Page 12 of Rival Summer

I blinked, taken aback. Then I shot a deadly glare at him. “That's your response to what I just said?” My voice was laced with disbelief. Without waiting for an answer, I pivoted on my heel, ready to walk out.

"Wait a sec," Boston said, a casual lilt in his tone that didn’t match the intensity of his gaze.

I paused as he reached out and grabbed my hand, pulling gently. The warmth of his touch sent an unexpected jolt through me. In one fluid motion, he spread his legs slightly in his too-familiar gray sweatpants and drew me into the space between them. The close proximity felt dangerously intimate, like playing with fire. There was power in his touch, strength in his thighs pressing against me. Our bodies were so close I could smell his cologne, feel every beat of his heart, every rise and fall of his chest as our breaths mingled in the silence of the room.

He tilted his head, and met my gaze with such intensity that it rendered me momentarily speechless. "I'm glad you'll be in Bayside," he began, his voice low and genuine, each word carefully measured, as if he knew the effect they would have. "Not just because I'm glad there'll be someone else around to keep Parker in check... but because it's you."

His words lingered. The weight of what he’d said rooted me in place for a moment—longer than I intended. Those words were like honey, sweet and slow, tempting me to believe I could break through the wall he had up.

"Sure, Boston. You’ve just been avoiding me all year." The response came out breathier than I intended, betraying the flutter in my chest. With reluctance, I withdrew from his grasp, feeling the loss of his warmth as our fingers slid apart. "I'll see you in Bayside."

I tossed the words over my shoulder and didn’t look back. I felt the weight of his gaze on me, heavy with things unsaid. Once outside, I inhaled deeply, air filling my lungs and chasing away the heat of his proximity.

My heart sank as the weight of the situation settled in. From that brief interaction it was clear this summer was going to be more difficult than I thought. They say you never forget your childhood crush, and mine was etched deep into my bones. But I could handle it. This would be a chance to find closure and maybe even happiness. At the very least, I hoped to emerge stronger and embrace whatever the future held for me.

SIX

boston

The doorswung open and Parker appeared in nothing but a towel slung repulsively low on his hips. "What time are you leaving?" he asked.

"A couple of hours," I answered, despite my reluctance to commit to even that small certainty.

His gaze drifted to my open and empty suitcase lying on the bed. "Sure about that?" he questioned. “You’re not backing out on me, are you?”

"Nah, I'll get it done." I replied, pushing myself up from the chair.

"Alright." He nodded before continuing. "I need to get away from the women in this town. Last night, the girl I hooked up with told me she likes it rough and I thought, okay, sign me up," he said, a half-hearted chuckle escaping his lips. "But at one point, I think I begged for my life." He rolled his shoulder in a slow rotation. "She almost broke my arm."

"Jesus, Parker..." I exhaled, trying to get that image out of my head. "Where do you find these women?"

"Obviously the wrong places," he chuckled. "Maybe I'll find better options in Bayside."

"Let me know how that goes," I teased.

"You know I will," he said with a small smile as he shut the door with a soft click.

I turned back to face the open suitcase. It was like staring into a void, one that mirrored the unease twisting in my gut. The question wasn't whether I could pack the bag—it was whether I could handle another summer at the lake.

The thought of being around Reese again tightened a knot in my chest. And Chandler—she was a different story altogether. A chapter I wasn't sure I was ready to revisit.

But none of that mattered, not really. I was going for one reason, and one reason alone: baseball. It was my future, my ticket out of here, and the one constant that never failed me. On the field, everything else fell away—the cheers, the bullshit, the weight of expectation. It was just the game.

"Focus on that," I whispered to myself, dragging the suitcase closer. "On the drills, on practice." That was how I'd tune everything else out, how I'd survive the summer. How I'd escape this dark place that clung to me like a shadow.

I grabbed a handful of clothes and began to pack. Each item placed in my suitcase was a silent vow to keep my head in the game. Because baseball wasn't just a sport—it was my lifeline.

And I was determined to hold on.

A few hours later, gravel crunched under my truck tires as I pulled up to my grandpa’s cabin. Numbness had become a constant lately; it was there during every moment of the day. But stepping out into the fresh air was almost comforting for a moment.

The cabin was a reminder of good days, of the best summers, of so much laughter. Its wooden walls still held the smell of my grandpa's famous barbecue drifting in the breeze. I stared out at the landscape, letting the sunlight glimmering off the water wash over me. I breathed in the scent of pine and earth,threading through the emptiness inside me. Here we fucking go. A new summer.

I turned to see Parker in the driveway, grinning from ear to ear as he unloaded his bags.

"Hey, man," Parker yelled on his way inside. "You wanna run down to the Blue Devils’ clubhouse with me? Check out our trophies on the wall this year?"

"Sure," I shrugged. "Bet they've already got our names on the lockers, too."

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