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LONDON
The energy on the field is electric. Everyone in the stadium is on their feet, cheering as loud as they can while they wait for their team to rush onto the dark-green grass. The love of baseball is one of the things that drew my boyfriend, Jared, and me together in the first place. I love the sport, and he always excelled at it. Playing college ball is a dream come true for him, and I couldn’t be more proud of him if I tried.
“Now introducing your Tennessee Volunteers. The junior pitcher, number twenty-three, Jared Kraft!” the announcer calls overhead, and the crowd immediately goes wild.
Jared runs out into the middle of the stadium in his orange-and-white uniform. Instantly my heart swells with pride for the man I love.
Sam nudges my shoulder with hers as she continues to shake her pom-poms in time with mine to match the beat of the music playing overhead. “Gah! London, do you hear this crowd? The way these people go nuts for him makes you think Jared’s already playing pro ball.”
I laugh as we watch all the action taking place on the field from our seats right behind the dugout. “That is the plan, you know. Jared may skip his senior year of college and go right into the draft. The coaches think he’ll be ready after this season.”
Sam’s green eyes widen. “Really? Aren’t you worried?”
“About what?” I ask as the rest of the players continue to run out from the tunnel leading from the locker room.
“The long-distance thing—doesn’t that scare you? Guys seem to lose their ever-lovin’ minds once big money starts rolling in. If you’re still here, London, you won’t be around to put the brakes on Jared or keep the gold diggers away from him.”
I shrug. Her words, no matter how true they may be in most cases, don’t worry me a bit. Jared and I are too strong to be broken apart over something so trivial as distance. “We’re a package deal. We’ve been attached at the hip since we were in middle school, so I don’t worry about that with us. Besides, wherever he goes, I’ll just transfer to a school in that city and finish up my degree.”
Sam’s face twists like she’s just sucked on a lemon. “You’ll give up everything—your entire life here, including your dad—just like that for him?”
I nod as my gaze shoots to the middle of the field, where I spot Jared standing proudly with his team, and I answer her question with ease. “Love requires sacrifice sometimes.”
She shakes her head, causing her blond ponytail to swish back and forth while she laughs. “Girl, you’ve got it bad. I hope that guy appreciates what he’s got with you. Not many girls would give up everything for a man.”
I sigh as my thoughts drift to just how much Jared means to me and what I would do in order to stay with him. He was there for me when my mom passed away when I was just a kid. Even at twelve years old, he knew just what to say in order to help my heart heal. I’ll always love him for that, and there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for him. “They would if they experienced a love like the one I’ve got.”
Almost as if on cue, Jared looks in my direction and winks as he stands with his team. I smile because I know that I mean just as much to him as he does to me. Nothing will ever come between us.
Nothing.
NOW
JARED
My fingers fly over the frets as my other hand stays busy picking the strings to get the notes just right. The chords sound amazing, and I know once the label realizes how well I can shred, they’ll give me a chance to jump on the mic and lay down some vocals too. Our band’s manager knows how well I can sing.
“No. No. No. That’s not the way it’s written, JJ.” Ace’s voice cuts through my euphoric music high and grounds me instantly.
This douche is about to get on my last fucking nerve.
I take a deep breath and force myself to stay seated in this studio chair and not rage out like I want to. “What now? That’s exactly how it’s written, and I was playing the shit out of it too before you stopped me. Why don’t you head back into the booth and let the producer do his fucking job? If I wasn’t doing it to his liking, he would’ve spoken up. I don’t need your two cents on everything I do. I was hired because I’m damn good at what I do, so don’t treat me like a moron.”
The muscles in my back tense as I stare into Ace’s brown eyes. I have to force myself to hold back from telling him off like I want. Everyone treats this guy like he’s gold—like he’s some fucking golden child who can do no wrong—and it pisses me off. I’m just as good as him. I don’t see where he gets off with this attitude that he’s my boss. That motherfucker has another thing coming if he thinks for one damn minute that he’s better than me.
Ace’s nostrils flare and I can tell I’m getting to him.
Good.
