Page 165 of The Perfect Love

I’ve finally found what baseball looks like for me in the future.

“Hell of a game,” I tell the guys when I get back to the locker room. I look at Joel. “That catch for the double play and you being a sneaky fucker stealing bases led to some fun commentary.” Then my eyes go to Aaron. “And you were on fire. It was amazing to see, man.”

“Thank you,” Aaron says, humble as always.

“Sounds like you had a good time too,” Miles says.

“I did. It was as close to being on the field as I could get.”

“It kind of felt like you were,” Joel says. “At least your sarcasm was there.”

I give him a little shove. “Fuck off.”

We laugh as they finish getting changed and Coach says a few words.

I walk out of the locker room with the team, and despite not playing tonight, I still feel the high of the game. That only increases when I see Chelsea waiting for me.

A year of playing at Syracuse, and I never had anyone waiting for me—besides occasionally my mom or Hyla. But never this. I never had someone I consideredminewaiting for me.

Chelsea smiles so brightly it nearly knocks me over. Not that it’s surprising. She knocked me on my ass the first day I met her, and I’ve never recovered.

She runs over and throws her arms around me, pressing a quick kiss to my lips. “You were amazing! I loved hearing your sexy voice all game.” She lowers her voice. “Hopefully you’rerecovered from this afternoon, because I need more of you.” Her teeth graze my ear lobe, and I almost moan.

But then she tilts her head and runs her hand over the jersey before looking around me to see the number on the back.

“Your dad’s number?” she asks.

I nod. “Mine was taken, but—”

“This is even better, right?”

“It made me feel even more like he was here with me.”

“He definitely was. I could feel it emanating from your voice. His spirit is part of your passion.”

I sweep my hand through her hair, looking into her eyes, in awe of her.

I’ll never stop being grateful for the way she sees and understands me. I wish I could’ve had this—had her—for so much longer. Maybe we weren’t meant to find each other before now or maybe we missed out on the chances we were supposed to have, but whatever the case, I’m going to enjoy every moment I have her in my arms, hoping that’s where she’ll be for the foreseeable future.

Fuck, who am I kidding?

Chelsea Winters is my whole future, and I want her in my arms forever.

21

I Lived

Chelsea

Brownies are a foodof the gods.

Actually, screw the gods. They’re a food of the goddesses.

And my current weakness as I stare down at the snack spread Rae and I just set out.

“Am I a terrible meeting hostess if I snag a brownie before the meeting starts?”

Rae grins at me. “If you are, then I am too. We made them. It’s only right that we sample them. Quality testing.” She lifts two off the plate and hands one to me, then she taps hers against mine. “Here’s to us and how far we’ve both come this year.”

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