Page 23 of Sterling Stone

And Stone is still behind me, staring at me, whispering more questions he isn’t speaking aloud.

I have my own set of questions that don’t really need answers.

I thought you were different.

Well, he wasn’t, I remind myself, ignoring the pitch in my belly.

Gazing back at me, Clay chuckles and shakes his head. “Sure, darlin’. What position do you want?”

Since I haven’t played baseball in . . . ever . . . it’s probably best to put me at . . . “Shortstop is good.” My quick recall of the position from a mandatory session during high school physical education classes surprises me. I’ll be between two bases and able to let either of those basemen cover any ball hit my direction.

“You got it.” Clay winks at me and glances around me one more time. Then he laughs harder. “Oh boy,” he mutters to himself, passing me and heading toward his older brother.

I will not look. I will not look. I will not look.

Instead, I focus next on Judd Sylver. Once upon a time, Judd had been my best friend, running around this yard, like Aunt Trudy shared. He was quiet to my loud. Soft to my hard, but I adored him because he was one of the first friends I’d made when I arrived in Sterling Falls at ten years old.

The greasy-haired, hand-me-down-wearing kid who loved math and poetry eventually turned into a brooding heartthrob, sporting dark-rimmed glasses and tight-fitting, dark tees in high school. But math geeks and art nerds didn’t always cross paths, and eventually Judd and I went our separate ways.

We’ve only recently reconnected. Because of Simon.

I don’t know Simon well as he’d only come into Trudy’s life a little more than a year ago but with this visit, I’m making it my mission to learn more about the young boy left behind, like me and my sisters once were. I intend to assure him about who I want to be in his life—Aunt Taxi.

I might leave, but I’ll be back.

“Hey you,” I greet Judd, going in for a hug that would have once made him uncomfortable. Now, he easily embraces me, confident in our connection as old friends.

“Hi, Taxi.” With his arm only momentarily around me, he leads me toward a spunky-looking girl with short hair in loose brown and blonde waves.

“Genie, this is Taxi.”

Judd releases me and steps over to Genie, pulling her into his side, and smiling in a way I’ve never seen Judd smile. Aunt Trudy told me about Judd’s recent girlfriend, a reunion between him and a different friend he had in high school.

My quiet, aloof, best-friend-from-childhood looks really fucking happy.

Genie steps out from underneath Judd’s arm and right up to me, hugging me like I’m a long-lost friend. “It’s so nice to finally meet you.”

“You, too.” My response sounds hesitant at first because her embrace startles me.

Again, I’m not a person who likes unexpected touches, so I’m taken aback, especially considering Genie and I never connected when we were younger. Virginia Webster, AKA Genie, is younger than Judd and me and from a crowd I never crossed paths with in high school—the rich kids. The new money of Sterling Falls did not mingle with those of us who had less than.

However, Genie’s warm welcome feels genuine, and too easily, I melt into her hug, finding myself reciprocating it. Her attention endears her to me on Judd’s behalf.

When we pull apart, Genie additionally surprises me by capturing my hands. “I’ve heard so much about you.” She smiles pleasantly. “We need to be fast friends.”

A statement like that could be off-putting, but Genie is just too bubbly to deny her sincerity. She focuses on me, like she won’t let me go as a potential friend. It’s a heady sensation.

People don’t tend to hold onto me.

And my thoughts fling to a man somewhere on this baseball diamond.

He played me, and I’ve never been more grateful not to invite a man into my hotel room. He was exactly what my heart tried to guard me against. Acting a fool, like my mama. Getting my hopes up that another random man would be different.

This time, Mama said too many times.

And Stone turned out to be just like a lot of other guys I’ve encountered over the years.

A cheater. A liar. A thief of hearts.