Page 169 of Between the Blue

---

Not as he pulls out of me.

And not even as he pushes my damp hair from my face, kissing my forehead, and I ask him, “Where are we now then, if we’re not between the blue?”

“I’m not sure, Cherry,” he says. “I don’t know where we’re at in the game, but all I know is that I don’t want to play without you any more.”

“That’s all you had to say, Ben,” I tell him. “I’m there. I’m yours.”

He swallows, and I see something shift inside his eyes.

“Are you okay?” I ask him.

Ben looks at me, his brows knitting together. “I’m just having a hard time believing you’re real,” he says, his voice nearly a whisper.

I look at him for a few moments, and then I wrap my arms around him, pulling him close.

He doesn’t say anything for a while as we stand there together. The longer time passes, the more I question if he’s about to pull away, if he’s about to take off running.

But, eventually, after I’ve lost track of time, his rigid posture relaxes some, and I find him leaning into me.

“I’m real,” I assure him.

And, just for a second, I let myself believe that everything may just be okay when he drops his head down onto my shoulder.

forty-five

HIM, ELEVEN YEARS EARLIER

My head is down when I walk through the door.

Just like it always is.

I guess that makes me the perfect recipient of a surprise party.

Everyone shouts.

I look up. Grab my chest as a reflex.

A few seconds go by as I put the pieces together.

I turn back to look at my parents behind me in the doorway. See their huge smiles despite our long day of traveling.

Spin back to see my home full of people. Family, friends, former teammates.

I glance around. See the space all decorated in green and black.

Texas Storm colors.

I take it in.

We’re here to celebrate me being drafted.

This is about me.

My mouth twitches into a smile.

I run a hand through my hair. Because I do that when attention is on me and I don’t know what else to do.

I say thank you to everyone.

---