Page 67 of Bad Ball Hitter
The story sounds almost magical with the way she describes it, but inside, I feel like I’m clawing through a tangle of emotions—fear, hope, confusion. I’ll feel better once he’s back, and I can judge how he’s doing after he’s had a week to marinate this.
Chenille gives me a wicked smile. “I think you should enjoy it. And hey, if things go sideways, at least you’ll have some juicy stories to tell.”
“Yeah, I guess.” I shake my head, laughing at her words. Amid my emotional turmoil, my best friend always finds a way to lighten the mood.
“How’d Jake take the move?”
“That kid. He’s something else,” I say, a fond smile spreading. “He was pretty excited about the whole thing. Keeps asking when he’ll get to see Drake play.”
Chenille laughs, shaking her head in disbelief. “You’ve got a little fanboy on your hands.”
“More like an aspiring baseball player. He’s been bugging me to ask Drake for some tips.” I chuckle, my heart warming at Jake’s enthusiasm.
“That’s adorable,” Chenille coos, finally finishing with the Chihuahua and returning her full attention to me.
“I warned him the move was temporary, and Drake was just doing us a favor until I found something.”
“Do you think that’s what it’s going to be? Temporary, I mean?”
I suck in a breath between my teeth. “I don’t know. Like you said, it’s too soon. Not to mention that he just got out of a relationship.”
She shoots me a look. “Did you just call that fling a relationship? Please. That woman was using him for his fame and glory.”
I shrug. “Yeah. I’m just swept away in it all.”
I’ve harbored hatred toward him for years, but once he explained the reasons behind his actions and I learned his mindset, all those reasons to hate him melted away like the last snowflake in spring. Now, I’m left wondering if maybe, just maybe, this temporary arrangement might have the potential to thaw into something more permanent.
“But that’s a good thing. And who knows? Maybe you’ll be the one to tame the bad boy of Boston.”
I snort at that. The idea of taming Drake Gunner is as laughable as it is terrifying. The man is a force of nature, wild and unpredictable, and the idea of trying to control him … But then again, maybe that’s precisely what draws me to him.
“When does he get back? Tonight.” I glance out at the rain beating against the glass. “Hopefully, the weather won’t delay him too long.”
She waggles her eyebrows. “Are you going to welcome him home wearing nothing but an apron? Play a little kitchen baseball? Round the bases?”
“Chenille!” I swat at her, bursting into laughter. “Quit it. You’re not even making sense.”
She holds up her hands in surrender, but the glint in her eyes tells me she’s not done. “Okay, okay, I’ll back off … for now.”
“Anyway,” I say before she throws in more baseball metaphors. “Did you finish with Mr. Snuffles?”
Chenille glances down at the Chihuahua, now wandering aimlessly around her feet. “Yeah, all done,” she says, lifting him onto her lap.
A weight settles in my stomach as I watch her fuss over the small dog, her laughter light and carefree. It’s not envy, but something close—a longing for simplicity, for a life free from drama and tangled relationships.
“Have you considered what happens if he signs with another team?”
“What?” I jerk my head back. “Is that a possibility?”
She stares at me with an incredulous look. “This really was fast, wasn’t it?” She shakes her head and stands, holding Mr. Snuffles. “Just a sec. I’ll be right back.”
I searched my phone search engine for Drake’s name. A heaviness settles in my stomach at what I find. Rumors have him going to the West Coast. The freaking West Coast. How can we be together if he moves across the country? My life is in Boston. I’m buying a business, for crying out loud.
My hands shake as I hold the phone. When Chenille returns, her smile drops.
“Oh, hon. I thought you knew. He never told you?”
“No.” My voice sounds weak, which I hate. I want to be strong. I want not to care. But this blindsided me.