injury from Leo was impossible. He saw me more than any other person in my life, and he caught every pitch of mine. He’d seen my usual pinpoint precision fail, up close and personal. At home, I frequently iced and heated my shoulder. Some days were better than others—there were times I feltnothing at all—but too often, a pulsating, painful heat gripped my shoulder until I stopped moving it.
Leo had learned when to strategically stroll to the mound to give me a rest. Even a few minutes could help me get through another inning before the pain flared again. Overuse injuries were like that, insidious bastards. All I could do was rest my arm when needed, keep strengthening my shoulder, and manage the pain with heat, ice, and ibuprofen. Anything stronger without a prescription would be flagged by a drug test.
Getting a prescription would mean disclosing my injury to the team, which was out of the question if I wanted to make the pitching rotation in the major leagues, if I wanted to live the dream I’d had since I was a kid. My career was all I had. If I couldn’t play baseball…
I refused to finish the thought.
When I returned from Middlebury, I’d get my arm ready for next season.
Nothing would hold me back.
3
NATHAN
Eight years ago
The faint sound ofBrenna’s voice was pulling me from a deep sleep.
I should’ve napped during yesterday’s two-hour flight, but the anticipation of seeing her had my stomach swimming with nerves. That and I’d sworn to myself I’d confess my feelings when I came home from baseball camp… if they were still there.
Scared shitlessdescribed my state of mind the first time I realized I wanted to kiss her. It paled in comparison to my fear on that flight, wondering if I’d waited too long and lost my chance. When she kissed me back last night, relief flooded me.
It hit me again, hearing her voice now.
“He’s still asleep,” my dad told her from the floor below. “But go on up, it’s about time he gets his ass in gear.”
The creak of the stairs forced me out of bed, and I stumbled to the mirror.Not the worst she’s ever seen me.Still, I splashed water into my hands from a half-empty water bottle and ran them through my unruly hair. I took a swig of mouthwash, swishing it around for a couple of seconds before spitting it out. It’d have to do.
I opened the door before Brenna could knock and pulled her inside. She yelped as I shut the door behind us, then pushed her against it, all in one swift motion. Her wide eyes watched me, but she remained stock still.
“I’m glad you’re here.” I ran a finger along her forearm, leaving goosebumps in its wake.
She swallowed. Her visible nerves calmed mine. Not surprising since we’d always balanced each other. I never hesitated to give her a pep talk when she doubted her abilities—on the field or in social situations. And Brenna could read me like no one else, instinctively knowing when to call a time-out to rush to the mound and talk me down before my frustration derailed a game.
But she hadn’t seen this coming. I liked that we could still surprise each other, even after all this time.
“I thought you might want to watch the Owls game,” she murmured, her eyes drifting to my lips. Her chest rose and fell quickly as I brought one hand to rest on her cheek.
“So you didn’t come over to pick up where we left off last night?” I dipped my head, forcing her to meet my eyes.
“I wasn’t sure you remembered.”
I laughed quietly, my fingers tracing her soft skin. “Not something you forget, Quinn.”
“You were drunk.”
“Notthatdrunk… and I’m sober now, Bren.” I wrapped my arm around her waist, pulling her closer to me. “Is this okay?”
It still didn’t feel real; my best friend wanted me like I wanted her.
“Yes.”
She fisted my T-shirt and surged forward to place her lips on mine. Last night, I eased us into the kiss, slowly crossing the line of no return with the caution it deserved. But now my lips moved against hers without an ounce of hesitation. Brenna easily shed her surprise, throwing her arms around my neck and meeting each movement of my lips and slide of my tongue. When I pulled back from her, she let out a small sigh of satisfaction.
I would never tire of that sound.
