Page 119 of Payoff Pitch
I nod into her chest. “Yes, but the way he acts with me didn’t match those words. Other things he’s said to me don’t line up with that. No man has ever treated me with more love, compassion, and tenderness. Everything he did told me he was falling the same way I was.”
“You’re right. Want me to burn down his house? I’ll do it and not think twice about it.”
I let out a laugh through my tears. “No, but thanks for offering.”
“I’d do anything for you.Anything.”
TANNER
It takes me all of fifteen minutes to decide that I need to go see her. I can’t let things end like this. I need to tell her that she’s right. I fell for her too. I’m a coward. I knew what was happening between us, and I let it go on. I knew that me telling her about the vasectomy would be the end of things, and I withheld it from her.
I arrive at her apartment and pound on the door. Kamryn opens it, and her eyes just about pop out of her head when she sees me.
She shoves me into the hallway and quickly closes their door behind her. She then takes me by surprise by punchingme so damn hard in the stomach that it knocks me to my knees.
She grits out, “How fucking dare you come here!”
I hold my hand up in surrender, breathlessly pleading, “Please, just let me talk to her. Let me make things right.”
“The time for that has passed…by about six months. She is literally everything that is right in this world. She’s a fucking ray of sunshine in a shitty, fucked up world. She doesn’t have a bad or deceitful bone in her body. You’re a fucking jerkoff who never has and never will deserve her. Don’t ever fucking step foot in this building again. I swear to god, I’ll call the police. I mean it. Leave her alone.”
She turns, opens their door, walks back into their apartment, and slams the door shut. It feels like she slammed it directly on my heart.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
BAILEY
After a long weekend of crying, Monday afternoon rolls around. I finally emerge from the safe confines of my bedroom and head into the kitchen. Kam is sitting at her laptop. She’s barely left my side for a single second. She’s truly the only person in the world I can rely on.
That’s not totally true, I have good friends, but they’re on the other side of the country right now. My sister is here and taking care of me. She even attempted to cook my favorite meal last night. It was an epic failure, and the fire alarm went off, but she tried, and that’s what matters most.
She looks up at me from her computer and examines me in my sweatshirt, leggings, and sneakers. “Where do you think you’re going?”
“I need to pick up Harper from school, and then we have softball practice. You know I’m coaching her team this spring.”
Her chin drops. “Are you fucking kidding me? You need to quit your job.”
I shake my head. “No. I’m not doing that to Harper. She’s innocent.”
“So are you.”
“I gave my word that if things went south with Tanner, I wouldn’t abandon Harper. I intend to live up to that. She’s my happy place right now. Honestly, I think I need her. And I committed to the team. Their season has only just begun. I won’t jump ship on them. It’s not right.”
She closes her laptop and stands. “Fine. I’m coming with you. I’ll be your assistant coach.”
I eye her skeptically. “You can’t curse in front of the girls.”
“I’ll fucking try. By the way, cursing is a sign of intelligence.”
“That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”
“It’s a sign of social intelligence, knowing when and where to use it.”
“Well, then be socially smart enough to realize that a softball practice with twelve eight-year-old girls isn’t the time and place. I mean it. And remember they’re little kids. Keep things fun and age appropriate. They’re not training for the Olympics.”
She narrows her eyes at me. “The last game I attended, I watched little innocent Harper Montgomery charge a ball and throw from the slot with perfect precision and technique. Most college players can’t do that. Was that age appropriate?”
I twist my lips. “Hmm. Valid point.” I cross my arms. “Seriously, you can’t treat them like adults. They’re kids.”