Page 78 of The Way We Swing Back

Between the half ride he offered, Missouri accepting my financial aid, and the Quinns offering free rent, I’d be able to go to college for free.

“Sure,” Mr. Quinn said. “You can pay us the exact same amount as Tanner will be paying us after he graduates.”

I nodded in agreement and looked over at Tanner, who was grinning in the seat next to me. “You know I’m not paying anything, right, dude?” Tanner laughed. “At least not for rent.”

I shook my head. No sense in arguing with them. “Sounds like we have a deal. I want to take a day, though, before we make it official and then I’ll let everyone know.”

I stood up, pushing my chair out from under me, the rest of the family doing the same.

“You know this means you can watch me play next season, right?” Gavin said.

“Totally why I’m going to Missouri, man. I can’t get enough of watching high school baseball.” It was only half a joke. Obviously I wanted to play Division I, but the Quinns being there for the ride made the decision easier.

“Tanner, can you follow me for a second?” I asked.

He fell into step next to me as we climbed the stairs, Gavin still talking to Zach as the two of them made a protein shake.

When we got to my room—Tanner's old one—I locked the door behind me. You never knew when Gavin would barge in.

“Listen, dude,” I said, barely turning to face him. I heard him flop onto the bed behind me, as I spun the computer chair out of my way.

I took a breath deep enough I could feel my whole body expand. “I know we don’t talk about this stuff. I don’t talk about this stuff. But are you okay with us living together? Given everything?”

I turned to him as he propped himself up on his hands. His eyebrows scrunched as he licked his lips.

Finally, he said, “We’re just friends now, right?”

“Yeah.” I took a longer blink than necessary. “Of course.”

“Then why shouldn’t we? It’ll be fun. My last roommate sucked, anyway.”

“There’s Calvin.”

Tanner chewed on his lip before speaking again. “It’s not like him and I are moving in together anytime soon. He has his own apartment. No reason we can’t share a house; we’re doing it right now.”

Sure. With him in Gavin’s room and four other people wandering the house at all hours. “It won’t be weird?”

“I don’t think so.”

I wasn’t sure I agreed, but he was the one with the boyfriend. “Alright. Cool. I needed to make sure you were actually okay with it before deciding.”

“So you’re locked in then?” His smile lit up the room. And me. Even now.

“Looks like I am,” I said, nodding.

“Sweet. I’m going to go tell Cal; he asked last week what we were doing with the extra room. I kinda hedged, knowing this would probably happen.”

Tanner bolted out of the room without another word.

I jumped on the bed where he had lain, my eyes closed. On paper, it sounded perfect. Hometown school, living with Tanner again, Gavin twenty minutes away.

Then my phone buzzed—a quiet ding, a vibration on my chest. This morning, I’d posted a picture on social media of me batting in the semifinals with the caption “Act Two.” We’d won our game yesterday, setting up our second date with destiny in three years. We’d practiced earlier today and would be leaving for the finals tomorrow; this trip would be different from the last one, I was sure of it.

I lazily pulled my phone to my face, still more concerned with the conversation I’d had with Tanner. I clicked the little icon to pull up new alerts, expecting a classmate or a parent of a teammate had wished us luck.

Instead, the comment read: Can’t wait to see you play.

My dad. I had blocked him on all social media, but here he was again, on a new account, letting me know he’d be at the game Monday. Reminding me he’d always try to find a way to be present, even with a restraining order telling him he couldn’t. My pulse kicked into high gear; I didn’t want him anywhere near that field. Not for this game. Not now.