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Me: I’ll finish out the month but once the team is back, I won’t be able to continue working at the stadium. I’m also withdrawing my name from the interviews for the social media position. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me.

I click send, and my message goes through the airwaves to land somewhere on Joanie’s phone. I don’t know where she is, and she wasn’t in again today.

But those pictures were sure all over the damn place.

Cooper smiling. Cooper laughing. Cooper tossing his arm around some woman who’s still pretty young but not quite so young as me.

It’s too painful to be here even when he’s not here moving on in front of my face. I can’t imagine how hard it would be to witness it all in person.

Screw that. I’m out.

I text Kaylee next.

Me: I just gave Joanie my notice and I took my hat out of the ring for the SM position.

She told me to keep her updated, and here we are.

I head toward the bar next since that’s where the other interns have gathered after a long day of work. We’re prepping for the season now, which means we’re open to the public and giving tours on a daily basis. Justin has led the majority of them, and for someone who claims to dislike baseball the way he does, he sure enjoys giving the stadium tours.

I collapse into the booth beside Justin, who’s now squished in the middle between Brian and me. Brian may no longer be an intern, but he and Justin are still going strong. At least I think they are. I’ve been sort of wrapped up in my own drama to have really taken notice.

Chloe is across the table with Mackenzie beside her, and Mackenzie glares at me a little.

I glare back, and then I announce, “I withdrew my name from the social media manager interviews just now.”

My announcement is met with silence.

“What?” Mackenzie asks at the same time Chloe breathes, “But why?”

“Let’s get this girl drunk!” Justin says rather than asking.

I realize Mackenzie thinks Cooper and I broke up a while ago, so I’m careful with my answer. “It just wasn’t the right fit for me.”

I excuse myself to the restroom since the baby has decided to make my bladder her pillow today, and when I return to the table, I catch the tail end of what Mackenzie is saying.

“It’s about damn time. She never deserved it.”

I don’t sit. I don’t slide into the booth. Instead, I fold my arms over my chest. “What the fuck is your problem?” I spit at her.

“Excuse me?” she asks very innocently.

“You’ve never liked me, and that’s fine. But to talk shit that I don’t deserve it?” I shake my head. “That’s just nasty.”

“You don’t. You only got the internship in the first place because of your father,” she says. She picks up her drink, her hands nice and steady, and meanwhile I’m shaking like a leaf as this confrontation way too long in the making finally takes place.

“I’m damn good at my job. It doesn’t matter how I got there. What matters is that I proved myself while I was there.”

She rolls her eyes.

I look at Justin. “I’m sorry, but I’m out. I’m not dealing with this shit.” I spin and walk away, and he chases after me with Brian hot on his trail.

Once I’m out front, I’m still shaking. “I fucking hate her.”

“I know, baby girl,” Justin says, his arms looping around me. Brian hugs me from the other side, and now I’m the meat in a Justin-Brian sandwich.

“She sucks,” Brian agrees.

“But you told her off, and I’ve never been so proud of you.” He kisses my forehead, and it feels good to be with my friends. He lets me go, and he glances at Brian. “Ready?”

Brian nods.

“Just before you got there, we decided we’re telling my parents tonight. I want you to be there with me,” Justin says, squeezing my hand.

“Me?” I ask, my hand moving to my chest.

“I’m not sure I can do it without you,” he says.

“Then let’s get the hell out of here before you lose your nerve,” I suggest, and he laughs as we part ways to get into our own cars and head over to his place.

Three cars pull into Justin’s driveway at the same time, and we all walk in together.

“Mom?” he yells. “Dad?”

His mom appears in the doorway with her brows drawn together, a kitchen towel in her hands, and his dad walks down the stairs a minute later with the same expression on his face.

Justin looks at Brian, and then he looks at me, and then he takes a deep breath. “Can you both sit down? I have something I need to say to you.”

They sit, and I note that they don’t sit close to one another. His mom takes the love seat, and his dad takes the couch. They don’t bother looking at one another.

“What’s going on, honey?” his mom asks. I’ve met Laura Larson a handful of times—more when Justin and I first became friends and I was trying to escape living in the bedroom next to Cooper.

I thought things were bad then. They had nothing on things now .

Justin draws in a deep breath. “I love you both, but I’ve been hiding something for a long time now. In fact, it’s probably been a secret for ten years.”

His dad’s brows knit together further, and he leans forward on his knees and clasps his hands. “What is it, Justin?”

His parents are looking at him so earnestly, so lovingly, that I have a hard time believing they’ll react the negative way he assumes they will.

“I, uh…I’m gay.”

I brace for their reaction.

His dad blows out a breath, and his mom blinks at him for a few beats before she tilts her head and narrows her eyes.

His dad glances at his mom, and their eyes meet and lock for a beat.

“Finally,” his dad says.

“We know, honey,” his mom says. “We’ve been waiting for you to be ready to tell us.” She stands, and she walks over to him and pulls him into a hug. “And I’m so proud of you for choosing today. For choosing honesty. For choosing to love yourself.”

“Seriously?” Justin says. “You’re not mad?”

“Why would we be mad?” his dad asks, walking over to hug his son next, and I can’t help the tear that splashes onto my cheek.

“Because I’m not who you thought I’d become,” Justin says sadly.

“You’re everything we thought you’d become,” his dad says.

“You’re a hard worker, and you’re smart, and you’re kind,” his mom adds. “That’s what we wanted for you, but above all that, we want you to be happy. And if it’s Gabby that makes you happy, great. If it’s Brian, great. If it’s being on your own, great. We’re here to support you and love you through the ups and downs we all share in life.”

Justin’s brows dip in confusion. “Seriously? I waited ten years to tell you and there’s not going to be an arguing match? There’s no trying to convince me to be somebody I’m not? Just acceptance?”

“Just acceptance,” his dad repeats, and he hugs his son again.

My heart swells for my friend. I know how hard it was for him to do that, and I’m so proud of him for finally confessing his biggest secret to his parents. For coming out. For putting his own happiness first.

I wish that I could find a way to do that, too.

I just don’t think I can do it here in Vegas.