Page 58 of Stolen Bases

“Anyway, my mom was so happy to hear I had friends. She went behind my back and reached out to the girls’ moms to invite them to a pizza party at the restaurant. I was mortified to walk in and find them all there with smug looks on their faces. Luckily, my brother and his best friend, Damien, were there. They were the perfect distraction. All the girls fawned over them, and it actually gave me a little street cred at school. It could have been a lot worse if those two hadn’t been there. The worst part was explaining my faux friendships to my mom.”

“And now you hate surprises?”

“It’s more like, I hear the word ‘surprise’ and all my teenage anxiety comes rushing back.”

“Understandable. Being a teen is hard.”

I can’t help but scoff. There is no way this man next to me worried about anything during his high school years. “Oh please. You were a baseball player. A good one. By default, you were probably the popular guy. Tell me I’m wrong.”

“You’re not wrong. But that doesn’t mean I didn’t have my own anxieties and insecurities to worry about. We all have them.” Cam’s statement is a punch to the chest.

He’s right. I shouldn’t assume. Everyone experiences the highs and lows of life. Why should he be any different?

Shame burns my cheeks as I ask, “What were some of yours?”

“I mostly worried whether I was good enough to get recruited by college. I always dreamed of being a baseball player. Sure, I had fun in high school, but what no one knows is how hard I worked in secret. My dad would wake up with me at five every morning to work out, do drills, and throw pitches. You name it. He was there for me. He even built a batting cage in our backyard for me.”

“Wow, that’s pretty amazing.”

“It was. But it was also a lot of pressure. The last thing I wanted to do was disappoint him, you know?”

I nod in agreement, squeezing his hand tight. No words need to be said. We both understand that kind of pressure.

Cam drives another couple of minutes as I half listen to the music playing on the radio. He pulls into a semi-crowded parking lot and parks as close as he can to the small marina we’ve only seen from afar. My eyes scan the area, catching sight of a few people milling around.

I twist in my seat to find Cam watching me. “Are we at the river walk?”

“Yes.”

“Are you sure it’s safe? I mean—”

Cam cuts me off, his voice rising. “I know what you mean. I will not hide you away, Talia. You deserve better than that.”

“But…” My heart is racing, and my palms are sweaty for all the wrong reasons as a million different scenarios bounce around in my head.

I love that he doesn’t want to hide me—us—away from the world. But he’s Cameron Miller. People follow him around, snapping pictures.

We’ve been doing whatever we’re doing for less than two weeks, and the last thing we need is for anyone to find out. Least of all, my brother. We need more time, just the two of us.

We can’t do this, go out there. It’s too risky.

“Hey, hey. Relax, itty bitty. Breathe. There is nothing to worry about. There are hardly any people out, and the ones who are walking around are most likely drunk as hell. I’ve got you. Okay?” Cam grabs my face and forces me to stare into his eyes. The gold flecks burn brightly as he counts our breaths. He runs his thumbs over my cheeks until my breathing slows. His touch is soothing and gentle. “Do you trust me?”

“Yes,” I croak without hesitation. I do trust him. Everything I’ve learned about this man leads me to believe he wouldn’t do anything to hurt me. He would protect me, even at his own expense.

“That’s my brave girl.” Cam leans forward and presses a soft kiss to my lips.

My earlier worries fade into the background like they do every time he kisses me.

If only his kisses could take away my doubts completely. Because being here, by his side and in his arms, is the only place I want to be.

sixteen

Cameron

I can tell Taliais still worried about being seen as we walk hand in hand down the riverwalk. Her worry is justified. It was still a kick in the balls to hear. I have to keep reminding myself that it’s not about me.

We have a lot at stake if we’re seen together, especially her. I might think her brother is a complete dick, but she loves him. She doesn’t want to hurt him or their relationship.

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