Page 70 of Bad Ball Hitter

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Lila

I impatiently drum my fingers on the kitchen table while waiting for Drake’s return. I glance at the clock for the hundredth time: 9:59 PM. He’s due home any minute.

Jake crashed around eight-thirty. I fell asleep shortly after lying down with him. Drake’s phone call to let me know the plane had landed and he’d be home soon woke me. When Drake returns, it’ll just be the two of us. We’ll have a chance for some real talk. I need to get to the bottom of these contract rumors.

The door opens, and I sit up straighter. Drake breezes through the door, eyes searching for me. My chest squeezes tight. I can’t help it. I want to rush over and greet him. Pull him against me. But I keep my ass in the seat.

“Hey,” he says the moment he spots me. He carelessly tosses his luggage onto the floor, and his legs chew the distance between us.

“Hey, I say in return as he leans in for a kiss. I turn my head and give him my cheek. His eyes narrow, and I want to slap myself. I’m trying really hard not to be upset or angry. There’s nothing to be mad about. This is his job. But he really should’ve told me. “We need to talk.”

I kick the chair out with my foot and gesture for him to sit. The creases between his eyebrows deepen.

“Is something wrong?” he asks, looking toward the hallway where Jake is sleeping. “Is Jake okay?”

“Everything’s fine. But I found out today that you’re not staying in Boston.”

“Oh.” His face falls. “Yeah, the Philly’s traded me with one last year left in my contract. I thought we talked about that.”

“We did, but I assumed you’d stay here in Boston. I didn’t realize you would have to move.”

“Fuck, I’m so sorry.” He grabs my hands. The rough calluses brush over the back of my soft skin. I’m fighting the urge to say ‘Fuck it’ and just go with the flow. See where things end up. But I’ve suffered through one broken heart with him. I don’t think I could last another round.

“This is supposed to be the biggest contract of my career. We’re shooting for a huge multiyear contract. Lots of zeros.”

“That’s great.” I force a smile. I don’t want to appear unhappy, but what the fuck? Why even start anything with me if he’s just going to leave, anyway? And why go somewhere else? Boston Bears was all he ever talked about back in high school. It was his dream team. “Are there teams in mind?”

“The Dodgers are in play.”

I bite back a wince. The last thing I want to do is appear affected, but damn, this hurts. “Do you want to be closer to your sister? Is that why you’re aiming for California?”

“Mostly, yeah. It’d be nice to be around my family.” His eyebrows draw together. “You’d like the West Coast.”

“I’m sure I would, but I live here.”

“You’d want to stay here?”

“Drake, I’m buying a business. Of course, I want to stay.” How could he even question this? I try to laugh it off, but I can hear the slight tremor in my voice.

I glance at the hallway where Jake’s room is located. Everything I’ve done was for him. I’m building us a life. I can’t throw it away over a possibility. I mean, he hurt me once.

“What about us?” I ask, swallowing back the lump in my throat. Drake looks at me, a deep sorrow in his eyes.

“I don’t know, Lila. I haven’t figured all that out yet. But I have to think about my career.”

“Of course you do,” I say more harshly than I intend to. I second-guess myself instantly, feeling a twinge of guilt for pushing him. He’s just as lost and confused as me.

“Let’s not do this now,” he says softly, touching my arm. “I didn’t mean for this to turn into … whatever this is.”

“What is this, Drake?” I bite back, pulling away from his touch. “You come back, we fall into old patterns, and now you’re telling me you might move across the country? What are we doing here?”

Drake hesitates, opening his mouth, but no words come out. He seems genuinely lost, and it hurts because if he doesn’t know what’s happening between us, how could I?

“I don’t know,” he finally admits with a sigh. He runs a hand through his hair and looks at me apologetically. “But I’m willing to figure it out.”

I draw in a deep breath and try to steady myself.