Page 53 of Pitcher

“I—” he starts.

“Do not say you’re sorry,” I clip. “We both know you would be lying.”

He nods.

I knew he wasn’t sorry.

“Goodnight, Theo.”

I push open my door, and his tortured voice stops me. “Wait,” he pleads.

I am so done with this day. So. Damn. Done.

“What, Theo? What is so damn important that it can’t wait until morning?”

He swallows, his throat working hard before looking at his watch. “It’s 10:02.”

Motherfucker.

Do not do this. Do not make me love you anymore than I already do.

He shoves into my hand the same package he gave me in the car.

“Just know, you’ll always be my girl.”

I can’t deal with this.

“Happy Birthday, Anniston.”

The fucking tears are back, dripping all over the terrible wrapping he did with the school’s newspaper.

I try sucking it up, but when I fail, I leave it at, “Goodnight, Teddy.”

The next morning, I feel like shit. A big, steamy pile of shit. And Thad has been happy to remind me of it with a steady stream of texts.

Thad: What did you do?!

Thad: She’s not answering!

Thad: Brody said you acted like an asshole. Theo, talk to me!

Thad: I can’t believe you. It was her birthday!

Thad: You don’t deserve her.

He’s right. I don’t deserve her. Especially after what I let happen last night. But that’s the thing, I never deserved her. Ever. And yet, she loves me anyway. I know she does. But I’m trying to do the right thing. I’m trying to set her free, even if I don’t want to.

I hated spending her birthday at the team’s house. I hated sharing her with all those other guys. So I tried drinking it away. And when Rhys kept staring at her tits, I had to get up or I was going to level his jaw with Brody’s baseball bat.

And then fucking Vanessa had to join the festivities.

I can’t even remember what she said. All I could do is glare at Brody and Rhys, who were seconds away from having to jerk off in the bathroom because Anniston smelled that fucking good.

And… she woretheshorts.

Any time she wears the cutoffs, she gets attention.

Every. Single. Time.

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