Page 9 of Saving The Shortstop

Tabor: Do you want Rivers or something?

Tabor: Kind of feels like you’re being sketchy.

My face pales. Guilt pumps through my veins, wondering if maybe I led him on too much. But no, fuck that. Since day one, we both agreed that it was just platonic and strictly hookups. Nothing deeper. If he read the signs wrong, that’s on him.

“He’s fucking insane,” Dallas murmurs beside me, glaring at the screen.

Quickly, I exit out of the conversation. “That’s not your business, D,” I hiss. “Why are you looking at my screen?”

When my phone vibrates again, I decide to turn it off. It may be the coward’s way out, but I’m not dealing with whatever is going on with Tabor tonight. It’s been a long day, and I’m exhausted after the game and this family dinner.

“You realize that’s not fucking normal, right?” Dallas speaks again, and I’m so thankful when the waitress comes to our table with the checks, and our dads hand their cards over. That means we’re leaving soon.

“Just leave it alone, would you?” I utter, stretching my arms and yawning. “It’s not a big deal.”

When I side-glance him, I expect him to fire something back. Or maybe be an ass because that’s what we do. We bicker. Instead, he just exhales sharply, narrows his eyes, and then looks away.

And I have no idea what any of that is supposed to mean. Not a clue.

DALLAS

“Sweetie,” my mom says, touching my arm. “Give Haven a ride back to campus, would you? That way Anna and Mason can go home.”

I sigh, looking upward because, fuck Noah for leaving. I don’t want to give his pain-in-the-ass sister a ride in my truck. Especially not after she seems to be so nonchalant about the fact that her man is acting like a complete fucking weirdo.

“Oh, he doesn’t have to do that,” Anna says before she winks. “Though it would be awfully nice of him.”

“Yeah, I can,” I agree, giving her a weak nod, but behind her, Haven is giving me a death glare, telling me I answered wrong.

For as much as I don’t want to give her a ride, it looks like she feels the same way about going with me.

Once we’ve both hugged our parents, she follows me toward my truck. She’s hardly ever quiet—been like that her entire life. But right now, she doesn’t say a word.

I hit the key fob, unlocking the doors before I walk around to the driver’s side and climb in. Reluctantly, and clearly unimpressed, she slides into the passenger seat.

Turning the key, the truck engine rumbles to life, and when I notice her shiver beside me, I crank the heat up. I could be super nice and hit her heated seat button, but I’m not about to get that crazy. We may be cordial when our parents are listening, but typically? We just like to piss each other off.

“So, are we going to talk about why your boy toy is blowing your phone up like an insane person or nah?” I ask, sitting back and waiting for her to talk because I’m not driving anywhere until I find out if this is the norm for them or what. If it is, that’s fucking shitty.

“Dallas,” she grumbles, leaning her head back on the rest and sighing. “We don’t have to do this, you know.”

“Do what?”

She cackles bitterly. “Pretend like you care what the fuck my relationships are like,” she snaps. “Besides, Tabor and I aren’t serious enough for him to be jealous. He’s probably just drunk.”

“Well why is he mentioning my name in those texts, huh?” I ask sharply. “We’re family, Short. He’s going to have to get the fuck over it.”

She’s silent before she balls her little fists up. “Either take me home or I’ll call an Uber.” She’s pissed now, clearly over talking about this. Or maybe she just doesn’t want to discuss it with me.

“Is he controlling?”

“What?” she exclaims quickly. “No, he isn’t controlling. But if he was, why would it be your business?”

“Jesus Christ, Haven.” I call her by her real name now, not the stupid nickname I’ve used since she started playing shortstop. “We’ve been in each other’s lives since we were kids. You may annoy the fuck out of me, and truthfully, you make some decisions I don’t really get. But if I didn’t at least keep an eye on you while you were being careless and naive, do you have any idea how pissed my parents would be at me?” I pause, raising my voice. “How pissed Noah or your parents would be at me?”

“It’s not a big deal!” She’s practically screaming now. “Tabor isn’t usually like that. And if he was, I would have ended whatever the hell we’re doing!”

“Are you going to end it now?” I fire back quickly.