Page 6 of Somewhere Only We Know
“That it does,” Kamryn says with a sigh and looks out onto the field. “Oh! There he is.”
“Kamryn Rawlins.” Chance says as he picks her up in a hug. “How’ve you been girl? It’s been a long time.”
“Way too long, in fact. And it’s Kamryn Brooks now.” She holds up her left hand for him to see her engagement ring and wedding band.
His eyes bug out, as does everyone else’s when they see the size of her ring. “What? You and Mason?”
“Mm hmm. For a year now.” I can see it’s taking everything in my sister to not jump up and down. Watching mysister as a fashion mogul is different from watching her interact with friends and talk about her husband is a different character. She’s looser with how she holds herself. But not too loose as she knows eyes are on her.
“Wow congrats! You deserve it,” he tells her earnestly.
“Thank you. And what about you? You’re playing for the Major League now. I always knew you had it in you.”
“Thank you. It’s still a pinch-me moment. Oh, and I’m engaged now.” He tells her with the biggest smile on his face.
“Jax was just telling me about a girl she met at the dog park and we connected the dots assuming it was her. Is she here?”
He looks around the empty seats and then towards the outfield where fans try to get a free ball from the outfielders. “You must have met my Sophie. She should be here soon. It’s good to see you, Jax.”
“You too.”
“I do remember her telling me about meeting you.” He looks over his shoulder and we see his Coach waving him back in. “Well, I gotta get back. We should get drinks after the game. Bring Mason.” He points this request at Kamryn.
“He’s at the office, but I’ll text him.”
“You still have the same number?” He asks as he walks backward.
“Yeah. And bring your fiancé. I’d love to meet her.” My sister replies.
“Will do. I’ll shoot you a text.”
“Cool. Bye Chance,” she says and we watch him return to his warmups.
I shake my head bemused and we turn to head back to the dugout. “How is it that you don’t get flustered around athletes?”
“Really? Do you not know who my husband is?”
“Tru–” I start to say, but the word trails off as I feel my body burning from the heat of someone’s stare and I look up to see familiar eyes on me. It’s like seeing a ghost. Someone I never expected to see after he up and left our final year of college with only a semester left.
“Jax? What’s wrong?”
My voice gets stuck in my throat the longer he and I continue to stare at one another from across the field. He still looks the same. Although, that could be my imagination playing tricks on me.
“Nothing,” I finally tell her and look away from him. “Let’s go get food and watch the rest of the warmups from our seats.”
My body continues to burn as we leave the field. And it’s not from the sun. No, that burn is reserved for the boy I knew at eighteen, who I fell in love with at twenty-one, the boy I almost gave my virginity to, and the boy who texted me over winter break and never came back to college.
4
NATE
COLLEGE, SPRING SEMESTER - MARCH, JUNIOR YEAR
My vision goes dark and for a second I panic until the scent of jasmine and vanilla surrounds me and I know exactly who it is.
“Guess who?” The intruder with a voice as sweet as honey asks.
“Well, you’re definitely not my advisor,” I tell her to throw her off.
