Page 26 of Faking it With the Player Next Door

“I just need some space to process everything,” I added gently, giving him a small smile. “We can talk, but maybe... another time? When things aren’t so raw?”

He nodded again, slower this time. “Yeah, I understand. I just want a chance to make things right.”

“And you will,” I said, my voice kind. “But not over dinner tonight. Let’s give it a little more time, okay?”

He managed a faint smile, though his disappointment was evident. “Okay. I’ll wait.”

“Thanks, Van.” I squeezed his arm lightly before stepping back inside, closing the door softly behind me.

I sighed as I leaned against the door, hoping I’d made the right call.

Chapter Ten

Van

Sitting in the kitchen, I poured a cup of coffee and subconsciously rubbed my elbow. Realizing the deep ache I was trying to get rid of, I decided I needed to continue my therapy.

“Maybe I’ll call Taylor,” I murmured, and picked up my coffee mug.

She had offered to help keep me on task with my therapy and recovery but I hadn’t taken her up on it yet. Before I knew it, my recovery time would be over, and if I wasn’t up to par, I may lose my multi-million-dollar contract, and be kicked to the curb.

Baseball is my life, and if I can’t play because I’m too slack in my therapy, I’d be so pissed off. I’d have no one to blame but myself. That thought seemed to jolt me awake, and I grew angry.

I’ve worked so hard to get to where I am today, and to lose that because I was lazy and too confident.

Rocking my head from side to side, I mulled over the idea. I was glancing in the direction of Taylor’s place. I couldn’t see the house through the wall, but I knew she was probably there. It seemed she rarely left the house; at least, I’d had seen.

The only time I saw her was when she sat out on the back deck, or if she was weeding her grandma’s old garden and flower beds around the yard. I’d spoken with her on the phone dozens of times but hadn’t gone over there to spend time with her, explain about Ellie, or just have a friendly chat in person.

Retrieving my cell phone from the kitchen table, I opened up my messaging and texted Taylor. As I waited for her to reply, I saw the three dots moving across the screen, meaning she was typing. I waited patiently, but the three dots disappeared soon, and she hadn’t replied.

Frowning, I typed another text and sent it. Then waited.

Three dots again, then ading, and I had a text.

Reading it, I smiled. She agreed to dinner tonight, but she had stipulations.

“Of course you do,” I chuckled and sent a reply asking her what they were.

When I received herdemands, I immediately responded, agreeing. I didn’t care what she wanted; I’d have given in to any demand.

***

Holding out Taylor’s chair, she slid into it, and I circled the table to sit across from her. She had her hands in her lap, and I noticed how beautiful she was this evening. Her blonde hair was swept up and secured behind her head, and she wore limited makeup. Not that she neededanymakeup.

Taylor’s natural beauty didn’t need any enhancements. She’s always been pretty, and I’ve always been attracted to her; I just never acted on my feelings.

I smiled, thinking about how I needed to thank Hunter a hundred times for being so protective of Taylor. It’s because of him that Iliedabout Taylor and my relationship. Getting caught in a promiscuous situation, and having the pastor with him was all I needed to get the proverbial ball rolling with Taylor.

She worshiped Hunter and would do anything to stay in his good graces. So, claiming we were in a relationship played well into my hopes for a future with Taylor.

We have kept in touch over the years, since we moved away from home, until recently. When Taylor began her new job and started dating Travis, she didn’t text as often, and our weekly calls began diminishing.

When I questioned her about it, she shrugged it off, claiming she was busy. I didn’t completely buy her excuse, but I let it go since I had become busier as my career advanced and was out on the road for half the year.

But speaking and texting with Taylor always seemed to keep me grounded. Having less and less involvement with her, affected my life. While good when on the field, my focus could never settle down as my thoughts were always on Taylor.

I loved seeing her smile, hearing her laughter when I told some lame joke, listening to her sweet, melodious voice, and watching her work in her grandma’s flower gardens.

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