Page 13 of Playing with My Heart

“Great work out there. I think we’re finally going to beat those assholes,” I said, my words coming out rougher, more forceful than I’d intended.

If Parker noticed, he didn’t let on. He grinned instead. “That felt amazing. Thanks again for inviting me to be on the team. Ididn’t realize how much I’d missed the game until I got back out there.”

“Well, you know what they say, you can take the player out of the game, but you can’t take the game out of the player.”

We laughed at the old saying, but the laughter died in my throat when I saw his smile falter as he pulled out his phone, his fingers hovering over the screen. “Everything okay?” I asked, stepping closer.

He let out a sigh, one that seemed to carry the weight of the world. “It’s David. He’s canceling on me again.” He tried to mask the hurt in his voice with nonchalance, but I heard the underlying disappointment.

“Damn, man. That’s rough.” I ran a hand through my hair, feeling an unexpected protectiveness swell within me. “You’ve been having a lot of rain checks lately.”

“Yeah.” Parker pocketed his phone, his gaze fixed on the outfield. “You know, we moved here together because of his job at the hospital. I thought it would be a new chapter for us, but lately, it feels like—I don’t know—Like I’m an afterthought instead of a priority.”

“Sounds lonely,” I said quietly, watching as he traced a line in the dirt with his shoe.

“Sometimes,” he admitted, a vulnerability creeping into his voice that made my chest tighten. “I mean, I love him, but there’s only so much understanding I can have before it starts to feel like I’m the only one trying.”

I wanted to tell him he deserved better, that anyone would be lucky to have someone as genuine and caring as him, but those words felt too heavy, too loaded. Instead, I nudged his shoulder with mine. “For what it’s worth, you’re never just an afterthought around here. You’re like the headline, Parker.”

He offered a small grateful smile, and I felt something shift inside me—a dangerous, thrilling tilt in the balance of ourfriendship. But I shoved it down, keeping it light. “Come on, let’s show them how it’s done. Your turn to pitch, and I wanna see you strike out Pete.”

“Challenge accepted,” Parker said, the spark returning to his eyes as he walked toward the pitcher’s mound. But even as we slipped back into our easy banter, I couldn’t shake the sense that we were both standing on the edge of something neither of us were quite ready to admit to. Not yet, anyway.

The game wrapped up with our team claiming a narrow victory, and we all shared high-fives and Pete and I exchanged some playful jabs. I caught Parker looking at his phone again, his expression a mixture of disappointment and resignation that tugged at something deep in my chest.

“Hey,” I said, pulling him out of his thoughts. “You got plans tonight?”

Parker pocketed his phone and shook his head, the corners of his lips turning down ever so slightly. “Not anymore.”

I clapped a hand on his shoulder, feeling the solid muscle beneath his shirt. “Well, now you do. I’m having dinner with my friends and you’re coming too,” I said, making it more of a statement than a question.

“Are you sure?” Parker raised an eyebrow but there was a hopeful glint in his eyes.

“Absolutely. My friends would love to meet you. They’re good people—you’ll fit right in.” I smiled, hoping to convey the sense of belonging I wanted him to feel.

“Thanks, Travis.” His gratitude was sincere, and it made me feel like I’d done something important, even if it was just offering him a spot at our table.

I drove to each of our places so we could grab a quick shower and change clothes, the comfortable silence between us filling the space. “David’s always been focused on his career,” Parker began, breaking the quiet. “I knew what I signed up for, but sometimes—I don’t know. I thought there’d be more ‘us’ in the equation.”

Listening to him, I fought the urge to say more than I should—to tell him that he was worth more than being someone’s afterthought. But I held back, choosing instead to offer support in the way I knew best. “It takes a strong person to stand by someone with big ambitions. It says a lot about you, Parker.”

“Or it says I’m a pushover,” he replied with a self-deprecating chuckle, but the humor didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“Definitely not a pushover,” I countered firmly. “You’re compassionate, man. There’s a difference.” He turned to look at me, and I felt the weight of his gaze, heavy with things left unsaid. We drove on, the city lights beginning to twinkle as evening closed in around us.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, looking down at his hands.

I glanced over at him, surprised. “What for?”

He let out a loud sigh as he tilted his head back on the headrest and stared up at the roof. “You hired me to help you out, but it seems like all you’ve done since I got here was take care of me; showing me around, letting me join the team, introducing me to your friends.”

“Hey!” I reached over and put my hand on his arm. His skin felt warm, the muscles firm beneath my fingertips. Normally, I would have reveled in the fact that I was touching him, but this wasn’t the time. Parker was hurting and I was determined to do whatever it took to bring a smile back to those full lips. “That’s not true at all. You’ve been a great help. We’ve been able to accept so many new patients because you’re there to help me carry the workload. As for the team, you’re a big part of why wefinally got a win over Pete’s group today. As far as the rest goes…I didn’t do any of it just to be nice or because I feel sorry for you. I did it because I like spending time with you. You’re my friend and I take that shit seriously.”

“Thank you. I like spending time with you too. You’ve made the adjustment to living in the city much easier. But enough about me,” Parker said, shifting gears. “Tell me about these friends I’m about to meet.”

My smile was instantaneous. “They’re the best. I mean it. You won’t ever find a better group of guys.”

I could feel Parker’s eyes on me, probably surprised by my impassioned words. Admittedly, there wasn’t a lot in life that I took seriously, but my work and my family were two things I would always fight for.

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