Page 162 of Stolen Bases

I don’t disagree, but it changes nothing. “It doesn’t matter, guys. There’s no way Talia will ever look at me the same way again. I can’t even look at myself in the mirror. She’s better off without me. At least this way, she has her family to support her.”

“Horseshit.” All eyes fall on Dad, who is shaking in disappointment. “She’s your person. She knew you weren’t a saint when you started dating, and she fell for you anyway. Her family can just get on board. No one loves that girl more than you. So, fuck them. Go get your girl.”

Eli rubs his hands together. “You know what this means, right?”

Jace and Mason smirk.

“What does it mean?” Dad asks.

I kid you not. Eli’s creepy eye glints as he grins at me like the devil. “It’s grand gesture time. And I have just the thing.”

“Whatever you have in mind, no.” I do not trust the look in his eye.

“Too bad. I have eight favors, and I’m cashing one in.” Eli pulls out his phone and texts someone.

Jace whistles. “How’d you stack so many favors?”

I shrug off his question. No way am I telling him how I accrued that many favors. Eli better keep his mouth shut too, or I’ll have to bury him.

Eli continues to type on his phone. “‘Cause he’s a dumb-ass and asked his busy big brother for help instead of hiring an assistant to clean up his messes.”

“You were supposed to be helping me with that for the off-season.”

“Don’t worry. I found you the perfect person.”

“Really?” Damn. I’m curious to find out who he thinks is the perfect assistant. “When do I get to meet him?”

“Her.”

“Nope. No way.” What the fuck is Eli thinking? I don’t need some chick pretending that she likes baseball and trying to sleep with me.

Eli shoves his phone in his pocket. “Just trust me. Now, let’s fucking go. Grab some food—’cause I’m starving—then meet my guy at nine. He’ll be waiting to help you out with that grand gesture. Then, I set up a meeting with your new assistant at the stadium for after practice.”

“Let’s go back to this grand gesture. What did you have in mind?” I ask him.

“You need something big enough for Talia to know you’re serious about her, but also something a guy like Romero can respect. For him to be cool, you need something that proves your loyalty.”

“That doesn’t really answer my question.”

Eli’s being too cryptic, and it’s freaking me out.

Dad, Jace, and Mason share a similar skeptical look and start down the trail ahead of me and Eli. My stomach growls, and for once, I’m not sure if it’s because I’m hungry or nervous.

Eli throws his arm over my shoulder and tugs me forward. “Don’t worry, baby bro. I got you.”

That’s what I’m afraid of.

thirty-nine

Cameron

I could fucking killEli right now. Not only is my chest sore as fuck, but I think I’m bleeding through the bandages.

Turner just put my ass through the ringer for being such a fuck-up lately. He made me do a grueling physical training session, a ten-mile run on the treadmill, and then a half-hour on the mound, throwing balls for batting practice—aka pitching grunt work—as punishment.

If I knew what I was in for, I wouldn’t have agreed to Eli’s grand gesture today. I would have tried to put him off for another day. Don’t get me wrong; his idea was genius, but the timing is unfortunate.

My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I pull it out to find a text from Eli.

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