Page 30 of Wild Pitch

“Don’t you worry about me, Val,” she says confidently. “I’m about to make the best basket any of those bitches have ever seen. They’ll be sorry they ever stepped into the ring with Monroe Decker.”

I bark a laugh, proud of her competitive spirit. “Atta girl, baby,” I reply. “I’ll leave you to it so I can finishgetting ready. Let me know if you need anything else from me.”

“I will,” she sing-songs, digging her hand into the bottom of the drawer and pulling out a random t-shirt.

I turn away, heading toward the bathroom to shave and brush my teeth. I know I need to deal with all the feelings I’m having for her right now, but I really want to have a good time today, so I do my best to compartmentalize them. It doesn’t have to be that serious. We’re having fun, and that might be all this is. Monroe has made it very obvious that she loves being on her own, and there’s a good chance that she isn’t having the same thoughts as me. It wouldn’t be the first time, but I’m hoping that the shift I’ve felt between us has at least made her think twice about how good we could be together.

I quickly shave, rinse the razor, and set it back on the counter before loading my toothbrush with toothpaste. I hear more rustling around as I continue getting ready, spitting into the sink and rinsing my mouth with water. Just as I put the brush back into the holder, another piece of clothing and the marker are thrust into my hand.

“Sign, please,” she says, and I start to obey but stop when I realize what I’m holding.

“This is my shirt,” I say, slightly confused. “Myusedshirt.”

“Uhhh, yeah. YourusedBella Simon concert tee. These things were going for like, eight-hundred dollars on the internet at one point. Why do you even have this?” she asks, tilting her head in question.

“First of all,” I say, “I don’t love your judgmental tone. Bella Simon is the voice of our generation. And don’t evenget me started on her songwriting. Plus, she’s my sister’s friend. I wanted to be supportive.”

She quirks a brow. “Then you won’t mind if I auction it off. For charity, of course.”

Little brat. I know she isn’t doing this because of the charity. Monroe loves helping people, but I can tell when my girl wants a competitive edge. I fucking love this shirt. But I love seeing her happy even more.

I roll my eyes playfully, scribbling my signature onto the fabric before handing it back to her. An ear-to-ear grin splits her face, and she stretches up onto her tippy toes, pressing her lips to mine in a chaste kiss. “Thank you!”

“Mhmmm,” I reply, pretending to be annoyed as I pick up my bottle of mouthwash and unscrew the top. I’ve barely taken a swig before her hand reaches back out and snags it from my grip.

“Okay, byeeeee!” she sings, leaving the room with half my shit as I stare in shock. This girl is a literal storm, and I couldn’t be happier to be standing in the middle of it.

Two hours later, we walk through the player entrance at the stadium, Monroe vibrating with giddiness as she clutches onto her offering for the charity auction. I stopped paying attention after she tried making me autograph alittle league participation trophy from when I was in third grade, so God only knows what else she put in there.

Poor girl. There’s no way she’s winning this competition.

“Hey, you two!” Taylor says, walking our way. The mask Monroe normally wears at these things is nowhere to be seen, but that’s because she seems genuinely happy today. I’ve seen her in all her forms—pissed off, annoyed, indifferent, sad, defiant. Butthis?This is my favorite. I still can’t believe I get to experience her like this, and it’s not something I’ll ever forget.

“Hi, Tay! Where should I put this?” Monroe asks, holding up her basket. I didn’t realize these two were at the stage of their relationship where nicknames were involved, but then again, she slid right in and won the entire organization over just like I knew she would. I’m beyond grateful to her for setting aside her hatred for me to do this. I know it was beneficial to her since I offered to help her start her business, but she could’ve easily told me to eat a dick and gotten a job somewhere else. She and I both know she would’ve achieved her goals with or without me. All I did was put her on a faster track.

“Over here on the table,” Taylor says, leading us across the room. She moves an oversized crate containing a pair of brand-new cleats, several gift cards, and a signed Fury throwback jersey. I drag my eyes down the table seeing several more, each one fuller than the last. There’s some pretty stiff competition, but anything’s possible. Maybe people will want my random used shit.

Honestly, I’d spend a fortune buying it all back if it made her smile, so that’s always an option.

Monroe sets her basket down and rearranges thecontents so everything can be seen better. She carefully fans out every item, and I can’t take my eyes off her as she stares at it triumphantly.

She turns toward me, her expression filled with pride, and I don’t stop myself from stepping into her and wrapping my arms around her waist. She slings hers around my neck, and I lift her off her feet, pressing my mouth to hers. “Good job, Mayhem,” I murmur against her lips, causing her to smile against mine.

Fuck.There’s no way she doesn’t feel this. The chemistry between us is explosive, even in the most ordinary moments.

“Monroe!” a familiar voice says from beside us, breaking us from our moment. “How’s my favorite girl doing?”

“Randy! It’s so nice to see you again!” she says excitedly, breaking out of my arms and moving into his for a hug. I’m shocked at first because she’s on a first-name basis with the owner of the team, but again, what’s not to love about this girl? Anyone who’s blessed with a chance to spend five minutes with the real Monroe Decker doesn’t stand a chance at getting away without feelingsomething. Least of all, me. She’s everything I never expected her to be when I asked her to be my fake girlfriend.

“Riggs,” he says with a smile, extending a hand in greeting. I take it, shaking firmly as he brings his other arm over Monroe’s shoulder and squeezes. She eats it up as if she’s starved of this type of attention, which makes me wonder even more if her parents or other family members ever made her feel as special as I know she is. “You taking care of this one or do I have to trade you to Detroit?” he says playfully, but it makes my balls shrivel alittle bit. I know I’m still not completely in the clear after all my fuck-ups, but I hope I’ve at least cleaned up my image in his eyes a little bit.

I swallow thickly, pasting on a smile. “Yes, sir,” I reply. “I’m doing my best.” She must be able to sense my unease, because she slides back over to me, wrapping her small hands around my bicep and leaning her head onto my shoulder.

“I can confirm that he’s been a model boyfriend,” she says, looking up at me. “I’m a very happy girl.” Her eyes sparkle and she gently presses her nails into my skin, sending warmth flowing through my entire body. I lean down, inhaling her scent, a sense of calm washing over me almost immediately.

When we started all of this, I told them that I wanted Monroe here to chill me out. When I said it, I was just trying to excuse my wild behavior, but the truth is that that’s exactly what she does. She makes me want to be someone that this organization can be proud of. Thatshecan be proud of. This relationship may not be real, but there are pictures of us out in the world as a couple now, and I don’t want her to look back at them someday and be embarrassed. Before, I would’ve never cared what others thought. But my instinct to protect and care for her extends far further than just being a physical thing. I refuse to let her look like a fool for being my girlfriend.

“That’s what I like to hear,” he says with a grin. “Glad to see you on the straight and narrow, Valentine.” My chest pulls tight with emotion as I nod, unable to find the words to express how relieved I am without sounding like an idiot. “I have to make my rounds. Enjoy your day, lovebirds.”

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