Page 127 of The Foul Out

Jace.

No. No fucking way. The world tilted on its axis, and I stumbled.

“Jeez, Streaks.” Mason grabbed my arm, steadying me. “You’re going to bust your ass. Breathe,” he said, shaking me, as if to pull me from my stupor. “Don’t jump to conclusions. You don’t know what’s going on.”

But I couldn’t. I couldn’t breathe. I needed to move. I needed to be faster. I needed to undo the last month. Hell, go back in time and undo the last three months. Go back in time. Because fuck all of it. I should have made better decisions every step of the way. Everything that mattered—really mattered—was abundantly clear in that moment.

“Breathe,” he repeated.

I sucked in hard. Yes. Breathe. If I didn’t, there was no way I’d make it across this damn field to the three people who mattered more than anything.

So I was running. Because even after everything, I couldn’t find it in me to want a life that didn’t include them. Hopefully I hadn’t already fucked it all up.

“Harper,” I called.

“Kyle!” Sam ripped his hand out of his mom’s and darted for the wall separating the field from the stands.

I reached him just as he flung himself over the wall at me. Security was on us in a second, but as I wrapped him up and pulled him into my chest, I waved them away.

With my face pressed to the crown of his head, I whispered, “I missed you, bud.”

“Me too.” He pulled back, beaming. “We came to see you play.”

“I’m glad.” I set him back down on the other side of the wall and turned to Piper, who’d approached too, though not as quickly. “Didn’t think you were coming.”

“You got us the tickets,” she said, clearly unsure of why I was concerned that they might not be here.

“I know.” I smiled, my heart bursting at her reaction.

“Don’t lose,” she reminded me, focused on the logo on my jersey. “And make sure you don’t pull up on your swing.”

Warmth bloomed in my chest. “Have you been watching Sports Center again?”

“No, I watchedJM Baseballwith Chris Rose andTalkin’ Baseball.”

With a chuckle at the list of podcasts, I adjusted my ball cap. “I’ve fixed my swing,” I promised.

“Come on, guys.” Jace took Sam’s hand and tilted his head toward the stands. “Let’s find the seats before the national anthem.”

“We’ll see you after the game?” Piper asked.

I nodded. Hell yeah, they would.

“Play good,” Sam said as they climbed the stairs.

With a grin, I gave him a final wave. Then, finally, I turned to Harper.

“Hi,” she said, her cheeks pink and her lashes fluttering.

“You brought Jace?” I winced the second the words were out of my mouth. Fuck. I didn’t mean for that to be the first thing I said.

“Oh.” She glanced back at her ex, who was now by the dugout, settling the kids into their seats. “He agreed to fly down and help with the kids.”

My heart thumped so forcefully, I wouldn’t be surprised if she heard it. “So you two aren’t…”

Her eyes widened. “No.”

The breath left my body in a rush, but then I remembered. “You didn’t read my text.”

---