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24

KOA

Sweat flings off my arm as I throw the ball back to Wyatt. He's ready for this game to be over. His arm is getting tired but he refuses to tap out. As long as he's throwing strikes, no one will ask him to either.

We need one more out. Then it’s our last chance at bat. We have to get a run on the board to take the win home. We’re currently tied three to three against Alabama State thanks to some solid pitching and base hitting from both sides.

Enzo steps up to the plate with a smug smile on his face. “Mahina,” he says, like he’s my worst enemy instead of one of my closest friends.

“Morelli.”

He digs his cleats into the dirt and readies his swing. I signal Wyatt to throw a fastball. Enzo has been swinging at everything today. I line up outside the strike zone to throw Enzo off and make him believe Wyatt is going to throw his slider.

Wyatt releases the ball and I quickly adjust my stance to catch it. As I suspected, Enzo swings a hair too late. I smirk under my mask.

“Almost had that one.”

“I’ll get the next one. You act like I haven’t gotten a few hits off him already today.”

“One of which you popped up just for me to catch. Thanks for making me look good.”

“Yeah, yeah. Will you call it already? I kind of miss the grumpy catcher behind the plate. You’ve been talking a lot more shit since you got with Syd.”

He’s not wrong. I’m happier. I’m playing better. Everything is falling into place. I only have one, maybe two, more hurdles to jump before the next phase of our lives can begin.

I signal Wyatt for his slider. I want to see if we can get Enzo to reach for it. Wyatt agrees and I hold my glove up in the center of the plate. I drop it just in time to catch the ball in the bottom corner.

“Damn it.” Enzo steps out of the batter’s box and shakes his arms loose. “Call it again.”

“I’m not going to hand you the pitch you want.” I signal Wyatt to give him another fastball but he shakes it off. This time I try for a curve and he agrees.

Enzo swings and I watch in horror as the ball flies out of the stadium. He throws his bat and starts running the bases. I lift my mask and step away from the plate giving him room to tag it when he runs down third base.

“Better luck next time. Maybe you can wear my jersey at the championship game,” he says with a wink.

“Asshole,” I mutter, as he disappears into the crowd of his teammates celebrating.

Hart approaches Wyatt and whispers something in his ear. Wyatt nods then glances over at Wren in the stands. She dips her chin and that must mean something to him because suddenly he’s ready to go.

Before I pull my mask down, I sneak a quick look at Sydney. For the first time in the four years I’ve been playing at Newhouse she’s wearing my jersey. It shouldn’t make a difference but it’s a visible confirmation she’s here for me. Having the most beautiful girl in the stands cheering for me makes winning the game irrelevant because I’ve already got the prize.

Last one. One more out. We can do this. The next batter steps up to the plate. He’s been striking out all day. Just like Enzo, he’s been swinging at everything too. He wants to be the hero for his team. I have a feeling Enzo’s home run is going to feed his complex even further.

I tell Wyatt to throw his slider. This guy is going to swing regardless. We might as well give him something he can’t reach.

As predicted he swings and the ball drops to my glove. Wyatt repeats the pitch two more times and adds another strikeout to his list. Now it’s our turn to flip this game in our favor.

I'm helpless sitting in the dugout as Marco strikes out one of our batters, another one grounds out, and our last hope swings hard and hits a pop fly out to center field ending the game.

“Fuck.” My head drops.

Hart slaps me on the back. “We had a good run.”

We did. It was a good season. It was a good year.

“Are you okay, Wyatt?” I ask. He’s sitting on the bench staring out at the field.

“That was the last game for me. I’m never playing again. I really wanted to bring home another championship. I can’t believe it’s over now.”

“Are you having regrets?”

He shakes his head. “Nah. I’m going where I’m supposed to be.” He gave up a career in the majors to go back home and help his family rebuild their farm. He’ll be leaving for Rivers Bend right after graduation.

“Let’s go get our girls.” I tap his leg and we leave the dugout.

Walking out to the parking lot, there is only one person I’m looking for. As soon as she sees me, she’s running. Fuck, if that isn’t a good feeling.

“Hey, trouble,” I say, when I catch her in my arms.

“I’m sorry. You played well.” She gives me a quick kiss.

“It was a good game. It just didn’t go the way we wanted.” I put her back on the ground. Then take her hand in mine.

“What’s everyone going to do now?” I ask once we reach the small gathering of our friends. “Anyone want to get something to eat?” I ask, looking directly at Sydney.

