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“Oh shit. It’s legit. Cassie, you don’t even know. Just wait ’til you see it,” I said, unable to contain my excitement.
She poked her bottom lip out in a pout. “I hope I get to.”
“Oh my God, already. Shut up.” Melissa groaned from her spot on top of the counter. She was sitting up there, swinging her legs as she picked at the crackers and cheese on the plate she’d put together while we were talking. “Sorry, but she’s been whining since he left. She seriously thinks she isn’t going to see him this whole summer.”
I turned to Cassie, an incredulous look on my face. “You think Jack would go the whole summer without seeing you? I’m surprised he’s gone this long and survived.”
Cassie shrugged. “No, it’s just that he travels a lot and I’m busy with my internship. And I don’t know when we’re going to see each other.” She sighed, putting on a lovesick face similar to the one I’d been seeing on Jack. “I just miss him. It’s weird being here without him.”
“You’re telling me. You don’t have to go home and live where he isn’t anymore. It sucks.”
She rested her hand on my knee. “I bet it’s quiet. How are Gran and Gramps taking it?”
“I
don’t know. They seem all right. Gran’s a little quieter than usual, but she keeps it inside. She’s tough. Oh, they both said to tell you hello and they miss you. Although Gramps said he misses the kitten.” I chuckled as she grinned. “You should stop by sometime. They’d love that. You too, Funsize.” I looked back at Melissa, who stopped chewing to cock her head at me.
“What did you just call me?”
“You heard me.”
“Why on earth would I go to your grandparents’ house?” She frowned and shook her head at me like I was insane.
“So you can meet your future in-laws.” Shit. That just came out, and it was too late to take it back.
Cassie burst out laughing, and Melissa hopped off the counter and stormed up to me.
“You think you can win me over with your nice-guy charm and good looks, but I’ve got news for you, Dean Carter,” she said quickly, as if she’d rehearsed it a million times before.
I cocked a brow as I waited for her to finish. “Yeah? Wait—you think I’m good-looking?” I grinned, and all my nervousness flew out the window.
“Oh, shut up. You know I think you’re adorable. Have ever since I saw you in class.”
“Then why won’t you go out with me?” I asked, dead serious now, and she glanced at Cassie before looking back at me.
“First of all, you’ve never asked. And second, don’t start asking now. It’s too late.” Without giving me a chance to respond, she whirled and stomped to her room, and slammed the door.
“What? How is it too late?” I called out before turning to Cassie. Women completely blew my mind sometimes.
Cassie shrugged one shoulder. “I have no idea. I’m sorry. She’s always been weird when it comes to guys, but I don’t know why she’s like this with you.” Tilting her head to the side, she looked closely at me as she asked, “Do you really like her or do you just think you do?”
I swallowed, wondering what the hell kind of question that was. “I really like her. I was interested in her before you and Jack ever met, so it’s nothing weird like I feel I should date my brother’s girlfriend’s best friend or anything like that. I liked her first.”
“I’ll talk to her. See what I can do,” she offered, and I thanked her.
I’d take any help I could get. If Melissa and I weren’t a good match, I’d at least like the chance to figure that out.
“So Jack seemed good?” she asked, changing the subject back to the one that bonded us. “He’s been pitching really well.”
“Yeah. He said his arm feels good, and he feels good. Even though the guys he’s facing can and do hit him, it doesn’t intimidate him, you know? He’s so confident when he plays. You have to be tough like that in this game, or it’ll destroy you.”
Baseball was much more of a mental game than it was a physical one; Jack had taught me that much. Of course you needed strength and speed to run, hit, and throw, but it was so much more than that. And when you pitched, that was the toughest mental battle of all.
Your head had to be clear, focused, goal oriented. The second you let things get to you—fans in the stadium booing you, opposing teams talking shit, the batter glaring at you, shitty calls by the umpires, even your own insecurities—the moment any of those got inside your head, you were done for.
“I love knowing that he’s excelling. Not that I had any doubts, but still.” As if she’d just remembered, Cassie’s eyes lit up as she said, “Jack mentioned that you were going to start interning with his agents.”
“Yeah. I called them and basically said I’d be free labor as long as they taught me the ropes. It’s been just the two of them for so long, I don’t think they’d ever considered having an intern before. But apparently they can use the help, so I’m pretty excited.”
