Page 46 of Pitcher Perfect (Big Shots #4)

Burgess took Tallulah’s hand and guided her to a leather chair across from Robbie, grunting quietly for her to sit down, then proceeding to stand behind her with his arms crossed like a bodyguard.

Meanwhile, Chloe took a while to stop flitting around the apartment checking everything out—the view, the mini beer fridge in the corner, a framed poster of Bobby Orr.

Sig leaned against the wall and watched her explore with hawkish intensity, then tugged her into his side like he couldn’t stand the separation anymore.

Which was new. They usually just made blistering eye contact.

“Oh,” Robbie croaked. “Did you guys finally get together?”

“Yes,” Sig said in a hard voice.

“Yes,” Chloe bubbled.

A month ago, the kind of behavior currently being displayed by his two teammates and their significant others would have made

Robbie roll his eyes. He got it now. Man, he completely understood. Finding your person was a miracle and once you did, keeping

them close was pure necessity, which was probably why he felt drained of his will to live right now.

Sig stroked a hand down the back of Chloe’s hair. “Anyway, we called in the big guns to help you out.”

“So watch your language,” Burgess tacked on.

“And put on a shirt.”

Mailer disappeared into Robbie’s bedroom and came back with a gray Bearcats T-shirt, tossing it to him. And obviously he was

on the verge of a nervous breakdown, because the sleeve dipped into his lasagna and he almost started crying, but he managed

to set aside the cheesy masterpiece and don the shirt. “I appreciate you all coming, but there’s nothing anyone can say or

do to help the situation.”

“There is always a way to help, Robbie,” Chloe said comfortingly.

She started toward Robbie, as if planning to sit beside him on the couch, but Sig caught her around the waist and tugged her

back. “Nope.”

“See?” Robbie threw a hand out. “This is the problem. My reputation. Sig won’t even let his girl sit next to me when I smell like cheese and ass.”

Mailer winced. “You heard that?”

“It’s not just you, Robbie,” Chloe rushed to say. “He doesn’t even like me sitting next to my coworkers—and I’m in an orchestra.

It’s part of the job description.”

Sig shrugged.

“Why don’t you tell us what happened, Robbie?” Tallulah prompted. “I’m sure we can piece together a solution. It’s probably

a matter of simple communication.”

Burgess put a hand on Tallulah’s shoulder and nodded.

Robbie took the final bite of his lasagna, no recollection of when he’d wolfed down the entire tray or how much of it was

in his beard. “Well, she hated me in the beginning because she overheard me bragging about my nocturnal activities. Honestly,

I think I was too blown away by her to realize I was fucked from the start.”

“Language,” Burgess chided.

“Sorry.” He sighed with his entire aching body. “Anyway, she was in love with her brother’s best friend, who is this big,

quiet guy with an Irish accent, as if I’m not already at a disadvantage. I offered to pretend to be her boyfriend to make

him jealous... and teach her a few tricks while we waited for him to notice she’s a goddess walking among humans.”

“Tricks?” Chloe asked, nose wrinkled.

“You know...” Robbie put aside his empty lasagna tray with a heavy hand. “Flirting, kissing, going on dates... other

stuff.” No big deal, just the most incredible sex of my life. “It had been established that I’m the master. She wanted to learn from me.”

“So... the whole time, you were essentially reminding her how skilled you are with women,” Tallulah deadpanned. “Go on.”

“Well, that recap stung, thank you very much,” Robbie said, rubbing at his chest. “She didn’t even need the help. She’s perfect. She’s

so... perfect . Funny and driven and honest and encouraging. Beautiful as sin. Competitive like me.” He pinched his fingers together. “She

has these little stickies for her planner and she looks so serious while she’s writing in it. She can’t stop messing with

her ponytail when she’s nervous. She doesn’t let me breeze through uncomfortable conversations. She makes me talk them out.

I feel like knowing all these things about her is going to kill me. I can’t forget them.”

Chloe sniffled.

Sig turned her face into his shoulder and started to rub her back without missing a beat, gesturing for Robbie to continue.

