Page 28 of Stepping Up to the Plate

“When they left their husband and filed for divorce.”

“So, you’re separated,” he corrects. “Permanently?”

“Yes, God yes.”

“Do you want to tell me what happened? It’s okay if you don’t.”

“Yeah,” I reply, “I think I do. But maybe not here.”

ChapterFifteen

• BRADY •

After paying for brunch, I lead Lola out to my truck and help her into the passenger side. She shoots me a bewildered expression as if assisting her is a crazy thing to do, but doesn’t comment. I round the back to give myself a few extra seconds to think. I knew she was going through a break up, but I guess I didn’t imagine it was a divorce. I have several questions swirling in my head, but I know I need to hear her out first.

After driving for a few minutes, I pull into Centennial Park. When she goes to open her door, I give my head a quick shake before walking around to open it for her. One thing she’s going to learn quickly is that I’ll be the one opening doors, if I’m around. I may be a little rough around the edges, but my mama raised a gentleman.

Taking her hand, I lead us over to a bench nestled into a crop of trees. It gives the illusion of being in public but offers the privacy this conversation is going to need. “This work?” I ask.

“Yes, this is nice.” She smiles. Taking a deep breath, she launches into her story.

“I met Phil when I was a freshman in college. He was a junior and showered me with the attention I never received growing up. My dad worked a lot and my mom left when I was around four. Anyway, we had that classic college love story. Dated for the rest of my time in college while he went to work for his dad’s company. After I graduated, he proposed, and we got married. I thought I finally had the makings of the tight-knit family I always craved.

“The past few years, we were growing further and further apart. We got stuck in this routine and our relationship became more platonic, except without the friendship part. He was suddenly uninterested and unwilling to discuss expanding our family until he reached specific goal posts which kept moving. Late last year, I caught him cheating on me with someone from work and I left. I moved here and filed for divorce a few months later.

“I should be more upset that a relationship I put almost a decade into is over, but honestly, I’m relieved. I’m now free to pursue a life that genuinely makes me happy and not only appears happy from the outside. Him being the one to mess up took away the guilt of not being content with a perfectly nice life. The kind many women dream of. I always wondered if there was something more and now I have the chance to explore that.”

Taking a beat, I process the information she gave me. I’m mostly stuck on the fact that her dipshit of a husband would cheat on someone as perfect as her. I mean objectively speaking, she is stunning and I’ve never met a sweeter person – when she isn’t avoiding me and telling people I’m a jerk, that is. Someone should kick his ass for hurting her. I’d do it myself, but I’m not exactly mad I have the opportunity to gain what he lost.

Realizing I still haven’t said anything, I respond, “I can empathize with what you’re saying. Though, playing ball has always been my dream and I’ve been working at it since I was in high school. But I went through phases of discovering who I was outside of it once I settled into my career. That’s partially how I got involved with the club.

“I’m sorry your husband cheated on you. Even if you weren’t in love with him anymore, I can imagine you still feel betrayed by someone who was supposed to have your back.”

“Yeah,” she says with a soft smile. “Walking in on your husband and his brother banging a secretary is definitely embarrassing.”

“Jesus, both of them? And you walked in on it?”

“At least he couldn’t pull a Shaggy and tell me it wasn’t him,” she laughs humorlessly. “Hard to gaslight what I can see with my own eyes.”

Her expression is tighter than it was moments ago, and I can see the sadness in her eyes. I’m not about to let this guy take away any more of her light. I tuck a strand of hair behind her ear and allow my thumb to softly caress her check.

“Your ex is an idiot who never deserved you. I hate that he didn’t see what a gift you are, but I don’t hate that now I have the chance to prove it to you. You were too good for him,” I say.

“You’ve never even met him. How can you say that?”

“Don’t need to meet him. The fact that he fumbled a woman like you tells me everything I need to know about the unfaithful douche nozzle.”

“Douche nozzle, that’s a good one,” she remarks. “I’ll have to tell Georgie that one. We’ve been going with pencil prick. And you don’t even want to hear Tiffany’s terms of endearment.”

I cringe. “Yeah, I don’t think I do. She’s got a colorful imagination and wicked mouth on her. She’d have made a good pirate.”

That comment earns me the first genuine smile I’ve seen since we started this conversation. Before I move on to my confessions, I need to know a little bit more about Lola’s technical relationship status.

“To clarify, you’re legally separated, right?”

“Yes, absolutely,” she rushes out. “Everything is filed, and a date is set for the divorce hearing. My attorney is handling everything. I’m hoping we can get it all straightened out and I should be able to sign the papers and put it all behind me without having to go to court.”

“Anything I can help with?” I ask.

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