Page 76 of Curveball

I slid in with the girls while Walker went back to Nate and Archer.

Addison set her head in her hand, a goofy smile on her face. “I’m just so happy. Seeing you and Walk together again. I love, love!”

Harper nudged Addison’s beer away. “All right, girl, let’s slow down.”

Addison snatched it back. “Back off, Harp.”

We all erupted in laughter—until a loud crash from the pool tables yanked everyone’s attention.

“You’re such a little bitch!” Nolan shouted, flat on his back with Grayson somehow sitting on top of him.

“You cheated!” Grayson yelled back.

The scuffle devolved into slapsies in record time. Weston sighed beside them, full disappointed-dad mode with his hands on his hips, while Dean was trying and failing to line up a shot because he was laughing too hard.

Nate stood fast, moving to help his twin. He shoved Grayson off Nolan—except Grayson stumbled and smacked the back of his head on the leg of the pool table.

Everything went still for a beat.

Grayson straightened slowly, one hand on his head, anger rolling off him.

“Shit,” Aria and I said at the same time.

“This isn’t going to be good,” I muttered.

Weston started toward my big brother, but Grayson lunged after Nate before Weston could hold him back. “You motherfucker!”

Nate dodged—quick as always—and bolted out the back door.

Grayson took off after him. Nolan followed as if he could stop his twin’s murder.

I shook my head, watching my brothers disappear into the night like runaway bulls as Weston stomped past, already cursing under his breath as he went after them, like he was going to single-handedly prevent a felony. Meanwhile, Addison was laughing so hard, she nearly fell off her stool.

Walker slid in beside me, pressed a kiss to my temple, and murmured, “You good?”

I leaned into him and smiled. “Yeah,” I said, watching our families cause a scene. “I’m really good.”

He glanced at the back door as it swung shut. “I should probably go give West a hand.”

I nodded as Walker took off after the guys.

“And I thought our brothers were bad,” Ava chuckled beside me, taking a pull of her beer.

Addison laughed. “Oh, they are. But West won’t fuck with Walker when he’s injured, and Walker’s currently too distracted by this one over here to instigate.” She tipped her head toward me, smirk hidden behind her beer.

I smiled and took a slow sip, leaning in toward the girls.

“So,” I said calmly, “same time next year?”

Chapter 34

Walker

It was early October, and the Aviators had just lost Game 5 of the ALDS to San Francisco, ending both their season and World Series hopes. The clubhouse afterward had been brutal—quiet, stunned, devastated—but I’d never been prouder of the team I was coming back to. We’d fought like hell.

I stepped up to the wooden podium, our logo splashed across the wall behind me, the lights blinding. The room went so still you could hear a pin drop. Every camera lifted, every lens trained on my face.

I glanced to the side. Farrah’s jade eyes were locked on mine. Hadley settled on her hip, both of my girls grinning.