Page 16 of Beautifully Devoted

Cam’s up first for our team, and he gets a solid hit, sending the ball between second and third and making it easily to first base. Aiden’s base. They must resume whatever they’d been talking about earlier if Cam’s easy laughter is any indication.

Honestly, I should be happy for him since I suggested they get to know each other last night. But I don’t like not being a part of whatever’s making my best friend chuckle, especially since that sound is one of my favorite things about him.

Cruz is up next, and while he doesn’t make it on base himself, he gives Cam enough time with a high fly ball to make it to second. Then it’s my turn.

As I step to the plate, I notice Aiden and Cam looking at each other instead of watching the pitch, and even though I only imagine sending the ball in Aiden’s direction, somehow the unpredictable ball flies exactly where I wanted it to, smacking Aiden on the side of the head since he wasn’t paying attention.

I shoot off like a light, hoping he’s stunned enough that I’ll have a few extra seconds to make it to base. He spins around once before locating the ball, but since his head stopped most of its momentum it’s close enough to first that he gets it and taps the base before I can cross it. At least my sacrifice allowed Cam to score.

However, as he crosses the plate, the ball arrives at nearly the same time. The frat house calls him out and the football house calls him safe, and with no one to break the five on five tie, we Rochambeau for the right to make the call. Fortunately, the football house wins with scissors to cut paper, making the score two to one as we head into the second inning.

Bennet takes the mound and winds up his pitch—spinning his arm in a crooked pinwheel motion since the beach ball is too big for a traditional wind up—pausing before the throw to study the batter. “Looking a little limp over there, Jeff.”

Both teams erupt into laughter as Jeff holds up the droopy bat for all of us to see, which unfortunately resembles a flaccid cock.

“I hear oysters are good for that,” one of the fratties says, but while the rest of the group hassles Jeff about his limp bat, my intrigued eyes find Cam’s as a sly grin spreads across my face.

Don’t even think about it. He shakes his head once.

I bet they’ve got a lot of protein. I raise my brows.

Not the point. A crease forms between his.

Who wouldn’t love getting sexual stamina and protein in one shake? I wriggle mine.

Oysters taste like shit. Cam rolls his eyes.

Pretty sure they taste like whatever you flavor them with. I shrug nonchalantly.

I am NOT taste-testing that. He purses his lips and shakes his head.

We’ll see. I grin broadly.

Jeff grabs a new bat and we resume the game, only for him to hit a single. The next guy up bunts it, forcing Bennet to rush forward to get the ball while runners head toward first and second. As Bennet gets the ball and throws it to me a gust of wind snags it, pushing it over my head and toward the far end of the yard. Suddenly the frat guys are up four to one.

We play three innings before the inflatables start to have trouble holding air and we call it with the frat guys in the lead. It stings, but since they brought beer, they’re forgiven.

“I can’t believe summer classes start next week,” Bennet grumbles as he falls into one of the lawn chairs.

There are only a handful, so some of the guys lounge in the grass while Liam sits on Cruz’s lap. Aiden grabs the one I was planning to take next to Cam, so I use Cam’s legs as my chair.

“Sure… Make yourself comfortable,” he grunts under my weight.

Looking at him over my shoulder, I flash a playful wink. “You got the chair, I got the beer.” I hand him the can I grabbed for myself and gesture for Bennet to toss me another. It erupts a bit from being jostled, and I hurry to lick up the stray drops before they get all over my hand.

Cam jolts underneath me when a cold drop hits his bare leg. “It goes in your mouth, Kitcat.”

I hold up my middle finger without turning around, and drown out Aiden’s question about what Kitcat means since I know Cam will never tell him. The meaning behind our nicknames is sacred. Well, the one I’ve given him anyway. The one he gave me is just…a private memory.

“Who here is taking Calc B this summer?” one of the frat guys asks.

“I took it last semester,” Cruz says. “I’ve got engineering this summer.”

“Computer, electrical, mechanical…?” Aiden asks.

“Mechanical. You got engineering this summer, too?”

“Computer. What about you Liam?” Aiden asks. “What are you taking?”

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