Page 2 of Force At Third

“Yeah, and less than twenty-four hours ago, it was Shelby Shutter.” He mocks my tone. “A month ago, it was Nicky Fr?—”

“It’s only Gwendolyn York.” I laid it on thick that time. “From now on.”

“Shelby know that?”

“Breaking up with her tonight,” I state.

“And what are you going to say?”

“That Coach Locke doesn’t want me dating a bully?”

“Try again, smart ass.”

“That Gwendolyn York is a goddess?”

“That girl had every right to defend herself, but from what I hear, she was taunting Shelby. She’s going to be trouble, kid. You sure you need that when you’ve got two years left before?—”

“Yeah, Pops, I’m pretty sure I do.”

“You’re the best player I’ve seen on the field my entire life, and that’s got nothing to do with you being my son. That’s a blessing you don’t want to waste.”

“Gwendolyn York would never even try to come between me and baseball. She likes me too much to do that.”

“So, you talked to her before breaking things off with?—”

“Not one word, Pops.” I cracked up and continued laughing as I told him, “But when you know, you know.”

“There’s something not right with you, kid.” He shook his head, trying not to react, although I knew he wanted to laugh.

“I got my daddy’s game and my mama’s heart,” I stated proudly.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.”

Those hard-ons didn’t stop popping up at the most unfortunate times. For the remaining two years of high school, when she was my girl and I was her player, I was finding ways to hide my dick behind notebooks, duffle bags, pillows, under dining tables during family meals, and even … at church.

All these years later, even after she broke my heart and I shattered hers, I still crave her. Hell, I popped wood just three weeks ago when I was home for my grandpa’s funeral. Well, thankfully, not at his funeral, but at Ollie’s bar after the service. We were both fucked up when we ended up in the alley out back, where we’ve now scratched each other’s itch on three separate occasions since high school.

Since that night, that itch has only intensified, and rubbing it—or one—out hasn’t soothed it one bit. The mere mention of her name makes me want to drive into her so hard she doesn’t ever forget me and shake her hard enough that answers to all those questions spill out.

The biggest one? How did we manage to mess up something as good as us?

* * *

Gwendolyn York is hotter now than she was in high school, hotter than she was just weeks ago, and she’s here tonight. That finely aged ass, and waxed kitty, is planted in the bleachers with Danny and Chloe Aikens and Whitley Paul. Like me, they all grew up in Walton, Texas. Whitley was the preacher’s granddaughter and is now married to my high school teammate, who made it to the majors and is again my teammate for the Jersey Jags.

Yeah, she’s here for them, but she’s no doubt watching that on-again, off-again fuck boy who plays centerfield for the Montana Mountaineers tonight against us, Frankie Frangula.

On more than one occasion, Mom told all of her kids that, when we’re feeling down, “You gotta find the sunshine in the rain.”

Mom would be proud, being it’s dark, so I had to imagine that sunshine, finding it even in the dark of night. I’m picturing the sun and its setting, a perfect mix of reds and pinks. The red: We drew first blood and won the first game of our series against the Mountaineers. The pink: I’m sure Gwendolyn York’s pretty pink parts are hotter for me than that bastard right now.

I’m still pissed off, though, and I know that’s fucked up since the idea of her watching two guys—well, one man and a bitch baby boy—who she’s been with in the biblical sense has my blood boiling.

Irrational, coming from a man who, for the past decade, has had more threesomes than I can count? Sure, unless you dig deeper and realize that’s a different game. Fucking is fucking. Three people fucking leaves no room for misunderstandings.

I start pulling off my uniform, wanting to hit the shower then get the hell out of here.

“Are you going to O’Donnell’s for a drink?” Chuck Turner, our team’s designated hitter, asks.

---