Page 43 of The Perfect Play
“It was both my parents. They were high school sweethearts, and look where they ended up. But I talked to your dad, and he said he and your mom had been together in high school as well.”
“Sounds like the track records for high school sweethearts are slim to none.” I tried to keep the emotion from my voice, but I had to turn, looking out on the view of the city.
Jake’s fingers lightly touched my arm, sending little shots of electricity pulsing through my skin. “What your dad said hit me, though. He said he wouldn’t change anything, even if he’d known how things would end up, because he had you and Derrick. The thing that stuck with me from my mom was that communication was key. Penny, there are plenty of people who make it forever after dating in high school. I love you enough to be one of those couples.”
Goosebumps popped up on my skin as I concentrated on his words. “You love me?”
He nodded, giving me a hesitant smile as he closed the distance between us. “I do, Penelope Davis. I’m probably not the guy of your dreams, but I’m head over heels for you. You make me want to be a better person and have a vision for the future.”
I bit my lip, hoping the tears would stay tucked inside rather than spilling out everywhere. “I’m pretty sure I love you too, Jake White.”
He leaned forward, matching his lips to mine, and I felt the electricity I’d been missing over the past two weeks.
When we broke apart, I jumped. “I should probably go. I’m here with Nate.” As much as I didn’t want to leave, I didn’t want my date to feel bad about me ditching him.
Jake shook his head. “No worries. I already talked to him. And I think he might have found someone to talk to.” He pointed to the dance floor where Nate swayed to a slow song with a girl at least eight inches shorter than he was. The girl looked somewhat familiar, but I couldn’t place her.
“Well, that’s probably a good thing. Nate reminds me a lot of a more athletic version of my brother.” I chuckled, and Jake laughed, the sound healing the wounds I’d been feeling.
“That’s just one of the things I love about you, Penny. You always know how to make me laugh.” He held out his hand and did a little bow. “May I have this dance?” he asked in an awful British accent.
I put my hand in his. “Yes, you may, as long as you never talk like that again.”
He led me out onto the dancefloor where he pulled me close and swayed to the soft music. Leaning in, he whispered in my ear, “Did I surprise you by coming tonight?”
“I’m definitely shocked that you came, but then again, you’re known for the perfect play in baseball. Now you can say you know how to do it to win back your girlfriend.” I grinned at him, and he kissed me again, his lips soft. I knew this night was going to be one to remember.
Epilogue
Penny
The summer passed quickly with tournaments for the two of us all over Texas and a few other states in the South. Jake finished his indentured service at the diner and got a job at the local dealership, washing and cleaning out cars when they came in. It was tough work, but he enjoyed it more than bussing tables. His mother served his father with divorce papers, and while Mr. White hadn’t made it easy at first, things were progressing, and Mrs. White was going to be able to keep the house until all the kids graduated.
We’d entered the fall of our senior year, and mail had started piling up from different colleges around the country. With each envelope opened, I would study the material, making sure I had all the facts before making one of the biggest decisions of my life.
Jake and I were watching a movie in our family room when a call came through on my cell phone.
“Is this Penelope Davis?”
“Yes,” I said, a bit hesitant.
“This is Michelle Andrews, head softball coach at the University of Texas. I’ve seen you play several times throughout the past summer, and I’m impressed. I’d like to offer you a full-ride scholarship to pitch for us.”
My mouth dropped open, and I squeezed Jake’s forearm, my eyes wide with excitement. “That sounds amazing.” I racked my brain, trying to figure out what to say to that. The University of Texas had been high on my list for a while, but a full-ride scholarship? I was tongue-tied.
Jake took the phone from me and spoke into it. “Thank you for the offer. She’ll call you back in a bit.” He hung up and stared at me. “So? What was that about?”
“University of Texas.” I paused, my brain still processing the words from the coach. “Full-ride scholarship.”
“No way! That’s amazing. And their program is awesome. You should commit to them.” He wrapped me in his strong arms, and I’d never been happier.
When I pulled back, I looked at him, feeling a twist in my stomach. “But what about you? Weren’t you thinking about Odessa or one of the schools in Western Texas? I don’t want to be that far away from you.”
He got a goofy grin and said, “I just got an email from Wharton earlier today, and they want me to play there. They have a bunch of pro scouts who are alumni from there, and Coach Maddox thinks that would be a great place to start. We’d only be an hour away from each other, and we could drive to see one another on weekends or whatever we have free.”
“Are you serious? I’ve been worrying about it for the last few months, wondering how we would be close enough to see each other while still in school. Because I don’t think I could make it to the breaks before seeing you.” I leaned forward and gave him a peck on the lips, feeling the adrenaline rush through me.
“It might still be hard with practices and games, but we’ll find a way to make it work.”
We settled back to watch the movie, my brain abuzz with excitement. It was something we’d both been working hard for, the chance to pursue our futures, and all the hard work had paid off. People said the odds were against us, having started dating so young, but I was ready for the future, ready to cheer on my shortstop and see where his talents led him.
And I was ready to chase my dream of becoming a family therapist. It would be a lot of work and several years, but we’d get through it. Life wasn’t a perfect game, but there were moments that were perfect, and I couldn’t ask for anything better.
* * *