Page 116 of Double Play

“It’s bullshit. He’s a scumbag.”

“He knows I’m with you.”

“He doesn’t care.”

“It doesn’t matter what he wants. It’s not happening. I’m in love with someone else.”

He scratches his sexy chin. “If things…feelings change for you, you can tell me. I don’t want to hold you back.”

“Where is this coming from?” I knew this was going to be hard, but it’s day one. Are we already feeling insecure?

He sighs. “I’m sorry. I just miss you already. It was hard to put you on that plane with him.”

“I know. I miss…” Before I can finish, Butch knocks into me with some big fruity drink in hand. Some of it spills over onto my phone.

“Crap. Butch just spilled a drink on the phone. I need to clean it. I’ll call you tomorrow. Love you.”

I end the call and Butch gives me a sheepish look as I clean my phone. “Sorry.” He holds out a drink. “This is for you.”

I see he has one for himself in his other hand. I take it. “Thank you.”

He clinks our plastic cups together. “To beginnings.”

“To beginnings.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

LAYTON

“He wants to fuck her.”

Cheetah rolls his eyes. “Every man in this country wants to fuck her, me included. It doesn’t mean they can or will.”

Cheetah and I lounge on my sofa. I think my friends are taking turns babysitting me. They’ve each individually given me a time slot this week that they want to hang out. I know they’re just trying to keep my mind off Arizona half-naked on the other side of the world with Butch McVey draped all over her, having dinners with her, and buying her drinks that I know he purposefully spilled on her phone so she’d have to end the call with me.

“What if she drinks too much? Or what if she decides she wants to be with him? He’s the big swinging dick of baseball now, not me. I’m just a regular guy who might never walk straight again.”

He sighs. “Layton, look at me.” I do. “You two are the real deal. I would give anything to have what you share with her. She’s as into you as you are her. I’m certain of that.”

“What if…”

Before I can finish my sentence, my phone rings. I look down and smile. “It’s her.”

“Answer it, Romeo.”

I accept the FaceTime call and see her face. She’s sitting in a very tiny, string bikini with a woman brushing her hair for her. It looks like she’s on the beach but in a shaded area. She breathes, “Hey, superstar.”

Before I can answer, I hear Butch’s voice. “Yes, dear.”

Cheetah’s eyes widen.

She giggles. “I wasn’t talking to you, dope.”

He’s in a fucking bathing suit too. He places his hands on her bare shoulders, leans over her, and smiles into the camera on her phone. “I want to see Layton too.”

I hate his face. I hate that his bare body is touching hers. He’s covered in tats. He looks like he belongs in a motorcycle bar, not on a beach with my gorgeous girl.

I notice her squirm out of his touch. That makes me smile.

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