Page 73 of Walk Off

“Oh shit, this is an intervention.'' She looked around the room at all her friends.

“It’s for your own good, sweetie,” Mae said, handing her a drink. “We hate seeing you unhappy.”

“You guys don’t have to do this.” She should be angry, but instead she was overwhelmed at how much support she had in her life.

“We do,” Hannah said. “You’re pushing away something great all because you think you don’t deserve it.”

“But I’m not,” she said. “Not anymore.”

Ruby gave her a quizzical look. “What do you mean not anymore?”

“I realized that I love Kyle and I think he loves me, and I’m done punishing myself for keeping Jasmine from him. I’m done believing my mom when she didn’t even love me.”

“Thank fucking god,” Zara said as she sagged back against the couch. “I wasn’t sure how much more of this I could take.”

Cassidy slapped Zara on the leg. “This isn’t about you.”

“Isn’t it? I’m the one who’s had to keep her mouth shut about Kyle loving her. I’m the one who had to listen to both of them bitching—”

Celia stopped her before she could go on. “What did you say?”

Zara looked around as if she was unsure what Celia was asking. “I don’t know. What did I say?”

“You’re a fucking fool.” Mae shook her head. “You just told her that Kyle loves her.”

Zara’s eyes widened. “No, I didn’t.”

“Yes, you did,” Cassidy said.

“Is it true?” Celia had pretty much stopped listening to everyone else and was staring directly at Zara.

Zara let out a breath. “Dammit, I kept that secret for like a week, and as soon as I got around all of you, I let it slip.”

“Zara,” Celia said loudly. “Pay attention. What did Kyle tell you?” She was frenzied, wanting to know exactly what he’d said to Zara.

“I guess we're doing this.” Zara looked around the room and all the rest of the ladies nodded. “A week or so ago, Kyle came to see me, interested in me becoming his agent. I told him that I wasn’t about to divulge anything about you just because he was my client. He didn’t seem to have a problem with that. We talked about his previous agent and what he was looking for. He mentioned taking care of his family. I questioned that, asking if he meant Jasmine. His exact words were that you were his family too. No matter what. I took that to mean he loved you. So it wasn’t a shock when he called me today and told me he did. Love you, that is.”

A wave of calm settled over Celia. “He told you that today?”

“This morning,” Zara answered.

“Which is part of the reason we are all here right now,” Allana said. “We wanted to help you get out of your own way before he arrives.”

Celia shook her head. “What do you mean arrives?”

“He’s coming here, sweetie.” Ruby sat down on the edge of the chair she was sitting in. “He’s on a plane right now.”

“But he has practice. It’s spring training.” She was having a hard time wrapping her head around what they were saying.

“He couldn’t wait,” Zara said. “He called me in a panic and asked me to get him a flight. I called Ruby and she talked to Shane who sent the Strikers’ plane for him.”

“He’s coming here?” She was at a loss for words.

“He is,” Hannah said. “I guess the only question now is what will you tell him once he gets here?”

“I’ll tell him I love him and that I have loved him this whole time.” She stood up, ready to run out the door and meet him. “When will he be here?”

Allana looked at her wrist. “The plane landed ten minutes ago.”

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