Page 11 of The Foul Out

His tone instantly had me on edge. “Is everyone okay?” If something had happened to my aunt, JJ would be losing his shit.

Slowly, Cam nodded, pushing the phone my way.

I took it hesitantly and swallowed past the lump in my throat. “Sup man?”

“You promised me.” JJ’s tone had a bite I didn’t understand.

I ran my hand through my hair. “I have no idea what we’re talking about.” I promised him a lot of shit. And I always followed through. He was my boy, and I’d do anything for him. Still, I had no idea what he meant.

“You promised you’d help me with the Harper stuff. I know I fucked up, and she got the shit end of the deal, but you promised you were going tohelpme.”

I rolled my eyes. What the hell had happened this time? “Yeah, and I will. I told you that as soon as the season was over, we’d smooth stuff over.”

“So why in the name of God did you make her the target of the entire city’s wrath?”

My heart stopped, and ice ran through my veins. I’d put a target on someone, sure, but that couldn’t be who JJ was talking about. “What?”

“White shirt, red-haired devil,she hopefully knows better than to show her face in Boston again.”

I swallowed. I’d seen the clip enough to know he was dramatizing my words a hair, but the point was the same. “Harper…Your Harper…” I shook my head. No way fate would do this to me. It wasn’t possible. “She was the one who caught my foul ball?”

“Yes. And now, because of you, the kids got kicked out of day care, people are egging her apartment door, and some dickhead let the air out of her tires.”

Fuck me. I sighed.

“You need to fix this.”

I nodded like a tool bag, even though he couldn’t see me.

Cam cleared his throat, garnering my attention. With just a glance at his face, it was clear to me that he knew the story already. With his lips pressed in a firm line, he crossed his arms over his chest.

“Well?” he mouthed at me. “What are you doing about this shit show?”

I wanted to saynothing. Two minutes ago, I’d told Hannah that this wasn’t my problem. But I loved JJ, and I had promised to help with Harper. Though I couldn’t have guessed that she’d ruin my World Series run when I said it.

Still, I turned to Hannah, and through gritted teeth, I said, “Harper and the kids are coming over to Lang Field today. Hannah has a plan. I’m…” I cleared my throat. “I’m apologizing.” The phrase tasted like acid on my tongue, and it took a concerted effort to keep myself from grimacing. “We’ll fix everything.”

Hannah’s smug smile made me detest the words leaving my lips all the more, but I didn’t have a choice. I’d made a promise, and now I had to keep it.

“Wait a second, Piper.”I snagged one booster seat from the back of Trevor’s car and set it on the ground beside me, then I grabbed the other, all while I kept my hand locked around Sam’s wrist to ensure he stayed at my side. The pain that still throbbed in my bruised hand shot up my arm, but I didn’t let go. I only needed another second. “Thanks, Trevor.” I smiled at my neighbor, who was perched in the driver’s seat.

Asking for help had not been on my bingo card this morning, but desperation had me begging him for a ride to Lang Field. Honestly, I should have called Hannah and told her we couldn’t make it, but if there was any hope of Hannah’s plan working, then we needed to be here.

Last night I thought Piper and Trevor were overreacting about the foul ball thing. But it was very clear now that Boston was madder at me than even Piper was.

“Want me to come in with you?” His offer was sincere, but he’d already had to get up early and drive across town.

“We. Are. Late.” Piper’s voice was laced with desperation as she stomped her little foot with each word. She was hanging on by a thread.

Being behind schedule was difficult for her. I got that. But getting here hadn’t been easy. I worked hard to understand her brain, but I was also exhausted. This morning, I found my car covered in spray paint with deflated tires. Both Ubers I scheduled left without us when they discovered that I was the passenger. It was still early, yet I was already done.

“We’ll be inside in two minutes,” I assured her, then turned back to Trevor. “We’re good. Thanks again.”

He nodded, his mouth turned down in a concerned frown. “Call if you need a ride home.”

I couldn’t think that far ahead at this point. I just wanted to get through this.

“Ms. Wallace?”

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