Page 68 of Perfect Game

“Come with me,” I sling an arm around his shoulder and pull him in for a hug. Baseball, for as much as we love this game, can be cruel, and today is the cruelest day of them all. “Elise will want to see you. And I don’t really want to be alone right now either.”

I’d rather be in the stadium behind us.

I’d rather be on the mound, doing my job for the team I’ve dedicated my career to.

I’d rather be walking home at the end of this night withSutton. Riding across The Sound with Sutton beside me instead of Luca Phillips. He’s great company, but he’s not Sutton. I’d rather not be walking into the house to a sister crying on the couch in the living room, stepping into my open arms and burying her face in my chest.

“It’s going to be okay, Leecey,” I kiss the top of her head and hold her tight. “It’s just until October, and then I’ll be home. This is it for me. After October, I’m home for good.”

“I feel like I just got you back, Max. After everything…”

“No, hey. Look at me, Elise.” I let go of my sister and tilt her chin up, meeting her tearful gaze. “This is nothing like that. You will not be alone. I know that you will be safe here. Sutton will be here. And unlike when you were married to that monster, we have open lines of communication. The only thing separating us is a handful of time zones.”

Elise exhales a shuddering breath and wraps her arms around my waist one more time, burying her face in my chest.

“Take care of Loretta for me.”

“I will.”

“Sutton, too.”

“And Sam,” Elise says with a small laugh. “He’s going to be devastated.”

After one last goodbye with Elise, she moves from me to Luca, wrapping him in a hug, and he melts into her arms. I leave them in the living room and seek out Loretta, finally finding her in her favorite spot in the house, curled up on the quilt draped at the end of Sutton’s bed.

“Hey old girl,” I kneel down in front of the bed and kiss the top of her head, running my hand down her furry little body. “I’m going away for a bit. Hold down the fort for me, okay?”

Loretta purrs as I pet her and then swats my hand away signaling that she’s ready to be left alone. She makes it easy to stop petting her, but somehow even harder to leave. After onelast pat on her head, I leave the room and head back downstairs.

“She went downstairs,” Luca is standing near the door, hands shoved in his pockets, eyes red and puffy, “said she didn’t want to watch us leave.”

“You okay?”

“Yeah,” he clears his throat and swipes his hand under his eyes. “I’m fine. Just…missing my family today. My sister.”

“I didn’t know you have a sister…”

“Laurel.”

“You two close?”

“We were. But…it’s been a while.” Luca opens the front door and heads outside and I take it as a sign to stop asking questions. For now.

Once Luca and I are on the plane bound for Detroit, I pop headphones in and make the mistake of letting what was previously on start playing. It’s my Sutton playlist; songs she sings – I think, without realizing she’s doing it. Songs we dance to. Some songs I never used to think about much, but are her favorites. Closing my eyes and leaning my head back against the seat, I finally let the emotion of the day wash over me.

As our usual kitchen slow dance song plays, I find myself wishing I had Sutton in my arms, holding her close as we move together to the music. I miss Loretta at our feet, the sound of the waves through the open patio door, and the stars glittering overhead at night when we’re wrapped around each other on the patio. I’d rather be sitting next to her in the dugout right now instead of on a plane bound for Detroit and unsure of what the rest of the season is going to look like. Unsure of what I’m going to find when I get there. The reception I’ll get from the team. The coaches.

Even though I suspected this might be coming, and Marisol prepared me for the possibility, it doesn’t make it sting anyless. I hate that I’m leaving my team behind. A team that I’ve been a part of for my whole career. A team that has shaped me and made me the pitcher that I am today. I don’t know what’s waiting for me – for us – in Detroit.

As soon as we land, I text Marisol:

This is it.

This is my last one.

I can practically feel her tension in the three bouncing dots on my screen. I’m not going to let myself be traded around the league like this for the rest of my career. I want roots. I want to be with Sutton, to support her and bring her flowers and spend nights with her on the patio. I meant it when I said that I want her to be my family.

Luca and I grab our bags and disembark, finding our way through the maze of Detroit Metro Airport and finally find a driver holding a sign with our names on it. He loads our bags into the SUV and soon we’re off to a nearby hotel. It’s late by the time we arrive and according to the packets we’re given in the car, we have an early morning tomorrow.

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