Page 15 of Pitcher Perfect (Big Shots #4)

going to ask you this, but what are your intentions with my sister?”

Robbie took a huge bite, so he could buy himself enough time to formulate an answer. Because, yeah, that wasn’t an easy question.

In a perfect world, one where he hadn’t presented himself to Skylar as a misogynist asshole from the jump, he’d be trying

to date her. Only her. Yeah. Skylar was a once-in-a-lifetime girl. He’d probably be painting his body in BU colors to cheer

her on at softball games by now. That was, if she hadn’t—correctly—pegged him as a player who took nothing and no one seriously.

The burgers sprouted thorns in his stomach.

There was very little chance he could convince her of the opposite now. She’d made up her mind. But Robbie couldn’t very well

spill the truth to Elton. That he’d come here to atone for his behavior with Skylar.

And he definitely couldn’t tell Elton they were fake dating to attract his best friend.

Robbie decided to stick as close to the truth as he could, under the circumstances. “I like your sister. A lot. I’m just trying

to spend as much time around her as possible.”

Elton processed that with an air of skepticism. “Are you sure you’re not just here to incite me?”

“You think I’d go to all this effort just to piss off a baseball player?”

Skylar’s brother raised an eyebrow.

“Fine, I guess that suspicion is justified.” God, if he could just go back and rewind the last week of his life, he would

do it in a heartbeat. Make a better impression on Skylar. Even on her brother. Now he was in the familiar position of trying

to convince people he wasn’t a total shit show of a human being, which seemed to be his default situation. When would he learn

his lesson?

Now.

You’re learning it right now.

You mouthed off one too many times and now you can’t have the girl.

“I’m not here with the sole intention of pissing you off, man. That’s just a bonus.” Robbie could no longer find his smile

and the burgers had lost their appeal, so he commenced wrapping them back up in plastic. “I didn’t expect Skylar. She’s clever,

funny, driven, cool, and... God, she’s fucking beautiful.” Had his stomach gotten stuck in his windpipe? “I’m here for

her. No other reason. She’s reason enough.”

When he looked up at Elton, the other man appeared caught off guard. He recovered quickly, however. “That’s not what I asked.

What are your intentions?”

Make her fall for me instead of Madden.

That’s what his heart begged him to say. To believe.

But that possibility was so far-fetched, giving it oxygen would be pathetic.

“Treat her right. Make her laugh. Help her win.” Robbie forced a chuckle. “Hope she doesn’t realize she’s way out of my league.”

A rumble emanated from Elton’s chest. “I punched you in the face last week for disrespecting my sister, but... she can take care of herself. We all take care of ourselves. Individually. I’m not going to step on that.

” Elton stood, moving forward to place himself toe-to-toe and eyeball-to-eyeball with Robbie, who—obviously—held his ground like a motherfucking hockey player should, fists bunched and ready to swing if necessary.

“But I heard the same shit she heard at the baseball field. Bragging about your hookup from the night before.” Robbie tried not to openly flinch, but he didn’t quite keep the lid on his reaction.

He’d been so sick about Skylar overhearing him, the fact that Elton heard, as well, hadn’t quite occurred to him.

Until now. “If I ever find out you’re talking about my sister like that, I will put you in the emergency room. ”

I’d die first. That’s what his gut urged him to say out loud. Why would this guy believe him, though? Those women he’d been speaking so

openly and inappropriately about... they hadn’t knocked him on his ass and given him heart palpitations, the way Skylar

did, but they’d deserved the same respect, hadn’t they?

“I’d never talk about her like that,” Robbie rasped, more truth slipping out than intended. “The thought of it makes me sick.”

Elton’s brows drew together at that, as if not sure how to read Robbie. Which was fair, since his reasons for being there

were not straightforward to anyone but him and Skylar. “Good,” Elton said finally, jabbing a finger into Robbie’s shoulder.

“Just consider yourself on notice, Corrigan.”

Robbie nodded curtly. “Copy that.”

As soon as Elton stomped out of the room, Robbie sat heavily in the stool he’d vacated. In dire need of a distraction, he

turned around a picture frame on the counter, revealing a family photo. Doug and Vivica, along with their children. Arms resting

on one another’s shoulders, standing in front of a sign welcoming them to the Grand Canyon.

Elton totally at ease, with a buzz cut and a smirk, captured in the middle of goofing off. A much younger Skylar, as solemn-eyed as he knew her to be, but relaxed. Less tense.

The baseball mitt on her hand made his stupid heart squeeze.

Even at the Grand Canyon.

As someone who never went anywhere without a hockey stick, he got it.

He got... her.

But as much as he wanted to carry on cataloging things about Skylar from the past, he couldn’t help but notice something else

about the snapshot.

Everyone pictured wore a Brown University T-shirt. Even Skylar.

Robbie glanced up from the photo, seeing the pennant framed on the wall in the living room for the first time. The blanket

folded up neatly on the couch. All red and brown, the colors of the apparent sacred family alma mater.

Nothing for BU anywhere?

Robbie went back to his place on the floor in Skylar’s room with a frown on his face... and he didn’t fall asleep for a

very long time.