Page 91 of Trip Through Your Wires

I shake my head and take another sip of my latte. “You’re trouble, you know that?”

“I don’t have any idea what you are talking about.”

I sigh and drop my hand down to the counter. “Ells, I know.”

She shrugs as if she doesn’t know what I am talking about. “Know what?”

“I know that Jenica played softball. She pitched for me.”

She slaps her hand down on the counter and leans in. “She what?”

“I know that’s why she’s working and going to school at home,” I confess. “But man, she shouldn’t be. She has an incredible arm. She could have played anywhere. Actually I think she still could if she wanted.”

“Really?” Ellery’s brows push to her hairline. “But I thought she couldn’t throw another pitch.”

“She probably couldn’t after the injury. But had someone worked with her instead of abandoning her they would have seen her knee is pretty stable.”

It makes me angry to think no one has ever had Jenica’s back until Ellery came along. My family wasn’t rolling in cash, and my coaches and high school counselors had been critical.

My high school coach had been on me since I was a Freshman, pushing me both on the field and off, while my guidance counselor made sure to stay on top of the financial side of things. I was a nationally ranked athlete and had a few offers from different colleges, but when it comes to money, you just never know.

That should have been Jenica’s experience, as well. She should have had an entire team of people behind her. Adults whose job it was to see to it that she succeeded. It makes sense she thinks the universe is against her because she’d never experienced otherwise.

Well, not anymore. Last summer when shit went down, I promised Jenica I would always have her back, but things have changed. Yesterday when I woke up with her next to me and felt that pull Cruz talked about that day in the clubhouse, my promise took on a whole new meaning. Baseball has always been my focus but Jenica is now not just part of that future, but my center of gravity. I can’t see my life without her.

When I finish my coffee I push up from the stool and rinse out my cup, placing it in the dishwasher. “Thanks for the latte, buddy. It was perfect, as always.”

“My pleasure,” Ellery smiles. “It was the least I could do. I did drag you out of bed in the middle of the night. Speaking of, I still owe you a pizza.”

“Naw, we’re good.” I rap my knuckle on the counter. “If anything I owe you.”

“Oh yeah?” She tilts her head. “For?”

“The Camaro,” I wink, and head out of the kitchen and down to my room.

Really, I owe her, for much, much more. Ellery doesn’t know it, but she was the universal force that helped bring Jenica and I back together. Had she not asked me to go down there, things might not have turned out the way they had. Ripple effect. Only, one small change didn’t only have a big impact, but change my world, and for that, I will have to thank her. And I will. Just as soon as Jenica and I are ready.

Chapter 20

Jake

Jenica and I have been together for two weeks and life doesn’t just feel better, but brighter. I’m breezing through my classes and killing it on the field. Every day begins and ends with the sound of her voice and I feel like the luckiest guy in the world.

I never thought I would be so enamored by one person, but Jenica is the exception to every rule. With each day that passes my need for her grows stronger, and I’m counting down the days until I see her again. Until then, I’m planning to focus on our upcoming series.

Tomorrow the team heads to Storrs to play UConn. We knocked them out of the playoffs last year and they’re anxious for payback. I’m not too worried. With Cruz’s recent performance on the mound, and the team’s average at the plate, we’ll likely check off another win. But with the Rockies keeping their eyes on the two of us, there’s no room for error.

After hanging up from my morning call with Jenica, I grab my keys and get ready to leave when the phone rings. It’s Coach and he wants Cruz and I to meet him in his office before practice today. Since Cruz and Ellery already left to head over to campus for the day, I tell Coach that I’ll let Cruz know and confirm we’ll be there.

Later that day, as I meet up with Cruz at the café on campus to grab a bite to eat before practice, I tell him about Coach’s request.

“You think he called us in to talk about the Rockies,” I ask while digging into my turkey and Swiss sandwich.

“I do,” he nods, taking a bite of his own, then wiping his mouth with a napkin.

“And?” I press, curious to know what he’s thinking.

“I don’t know,” he shrugs. “What do you think?”

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