Page 96 of The Perfect Love

“Still not going to tell me where we’re going?” I ask.

She pops a kiss on my cheek. “See if you can figure it out.”

I grab the cooler before she can, then meet her at the back of the car. “Lead the way.”

She takes a random path off the edge of the parking lot I didn’t know existed. We pass a sign that reads “college camp” and I stare at the trail as we pass.

“We have a college camp?”

Her brows shoot up. “Wow, you really said,eh, my friends have a lake house, I guess I’ll go there,didn’t you?”

I shrug. “Pretty much. It was more about the friends than the lake house, though.”

“Well, the college camp can be a date for another day. There are hiking trails there along with a field station with all kinds of biology and meteorology things.”

I blink at her.

She sighs and rolls her eyes. “I actually checked this place out before I decided to come here. Plus, Robbie went here. Anyway, come on. We’re almost there.”

I follow her and don’t realize where we are or where we’re going until we’re there.

Chelsea smiles at me as we look at the baseball stadium in front of us.

“Are you sure?” I ask her.

She sighs dramatically. “It didn’t happen in a baseball stadium.”

“But a baseball player…” After hearing she had a panic attack when she found out I played baseball, I’ve been cautious about bringing it up in front of her.

“Maybe he was or maybe he wasn’t. Either way, it doesn’t matter. I refuse to let what he did affect our relationship—affect something that’s a part of you. A part I want to know. So take me inside and let me see it—and love it—through your eyes.”

I stare at her for a beat longer, making sure there’s no true hesitance in her eyes. When she shoves my shoulder, I finally relent and grab her hand, leading her into the stadium.

When we get inside, I take her to the field, because that’s the best part. Watching a game is amazing, but there’s nothing like being on the field.

We stand at home plate, and I get a little lost staring out at the field.

“Sure you’re okay?” I whisper.

“Yeah. I can handle this. Syracuse, not so much. I haven’t been back since I left school, and the thought of going back makes me want to vomit. But this? I don’t know. Being here with you makes it feel like an extension of you.”

I sigh, the rush of peace and the pang of nostalgia washing over me. “To some degree it is. They might not have happened on this field, but some of the best moments of my life happened on the ball field.”

“What position did you play?”

“Third base.”

Then I’m running down the line, pulling her after me, until I’m standing at third, and looking over the place from my favorite point of view.

“What’s your favorite baseball memory?”

I smile at that, emotion washing over me. If I close my eyes, I could be there again.

“Easy. We won the state championship game in eleventh grade. It was the dream team. I was on third, Nick was shortstop, Joel was on second, Rae’s shitty ex Davey was on first—but we’ll pretend he didn’t exist—Miles was catching, and Aaron was serving a masterclass in pitching. We had some killer plays that night, but really being out on the field with some of my best friends was the best part. I’ll never forget the feeling when Aaron struck out the last guy to win us the game. That night was one of the best of my life.”

When I turn to her, she has a massive smile on her face. “That sounds amazing. I wish I could’ve seen it.” She brushes her thumb over my cheek. “The joy on your face right now is indescribable. I have lots of happy memories, but I’m not sure I have one that stands out like that. That’s special.”

I squeeze her hand. “It is. Most of my other favorite baseball memories involve my dad.”

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