Page 71 of The Way We Swing

“But baseball made it happen. Like you said, baseball is a lot like life. Sure, you might make an out or an error, but there is always going to be another chance. We may not have become friends again as quickly as I hoped, but you gave me another chance. Your entire family did, even though I didn’t deserve it.”

A lump rose in my throat. Easton still wasn’t looking at me. I waited to see if he had anything else to say. When he didn’t continue, I took a deep breath and spoke.

“I could have come to you sooner, too. But I didn’t. What you need to know, though, is that you’re always going to be a part of the Quinn family. That won’t change, no matter how much you may fuck up. We’re a baseball family—shit doesn’t always go our way. That’s what makes life perfect. It’s what makes you perfect. The getting back up and stepping into the box again, no matter how many times you make an out.”

“Tanner,” he said.

“Yes, Easton?”

“I wish things were different.”

“How’s that?”

“I wish I was okay with liking guys. With liking you.”

“It’s alright, Easton,” I sighed. I didn’t let myself hang onto his words because I’d already let go of the version of us that would never be. “I’ve got news for you, though.”

“What’s that?” He finally turned, his voice back to normal.

“Tomorrow, we’re going to win a state title.”

CHAPTER 26

Iwoke to the weight of Easton beside me, his arm slung across my chest, his breath warm and steady against my shoulder. When we’d gotten back to the hotel, he’d followed me to my room and climbed into my bed, not wanting to wake the other players in his room. We’d shared a bed before, but last night hadn’t meant what it used to mean.

The room remained dark except for the thin stripe of light sneaking through the curtains. I listened to the slow breathing of the others—Gavin’s mouth slightly open, Zach curled toward the wall. We had an hour before breakfast.

Easton shifted, exhaling a little sigh as his hips pressed gently against mine. I stared at the ceiling, not daring to move.

I thought about him. Last night was the closest he’d come to saying he was gay, even if he hadn’t said the words. I felt worse and worse about what he was going through. My coming out had been easy, with supportive parents and friends who joked about it as their way of saying they were cool.

But Easton didn’t have that. He had a dad who hit his wife and tore his kid down—who expected him to be a certain way. I’d never understood the gay pride movement before, but maybe it was about this: not trying to change people like Easton’s dad but showing people like Easton that they were loved, no matter what.

Maybe that was my role in his life. I wasn't the person he ended up with, and that had to be okay. But I could still besomeone who made sure he knew he was cared about, just as he was.

A sudden creak broke the stillness. Gavin shot up like a firework, blinking, and then—chaos.

“I knew it, I knew it,” he yelled. His hands shot above his head, and I was scared that he was going to put a hole in the ceiling. If he was a year older, he would have.

I sat up, heart racing, trying to calm him down. “Gavin, sit. Easton and Zach are still—”

Too late. Zach hit Gavin with a pillow and sat up. Easton blinked at the noise, then groaned and flopped against me, face buried in my arm like the world was too loud.

“Easton’s here?” Zach grinned. “You were right!”

“If you two don’t shut up,” Easton’s voice was low and frayed, muffled against my bicep, “you’re not making it to the game.”

Gavin, unfazed, jumped and dove onto the bed between us. I rolled out of the way before he landed on my ribs.

“You love us,” Gavin said.

I walked to the bathroom to relieve myself. When I came back, Easton had pinned down Gavin, who was now lying spread-eagle on my bed.

“I told you to settle the hell down,” Easton said, tickling Gavin’s side. He laughed and tried to kick himself free, but Easton had him completely restrained.

“I’m too happy to settle down,” Gavin giggled. “You slept in the same bed as Tanner.”

“That means nothing, Gav, and if you say anything to anyone, I’ll hurt you.” Easton lightly slapped him on his cheek twice before rolling onto Gavin’s right arm.