“At some point, it stopped being about making him jealous and it started being about us. Everything was going great, you know?

At least I thought so. The second I turned my back, she went out with him. And his accent. I probably never would have found

out...” He trailed off, shaking his head. “No, that’s not true. She would have told me eventually. She’s not a secret keeper.

There isn’t a deceptive bone in her body.”

“Why did she go out with him?” Burgess asked. “And why did you let him live?”

“It wasn’t romantic. Don’t get me wrong, I’m jealous as hell, but I think Skylar just wanted to... emotionally bodycheck

me after seeing some garbage about me on the internet.”

Mailer stepped forward with his phone aloft. “I have the website in question right here.”

“Dude.” Robbie kicked his roommate in the back of his leg. “What the hell.”

“They need the full picture.”

“No, they don’t!”

Burgess plucked the phone out of Mailer’s hands. “Yes, we do.” He went back to his post beside Tallulah, scrolling with his thumb. “Jesus Christ, Corrigan.”

Robbie doubled over, dropped his head into his hands, and groaned loud enough to shake the windowpanes.

Both women scrambled out of their respective spots to look over Burgess’s shoulder, which was physically impossible, of course,

so he handed the phone to Tallulah. The twin gasps arrived five seconds later.

“She saw all this?” Chloe whispered.

“I assume you’ve contacted a lawyer,” Tallulah said.

“You’re not going to want to hear this, Robbie,” said Chloe, “but I would have gone on a date with an Irish guy, too. Ten

of them. And I would have thrown in an Aussie.”

Sig did a double take. “How about you don’t put that image in my head, Chlo?”

“Only kidding!” She looked at Tallulah and mouthed, I’m not kidding .

“Look... I haven’t done any of that shit since I met Skylar. I don’t want to. But I can’t be looking over my shoulder waiting for her to doubt me again. It’s going to be painful every time. It hurts

to be doubted by someone I’m so goddamn in love with. I’m mad, all right? I’m fucking mad and... devastated.”

Tallulah’s expression had gradually turned sympathetic. “Did you tell her all this?”

“Yes.”

“And?”

“She said she was sorry.” His chest erupted with a fresh wave of pain. “She was crying when I left on Thursday night.”

“Making your woman cry.” Burgess shivered. “It’s worse than two broken legs.”

Tallulah reached up and threaded her fingers through Burgess’s, squeezing.

“Let me ask you a question, Corrigan,” Sig said. “Let’s say she gets on a plane tomorrow and moves to...” Momentarily,

he eyeballed Chloe. “Ireland or Australia. And you’re never going to see her again. How do you feel about that?”

Robbie’s ribs almost cracked from the sudden pressure. “What?” he wheezed.

“How. Do you feel. About that?”

“Like I want to die.” Even that was an understatement.

Sig dipped his chin. “Then guess what? You’re a lucky son of a bitch, because she lives in your town . And she might even still like your ass. So quit wasting time.”

“Sig, you’re so smart,” Chloe said, hands tucked beneath her chin. “I wouldn’t leave you for all the Australians or Irishmen

in the world.”

“Now you tell me.”

“Hold on, though,” Tallulah broke in with a wave of her hand. “He can’t just get back together while he’s holding on to this

feeling of betrayal and judgment. Although...” She held up the phone Mailer had given her. “If anything deserves a bit

of side-eye...”

Robbie threw up his hands. “We were all consenting adults.”

“True.” Tallulah tossed the phone back to Mailer. “Rebuild the trust before you jump back into the relationship. Spend some

time with her on your terms. Decide if your feelings are the same or if they’ve changed—”

“My feelings for her are never going away,” Robbie rasped, visions of Skylar flipping through his mind like the pages of a

glossy magazine.

“Then work your way toward a better place. Take your time.”

Being encouraged to go see Skylar was like being handed the keys to a golden kingdom. That was exactly what his heart urged him to do and God, he was grateful to have that feeling seconded. “Go see her,” Sig enunciated.

He stood up and walked straight to the front door, his pace accelerating as he went. “Okay. Her home opener is tonight.”

Mailer blocked his path. “Maybe a shower first, buddy?”