Page 8 of Keep Me

“What’s wrong?” Jasmine and I both ask in unison.

“Ryker had to cancel our tattoo appointment tomorrow because of a mandatory baseball meeting. I’ve been looking forward to this for months.”

“So can’t you go without him?” Jasmine cocks her brow, her highlighter perched between her fingers in the air.

Theo laughs, and when he does, it’s the whole body kind of laugh. “No, Jay bay bay. He’s the tattoo artist. He was going to give me my first one! Fucking baseball,” he mutters the last bit.

My heart seems to be beating faster at the mention of his name. It’s been months since I last saw him, but my crush is still as strong as ever. I still can’t forget the way my fingertips buzzed when they touched his arm at the club.

I would probably faint on the spot if he kissed me since I’m already freaking out over a graze of his fingers. Learning about him being a tattoo artist only adds to his appeal.

“How is he a tattoo artist? Isn’t he like twenty-one?” Jasmine asks.

“He’s actually twenty-two and started his apprenticeship as soon as he turned eighteen. Ryker’s insanely talented and quickly grew his clientele,” Theo explains.

I didn’t know he was a tattoo artist, and the new information makes my brain swim with ideas because I’ve been wanting my own tattoo for a while now.

“You big baby, you’ll be fine. Just reschedule it,” she tells him before turning her attention back to her textbook.

Theo rolls his eyes at her, returning his focus to his phone and texting back.

I do the same, looking through the emails on my student account. It’s all the same stuff, course reminders, midterm details. I’m about to close my app when I see the devil’s name there.

Jimmy.

I open the email, partly intrigued, partly nervous to see what it is about.

This is what I mean when I say Jimmy is the worst, but I choose to let go of the first part of his email and focus on the end. He is giving me the men’s baseball team to cover this season.

No. Freaking. Way.

I squeal and shimmy in my seat, excitement pulsing through every inch of my body.

“Whoa, what’s up with you?” Theo asks.

“Jimmy just gave me the men’s baseball team to cover this season. He got a job and has no time for it,” I tell him, but as I say the words, my excitement quickly turns into nerves.

Because guess who I’ll have to see all the time starting next week?

Ryker Lewis.

Chapter Four

Camille

“

D

o you want another glass of wine?” Quentin asks, his body spread across my couch. He’s visiting before his spring training begins in two weeks. My brother is the star pitcher for the Detroit Panthers, and I couldn’t be more proud of him as he lives out his dreams.

While Quentin and I bonded the most because we have the same personality—happy, adventurous, and caring—there was a small part of me that resented him for a few years because of how jealous I was.

“I shouldn’t. It’s a school night and I have my long day of classes tomorrow,” I huff out, snuggling into the cozy blanket I’m currently wrapped up in on the couch.

“But we’re celebrating! You finally got the role you’ve been wanting with the school paper. Juste un autre, s’il te plaît?”

I think about it for a moment, but even though I want another glass, I know I shouldn’t.

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