Page 65 of Passed Ball

"What do you mean?"

Poppy's the first to speak up. "Kristy was awful. And he was quiet, almost concerningly so."

"It was terrible," Lilah agrees, rubbing her stomach. "Truly. And I hate saying that about anyone, but I don't understand how they ended up together."

"He deserves so much better--they both do," I agree, knowing enough about the situation to know that much is true.

"I think he's found that," Indie notes.

My head whips towards Indie who looks pleased with herself.

"You managed to skirt all our questions at the stadium, but Tenley's not here to run interference today, and I think it's safe to say we are all thirsty for details," Mia says, letting me go and going back to lazing on her floatie.

"It's not like that. He's just helping me with the problem from the gala." You would think after making the list with Indie and Lara that I wasn't so awkward about the whole thing. But I fear that's not the case.

"You have to tell them about the list," Indie gushes.

"Wait, how much do you know?" Poppy splashes her aggressively, but it only makes all of us scream with laughter.

The more time I spend with them, the more I think their relationship more closely resembles sisters than friends.

"Shit, that freshly fucked look you're wearing is hotter than the sun," Indie proclaims and I cover my face with my hands.

"We haven't quite gotten there yet--to the fucking." I stammer over my words.

"Isn't that so much better than penetration?" she teases.

I squirm. "Neither feels like a winner when you have to type it out to send it to someone as part of a sex wish list."

"Is this list in some sort of kinky chronological order?" Indie asks.

At that, everyone else gapes. It's Poppy who demands, "Wait, I feel left out here. Fill me on this list and what's on it."

"There's no set order. Things have kind of just unfolded naturally." I explain our agreement, skipping some of the finer details.

"But you still haven't had sex? And you've seen him four times?" Mia asks, perking up.

"Well, technically three. One of those was over the phone."

"Jesus. I'm too pregnant and horny for this," Lilah whines.

"I haven't even seen him naked. He's been incredibly devoted to the Ladies First Philosophy."

"What about him, have you--"

I cut the question from Mia off with a shake of my head. "Very devoted tomycause," I repeat. Not willing to share all that much more.

"Are you sure you're not interested in more? That right there is husband material. I mean, you've seen his ass in baseball pants. That's reason enough on its own," Poppy says.

Boy, have I ever. It's a work of art and I'm suddenly irrationally mad that I've never seen him anything but fully clothed in person.

"If I was going to fall for someone, it would be him. But I'm not ready for that." I pray they don't press for why, because all my reasons about wanting to remain independent, focus on my career, and build my own life first grow fuzzier as I spend more time with Xavier.

"I'd mostly sworn off dating for years when Cruz and I got together. Sometimes fate has other plans."

"What made you change your mind?" I ask, telling myself it's simply to get to know Lilah better and has nothing to do with my current situation.

"He's the best thing that ever happened to me and I decided to stop letting my past dictate my future."

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