Page 55 of Saving The Shortstop

“I’m so sorry this happened, sweetie,” he croaks, his own lip quivering and his eyes filling with tears. “I’m so, so fucking sorry.”

When he hugs me tightly, my heart breaks. And I can’t wrap my brain around how today can be so great and so terrible at the same time. But that’s exactly how it is. And I have a feeling that soon, it may get a little worse.

TWENTY-THREE

DALLAS

I sit on the bench, knowing it’s time for me to run out onto the field, but my feet won’t physically take me there. I don’t think there’s anywhere Coach and I would less like to be than at this field right now, putting on a front that we’re confident in this game after the day we’ve had.

The police station took forever, and of course, Lilly had to get involved. She may have hacked his phone, but lucky for her, just like me and Haven, her dad is a pretty important, wealthy guy, and that seemed to have helped the police wave that bit of info of how the pictures were found.

While she did delete them from Tabor ever having access to them, she also kept proof that they were there, which helped to build the case of just how much shady shit he was doing. They looked at the Jeep in my parents’ garage and asked a shit ton of questions too. In the end, they couldn’t even bring him in for questioning because the fucker has vanished into thin air, everyone assuming Lilly’s removal of the photos having been what tipped him off that we were taking action. But Coach called his parents, who informed him that he was unenrolled from NEU and wouldn’t be bothering Haven again. According to them, he’s in Europe with friends of the family and is well aware that he was in the wrong.

He fucking better.

Haven and her mom opted to watch the game from home tonight. She was still a bit shaken up and didn’t really feel like coming out. I always want her in the stands, but I understood completely why she didn’t come, and I plan to go to her the second this game is over. Win or lose.

Noah silently plops down beside me. After we left the police station, we had just enough time to meet up with him and fill him in on everything that happened. He was irate that we kept him in the dark so long, but in the end, he just felt so bad for his sister that he let it slide.

I know one thing: If Tabor isn’t gone for good, I’m not sure who will be the worst one for him to face—me, Noah, or Coach King. No matter who he comes face to face with, it’s not going to be good for that sick motherfucker.

“I know that the last thing either of us wants to do tonight is pretend like throwing a fucking ball or running into the end zone matters in the grand scheme of things,” he utters. “It doesn’t—not really.” He sighs, knocking his leg to mine. “But let’s go out and try to get this win. For Haven.”

He’s right. I may not feel like going out on the field right now, and I sure as fuck don’t feel like a leader, but today has been hell for his sister. She deserves a win right now.

“All right, brother,” I say, nodding my head in agreement. “For Haven.”

He pats my shoulder before standing up. When he looks down at me, he smirks. “Especially now that you two are finally admitting that you’re in love and all that shit.”

My head rears back, and my eyes widen. We may have told him about the whole Tabor situation, but we planned to wait to tell him the rest later. I mean, fuck, up until this morning, nothing had even happened. It seems too fast to be blurting it out.

He smirks, holding his hand out to help me up. “Dude, I’ve known for years you love her. And even longer that she loves you. Just figured I’d let you two dumbasses figure it out for yourselves.” When I stand, he pats my back in a half hug. “Next time, just be honest and not Sneaky Pete though, would you.”

“I swear, nothing happened until⁠—”

“That I do not need to know.” He cuts me off. “Let’s go get this win and prove that we never needed that lowlife Timmons on our team.”

Following him out of the locker room, we walk toward the field.

“Hey, QB,” Haven’s voice coos loudly from above me. Looking up, she’s hanging her head over the bleachers, gazing down at the tunnel. I can tell right away she’s in an NEU football jersey, and even though I’m sure it’s got her brother’s number on the back, I wish it was mine—even if we aren’t officially together. “Lookin’ good.”

“Gross,” Noah utters, walking toward the field. “Too soon.”

Standing up, she turns to show me her back, and she’s got my last name and number there. “You better not suck tonight, otherwise I’ll have to give this to one of the random girls cheering for you.”

My heart swells at the same moment my cock twitches from seeing her wearing my jersey. It’s so soon, and yet it feels like I’ve waited forever.

“Thought you were skipping this one?” I say, my heart flip-flopping at the sight of my girl.

Yeah. My fucking girl.

“I figured, if I don’t come, he wins, right?” She shrugs. “Besides, I’ve always liked to look at you in those tight pants.” With a wink, she blows me a kiss, and I’m kind of thankful that her brother is now walking away from us when she adds something else—in true Haven King form. “I’d like them more on my floor later though.”

Part of me wants to laugh while the other wants to say fuck this game, take her behind the bleachers, and bend her over right now. But mostly, I’m just so happy that even after this awful day, she’s still got her sense of humor. It’s always been one of my favorite things about her.

“Too bad for you, I change before I leave the stadium,” I drawl. “Will jeans on the floor do?”

She looks thoughtful but smiles. “I suppose that’s fine, yes.”