Page 36 of Waiting Game

Liam rolls his eyes. “Of course I have. Ten World Series and a massive gambling addiction that had him selling all but one of his rings for less than their worth.”

“Huh, you know more than me then.”

“Why does that come as a surprise?”

I punch him in the arm. “My coach… she’s his great-granddaughter. Works at the family bar on the side, and it’s like this legacy baseball dive or something. She didn’t cancel the lesson because he left the business with a lot of debt.”

Liam’s eyes stop rolling long enough so that he can blink them at me.

“Anyway, you can’t judge a person for how they act after they lose someone.”

“No, but I wasn’t judging them. Mostly, I was judging you,” he mutters, but he’s still frowning. “The bar…”

“What about it?”

“Was it called Chuck’s?”

“You heard of it?”

Slowly, he nods. “Gracie used to work there. Remember?”

It’s my turn to blink at him. “When?”

“Before I hired her.”

I gape at him. “No way.”

“Yes way.” His tone is serious. “They’re the ones who screwed her over. You remember she saved that kid from getting mowed down in the street?”

“I remember.” My heart deflates like a compressed whoopee cushion.That’s where I knew the name from.Fuck. “Her boss sold her out for some free publicity.”

“The boss’sniecedid too. They were on the news. Don’t you remember?”

Pissed, I snap, “I’ve slept since then.” I slam a hand on the console and slow the elliptical down to a crawl. “I wouldn’t have said she was the type.”

“Cibole, Cole. You can’t see her again.”

I think about her smile. That beautiful face. How she rocked my fucking world. The way she made me laugh even when she was grieving…

Then, I think about Gracie.

Slowly, I nod. “Yeah, you’re right. I can’t.”

“She hurt Gracie more than Chuck did. Mia’s the one who claimed all the Bukowskis head in there to see her. Gracie said something about Mia being her ‘work wife.’ The betrayal cut hella deep.

“You need to cancel the lessons you have booked with her,” Liam insists. “You can’t support her.”

That’s when guilt hits me, but this time, it’s double-edged.

Gracie might not be blood, but she’s my sister by choice.

I’d do anything for her.

Anything.

Including cutting out on a course of lessons with a woman who’s desperate for cash to keep her struggling business afloat.

Fuck, this guilt’ll eat me alive.

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