She glances over at her friends with a big smile on her face. She asked the group the same thing at the beginning of the season. I don’t know if her invitation was meant for me, but I wanted it to be.

Instead of telling her that, I got after her about her job again for no reason. It’s what I did to keep myself from showing all my cards.

“Get out of here you two. We’ll catch up with you later back at the house,” Lauren says.

“You don’t have to tell me twice,” I say, tugging Sydney toward my car. “Where do you want to eat?”

She drops her head against my shoulder as we walk. “How does Chinese takeout sound and we eat at home?”

“As you wish,” I say, opening the car door and letting her climb inside.

“How many more times do you think he’s going to text? It’s been two days.” Sydney asks. Enzo’s been texting nonstop since they won the game against us and made it to the playoffs.

“Low ball number? A hundred.” I shrug. He gets off on rubbing the win in our faces. I don’t blame him. We did the same to him last year. “It’s payback.” I continue massaging her calves as we watch our movie. I like her sitting on the couch with her legs draped over my lap much better than curled up in the corner by herself.

Correction, I’m watching a movie. She has a book open on her lap. I’m not sure if she’s really reading it though .

“Can you turn your phone off?”

I wince. “I could but I’m expecting a call.” My agent is supposed to call me today to let me know if he was able to work out a deal with the Carolina Cardinals organization. I didn’t want to mention it until I knew for sure if it was happening.

I think Sydney has accepted the fact that we'll be doing this thing long distance for the first few years while she works with the women at Blooming Beauty and starts her business on the side.

“Have you heard anything new?” she asks, then nibbles on her lip while she flips a page in her book. Pretty sure she didn’t read a word of it.

“Not yet. That’s what I’m waiting on. I have options.” The only benefit of sacrificing your life to the sport you love is being good enough to have multiple teams interested in you.

“I can visit you on the weekends,” she says. “We’ll make it work.”

“Baby, there will be no weekend visits because I am going to be living with you.” I made my decision the minute she decided where she was going to be.

“You don’t know that. And how do you know I even have room for you? I don’t know if you’ve realized this but you have a lot of books. I saw all the stacks under your bed. They're not all going to fit in my new apartment.”

I love her like this. Smiling, open, teasing me. This is the Sydney I met ten years ago. This is the girl who captured my heart.

“My books? I remember hauling box after box up to your dorm last year. I’m pretty sure you have more than me. But you know what?” I tickle her foot, making her giggle.

“What?”

“Since I’ll be moving in you won’t need a roommate. We can turn that second bedroom into a library. Wall to wall bookshelves and a big comfy chair. Would you like that?”

“You know I would. I like the idea of living with you more. I’m trying really hard not to get my hopes up about it. As much as I’m willing to travel and do video chats, I would much rather have you with me every day.”

“What kind of video chats?” I ask, ignoring everything else she said. My brain short circuited at the thought of watching Syd coming undone on video. That would be the only perk of being away from her. She rolls her lips tight and pretends to go back to reading her book. “Oh come on, trouble. Don’t leave me on the hook like that.”

I remove the book from her lap and place it on the floor. Pushing her over a little, I lay beside her, trapping one of her legs between mine. She squirms as she looks up at me through hooded eyes.

“We were really good online. Don’t you think?” She pushes one of her hands up my chest and wraps it around my neck while her other hand rests on my thigh. I’m glad this is something we can tease each other about now.

“I think we are really good everywhere.” I press my lips against her and get lost in all her softness. My hand travels up her leg. I’m very appreciative of the skirt she’s wearing today as my thumb toys with the edge of her panties.

Dragging my thumb down over the cotton of her underwear, I don’t stop until I reach the middle of her pussy. “Soaking wet.” I press my thumb against her clit. Sydney whines and her breaths quickens. “Do you like the idea of showing me how you can get yourself off while I watch?”

“I like the idea of you,” she says, pushing her clit harder against my thumb. “I like the idea of you telling me how you want me to touch myself.” She moves a hand to her stomach and slips it under her shirt.

“Fuck, trouble. You look so beautiful right now.” I push her panties to the side and slide a finger down her slit. Then dip it inside her pussy.

“I like the idea of you saying filthy things. And you telling me how pretty I look while you make me come with your words,” she says, pinching her nipples. Fuck, she’s turning me on right now. I need to get her upstairs and naked on my bed.

“Do you know how many ways I’ve imagined making you orgasm?” I ask, slipping a second finger inside her. “When you were dancing at The Armory, I thought how easy it would be to pull you to a dark corner and watch you fall apart while everyone danced around us.” I scissor my fingers faster, causing her fingers to dig deeper into the back of my neck.

