Tucking it behind my back, I shrugged. “They tend to do that to me.”
“Why do you let them?”
A loaded question. It wasn’t like I wanted them to, but they knew exactly how to push all the buttons, and I reverted to my awkward-teen self who just stayed out of their way. My family drama was going to come up anyways, since he was going to meet them.
I shrugged. “Can’t seem to not to.”
“Hence the need for the boyfriend?” He harrumphed. “Yeah, I got a brother who’s like that.”
I snorted. It was hard to believe there were two of them. Except, I met his brother once, they resembled each other, but his brother had an extra two inches in height and ten pounds of muscles, which I didn't know could exist. He played for our Toronto Crashers pro-soccer team. He was just as ruthless on the field, but nicer off.
“Anyways, I’m late to meet with Kev,” I said, pushing past him.
He didn’t stop me, thankfully. As I met with Kev and started our pregame routine, my brain recalled the conversation and the giant lie my ego got the rest of me into. Panic was creeping in as I tried to recall exactly what I had said about Wes and if it was enough to believe Josh had similar traits.
I had been very vague about him, mostly because no one would have believed me anyways. He was nothing like anyone else I’d dated. I stood frozen, trying to remember if I’d told them his name, because Wes and Josh weren’t even similar.In any way.
CHAPTER 18
JOSH
The bases were loaded for Philly. Kev was running out of steam. The air was stale, the sun was beating down on the field. Sweat was dripping down myeverything, my jersey clung to me like I was in a steam room. We were in the 9thinning and tied at four each.
“Yo, heard the hottie from the catalog dumped your ass.”
“You heard wrong,” I dryly responded to Charlie Sinclair. The third baseman for Philly and the one currently standing on my base. He was trying to get me roused up to fuck up.Wasn’t going to work.
“Then how come I don’t see you around with her anymore?”
“Dude, when did you get so interested in my life?” I scoffed.
“I’m not!”
“Sure, sure. If you want me to take you out, just ask,” I teased. He rolled his eyes just as Kev wound up and sent a fastball directly over the plate, but he was ready for it. The clink of the ball on the bat had Charlie scrambling off my base. The ball landed in the middle of the outfield. Jake scooped it up and threw it to home, but it was too late, he’dmade it around to Home plate. The next batter struck out, ending the game and leaving us at a 5-4 deficit.
Charlie cheered and jumped in the air. They had won. Fuck. We’d made too many mistakes tonight. The locker room was filled with tension.
“You coming out tonight?” Kev called from across the showers.
For a minute, I thought about saying yes, then April popped into my head. Maybe I could do something with her. “Nah. I’m beat. I’m calling it.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. I just want to cool off and drown in my own sorrows.”
“Alright.”
“Did I hear right? You’re not grabbing a beer with us?” Jake asked, coming around from the ice tub.
“Nah. Need to, uh,” I glanced around the room to see if anyone was looking, “chill.”
Jake’s brow arched. “Chill? Like bet inspired chill or have you given up?”
Taking a breath, I figured it was time to start giving some clues. And it couldn’t look made up. No matter what, it needed to be genuine for everyone. “I have someone in mind.”
Jake’s face lit up. “Seriously, same girl from before?”
I nodded. “Yeah. Been hanging out for a bit.”
