Page 2 of Curveball

In our regular booth, I notice my newer friends, Cougars players Ezra Decker and Cruz “Cheetah” Gonzales. Ezra has a girl with him who I’ve never seen before. Quincy is seated at the end, chatting and smiling, making my heart flutter.

He’s the man who gives me whiplash. The man who I’ve been forced to love from afar and in the shadows my whole life. The man who’s mine, but only in my dreams. I know what I’m about to do will be the final nail in the coffin of those dreams ever becoming my reality.

My hands start to shake. I need another minute to compose myself. “Kam, I’m running to the bathroom. I’ll meet you in the booth. Try not to screw with Cheetah too much in my absence.” Kam loves to mess with his head. She flirts and then usually, though not always, leaves him high and dry. Or they make bets as to who can score with a specific woman. Kam casually indulges in both men and women, and shealwayswins their bets.

I go to the bathroom, mostly to collect myself, but in part because I drank too much water. I’m sitting on the toilet when I hear two women chatting by the sinks.

A whiny voice coos, “I hear Layton Lancaster is on theprowl again. I hope he’s here tonight. Best lay I’ve ever had. I’m definitely going home with him if he shows up.”

Oh Christ.

The other woman responds, “Have you been seeing him on the down-low this whole time?”

Please don’t let it be true. Arizona doesn’t deserve this. Layton seems so in love with her. I refuse to believe it’s anything other than the real deal between them.

“No, he hasn’t reached out sinceshecame into the picture, but now that they broke up, I’ll be getting#laidbylaytonagain.”

No you won’t, bitch.

The other girl responds, “I didn’t hear about any breakup. Are you sure?”

“There are pictures everywhere of his girlfriend making out with Butch McVey. Obviously they’re over.”

“Oh, I think you’re right. I saw them on TMZ. I’ve been trying to get with Quincy Abbott for ages. He’s so hot.”

My head starts spinning. I want to yell that he’s mine, but I can’t. He’s not mine. And I’m about to lose him forever.

The bitch who wants Layton scoffs. “Sorry, but you don’t have a chance. You have a hot body. Everyone knows he likes fat girls.”

I can’t help the small smile that finds my lips at that revelation.

She continues, “He takes home a different fat girl every single night.”

My face drops. It’s not like I don’t know he sleeps with countless women but hearing it doesn’t feel great.

Before I know it, they’re gone, and I’m headed back toward the booth. Quincy is sitting there drinking his beer. I stop to stare at him. He’s so gorgeous. He always has been. I rememberthe first time I saw him as a little girl, when my crush first began.

He’s a pitcher, like me. He’s tall and lean, with dirty blond hair that’s always a little too long and curls in the back. I have visions of running my fingers through that hair as his blue eyes look into mine. His body moving inside me. I ache for those times.

Sadness blankets me knowing I’ll never have it again once I tell him that I’m pregnant.

He notices me approaching and cordially stands for me to move into the booth. I give him a small smile of gratitude as I slide in.

Before sitting back down, he asks, “What do you want to drink? I’ll go to the bar and get it for you. The waitress is slammed tonight.”

I shake my head. “I’m not up for a drink right now. Thanks anyway.”

He shrugs and sits back down next to me.

The door to Screwballs opens, and Layton walks in. All heads turn when Layton Lancaster walks into a room. He’s one of the most famous people in Philly, and he’s obscenely attractive, with dark brown hair, blue-green eyes, and the most chiseled chin I’ve ever seen.

He slowly makes his way to the table due to his broken leg. It happened in a horrific collision at home plate in their World Series game nearly a month ago. He’s in a cast with crutches. He was supposed to be in the bathing suit ads with Arizona but had to cancel after the injury. They were both devastated by it. Unfortunately, she was contractually obligated to go, so she left, and he’s here in Philly, brokenhearted without her.

He plops down on the other side of the booth, his cast-covered leg sticking out.

Cheetah turns to Layton. “You’re last to arrive, buddy. Pay the piper.”

When Arizona and Quincy were kids, their mom started this rule that whoever was last to the dinner table had to tell everyone a random fact. It spread to our friends and teammates. Quincy brought it to the Cougars team, so now they all love to make the person who arrives last give a random fact. It’s a fun little game.

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