“Another sourdough?” Declan calls abruptly from his open office door as we all get changed in the locker room.
The game starts in twenty minutes, and my nerves have never been this out of control before. I tell myself it’s just another game—another Wednesday night. Baseball. A stadium full of people. The conflicting scents of dirt, sweat, and popcorn.
But I’m lying.
Tonight the love of my life’s going to watch me play.
“I’m so confused as to why he gets so worked up over bread,” Jensen mutters beside me, changing into his uniform.
“No idea,” Austin says from the bench behind us while he tugs on a cleat. “But honestly? It’s funny as hell.”
Declan marches up to us, sourdough in hand. “Is someone playing a prank on me?”
“I’d bet money that one of the guys’ girlfriends or wives has been baking them and they’re just sharing.” I close my locker, then lean against it with my arms crossed.
“Why’s it such a big deal, anyway?” Austin asks, quirking a brow.
“It’snot,” Declan emphasizes. “I just want to know where they’re coming from. Why wouldn’t whoever’s leaving them just leave a note or something?” He scoffs, then walks away, taking the sourdough with him.
I laugh, but it sounds hollow, my mind a thousand miles away.
“You good, man?” Austin asks, brows knitting together. “You seem a little off.”
I nod, my gaze cutting to Jensen for a second before landing back on Austin. Jensen knows why I’m nervous as hell, but Austin doesn’t. There hasn’t been an opportunity to tell him everything, but I sense I’m about to. “Yeah, just have some pre-game nerves.”
“Pre-game nerves?” He scoffs. “What, is this your first time on the big boy field? Why the hell would you be nervous? The Cannons aren’t even that good.”
“My girl’s coming for the first time.”
“How unfortunate for her. You really should learn to put her needs before your own, dude,” he retorts immediately, not missing a beat. Then he realizes what I said. “Wait, yourgirl?”
“Kind of. She will be. I love her.” The words come out fast and jumbled, like I’m confessing them to her all over again rather than telling my friend. Flustered, I drag my hand down my face and shake my head, puffing out a short breath. “Do you remember my best friend Dylan?”
“Yes,” he drawls slowly, eyebrows lifting as he waits to be clued in.
I plop down onto the bench next to him, resting my elbows on my thighs, and stare at the white-tiled floor. “Indy is Dylan’s sister—practically his twin. And I’ve been in love with her since I was a kid, but Dylan forbade us from ever getting together back when we were teenagers.” My jaw tightens. “He said he’d never forgive either of us. That we’d be dead to him.”
“Mind you, this was high school,” Jensen mutters, echoing the same thing he said to me at the bar last weekend.
“But I’m—” I stop, correcting myself. “We’redone tiptoeing around his feelings.”
Austin’s gaze flicks past me to Jensen. “You knew about this?”
He nods once. “I was filled in over the weekend.”
Austin turns his head toward me, studying my face as though he’s waiting for more. There’s not, and he seems to come to that realization after a long pause of silence stretches between us all. Finally, his head bobs. “Alright. Cool.” His mouth tugs into a grin. “So she’s coming to the game tonight, and probably on your dick later. I like it. Good for you, man.”
He stands abruptly, clapping my shoulder. “Let’s go. It’s time to show Indy what she’s been missing by skipping out on your games.”
Jensen barks a laugh, reaching for his batting gloves. “That’s the spirit. You ready, Fox?”
“Yeah.” My voice shakes, my confidence wavering as I rise from the bench.
“Why are you hesitating?” Austin asks as he holds open the door that leads to the field.
The roar of the crowd is floating in from the excitement of seeing some of the Bears already heading to the dugout. Highlights of each of us are still booming through the speakers, announcing each of us on the Jumbotron.
It’s time.