“I thought about doing something just like this at least a thousand times. Every time you would curl up in your corner of the couch I wanted to slip my hand under the blanket and see if your pussy was wet for me. Would you have liked that? ”

“Yes,” she moans.

“Are you going to come for me, baby? Show me what I’ve been missing all this time. That’s it.” I capture her lips with mine as she mewls and whimpers. Her pussy tightens around my fingers and her clit pulses under my thumb as she climaxes.

My phone starts ringing and I smirk against her lips. “You should get that,” she says, breathlessly.

“We aren’t finished.” I pull my fingers out of her and suck them clean. “Definitely not done with you,” I say, kissing her so she can taste herself on my lips.

Sitting back up, I reach for my phone laying on the coffee table. “Hello,” I answer, then put the phone on speaker.

Sydney sits up and straightens her clothes. I take her hand in mine and she kisses the tattoo on my arm before leaning her head there.

“Hi, Koa. How’s it going?” Tony—my agent—asks.

“Good. Might be better depending on what you’re about to tell me. Have you heard anything?”

“I have. It’s looking like it will be Colorado,” he says. Sydney smiles but there are already tears collecting in her eyes. “I know this isn’t what you wanted but the offer is good. You would be the second pick and they're going to pay you well.”

“What did Carolina say?” I asked him to inquire and see if there’s a possibility of them picking me up if I’m available.

He sighs. “It would be a gamble. They didn’t say no, but they also didn’t say yes. They aren’t going to lock themselves into anything until after the draft is over. ”

I scrub my free hand down my face. This isn’t the news I wanted to hear but it’s what I expected.

“So, I decline the offer from Colorado when or if it comes and wait for Carolina.”

“Koa, you can’t do that. You take the deal with Colorado if they offer,” Sydney says.

“No,” I tell her, shaking my head.

“I have to agree with your girlfriend. Even if Carolina comes up with a deal when you’re a free agent, it won’t be as good of an offer as being the second pick in the draft.”

“I’m not playing for the payday. I play because I love the game. I won’t be happy doing what I love if the person I love isn’t with me for the ride.” I squeeze Syd’s hand.

“You know I have nothing but your best interest at heart. It’s my job to make sure you understand all your options. It sounds like you are set on your decision but I’ll encourage you to keep an open mind until the draft. Sydney, maybe you can talk to him.”

“Thanks Tony. I’ll talk to you soon,” I say, effectively ending the call before Sydney can reply to him. I fall back against the couch and sigh.

Sydney pulls one of her legs on the couch and turns towards me. Her fingers trace over the veins in my hand. “You need to take the offer. You’re a top draft pick. That will be life changing.”

“My life changed the day my family moved into a house on Grove Street. It changed again when you skated into my life. And it changed again the moment you took me back. Do you see a pattern here, baby?”

“I do but that doesn’t change anything. We'll still be together whether you’re in North Carolina or Colorado.”

“You still don’t get it. All of my life changing moments belong to you. I can’t have more of them if we aren’t building that life together. Side by side in North Carolina.”

“I don’t want you to regret it. If you don’t get to play for the Cardinals in North Carolina, I don’t want to be the reason you miss out on your dream. I’ll never forgive myself for that.”

“Regret,” I scoff. Picking her up, I place her on my lap so she’s straddling me. I need her to hear what I’m about to say. “You are the dream I’ve been chasing after most of my life. My dream is coming true every day we’re together. The only regret I’ll have is not being by your side while you chase yours.”

“Even if that means not playing baseball?”

I nod. “I have a political science degree from a top university. I can get a job teaching and coaching high school baseball.” I run my hands up her thighs until I get to the curve of her ass.

“And you would be happy doing that?” she asks, tilting her head.

“The happiest I’ve been in my life.”

She nods. “Do you know what this means?” She grins, rubbing her hands up my chest and leaning toward me like she’s going to kiss me.

“What?” I ask, hoping her mind is as dirty as mine.

“I’m getting a library!” she squeals, throwing her hands up in the air and bouncing on my lap, making me laugh.

“Hell yeah you are! Come on, baby.” I stand with her in my arms. “I think getting a library calls for a celebration.” I pat her ass and carry her upstairs.

People may think I’m crazy for passing on a multi-million dollar contract to play baseball. Even crazier would be passing up the opportunity to spend the rest of your days and nights with Sydney Pierce.