Page 5 of Always My Comfort

“Thank God! He’s got one fine ass. I mean, seriously, have you seen it?” Rolling my eyes, I prayed for the strength to not strangle my best friend when I saw her later. “Wait—of course, you’ve seen it. Was it firm?”

“Scarlet!” She sighed.

“Okay, what do you want to do?”

“I have to tell him, right?” I sat up and glanced at the picture again. My baby that was the product of one of the worst nights of my life.

“Only if you want to.”

“What do you think my mom would say?” She was going to miss this. Like she had missed all the milestones I’d had since cancer took her away from me.

“She wouldn’t have cared as long as you were happy.”

“She didn’t want me to be a cleat chaser either,” I reminded her.

“You aren’t a cleat chaser. Seriously, Logan, you need to stop thinking so low of yourself. If I wasn’t married, I’d have totally slept with Jaxon Dexter if he was offering. Speaking of, you need to tell me that story. How far long along are you?”

“Three months.”

“Holy shit! And you didn’t know the whole time? Didn’t you notice you haven’t had three periods?”

“It’s always been irregular; I had no idea. I’m still in shock. I didn’t believe the doctor until I saw the baby on the ultrasound. Oh, God, Scar—there’s a very tiny baby inside me.”

“It’s going to be okay. Whatever you decide, I’m here. I’m going to be an aunt, Mattie!” she screamed at her husband, whose deep voice rumbled in the background of the call.

This isn’t happening.

CHAPTER2

Jaxon

One Year Ago

The sticky summer air clung to my skin as I pushed myself to run harder, faster. I needed to be the best; I had to be for them to choose me since I’m so late in the game. I had to prove that I was worthy before it was too late.

The Georgia sun beat down my face. Sweat rolled down my face and along my neck until it reached the hem of the shirt I was wearing. I’d regretted wearing it the moment I stepped outside. But I had to protect my skin. I spent enough time in the sun to know the harm it could cause.

Tonight was my last chance to get recruited. The rosters were full for most of the bigger teams, but Coach had promised me the recruiters would be there tonight. He swore I had potential. ‘Natural talent,’ he called it.

God, I hoped he was right.

I wanted this.

I could taste it.

I just had to be the best.

Running along the trail, I spotted my best friend waiting for me, leaning against a tree trunk. A baseball cap covered his head, the logo of the Tampa Bay Rays gleaming in the sunlight. Sunglasses hid his eyes as he stood upright, his arms crossed over his broad chest, grinning.

“You do know killing yourself before the game tonight won’t help you get recruited, right?” Luke cracked a joke as I slowed to a jog, and he joined me, easily keeping pace.

We’d been running trails for the last year together before a big game. It was how we had become friends—through our love of letting off steam.

“I know that, but I have to get rid of the nerves somehow, and this does the trick,” I grunted, catching his nod out of the corner of my eye. I knew he understood. Probably the only person who did.

He’d been a wreck a few months ago when he was offered a spot on two different teams, so we did a lot of running together. It helped him think, and I was there when he finally decided, and now, he was here for me.

“I hear from the grapevine that the Marlins are looking for a pitcher,” he suggested. There had been talk of him being drafted to their team, so he had started to hang with some of the younger players, working his way in.