Page 40 of An Ex Affair

Boon made a loud noise in my ear. “I call my mommy plenty, loser. Unlike you, who didn’t return my last two voicemails.”

I dug my hand into the feed bag and threw out the kernels in a broad arc. The chickens diverted from heading my direction and scattered to peck at the ground. “Yeah, I didn’t have a chance to call you back. Been working a real man’s job, not playing with my balls and spittin’ chew.”

“Fuck off,” Boon scoffed, like I knew he would. We all gave him shit for playing the game of baseball when we all knew he’d worked his ass off to get to the majors. “I heard you’re sniffingaround Tully Cassio again, following her around like a puppy dog.”

Brothers can be brutal. No matter how old we got, we still liked to press each other’s buttons. Boon knew what button to push since it was the only button I’d ever had. “I better never hear her name out of your mouth, brother, or you won’t have a mouth to say anything ever again.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. I was just giving you shit.” Boon was quick to take a few giant steps back. “Seriously, I heard from Warrick that she’s back in Blueball, and I wanted to check in with you. I know she had you in a dark place for awhile. Just making sure you’re keeping your distance.”

The red haze cleared a bit from my vision. “Well, she’s living at Mom’s house with me right now.”

Boon cursed under his breath before shouting at me. “Why the fuck would you do that?”

I left the chicken coop and headed for the house. “Well, I saved her and her mama from a house fire and she needed somewhere to stay.”

“Oh great, so you played the hero and now you’re living with her again?” Boon blew out a breath. “At least Mom’s there to keep you two in line.”

Visions of Tully on her knees last night choking on my dick wasn’t exactly what Boon meant by keeping in line.

“Hello?” When I didn’t answer fast enough, he continued. “Oh shit. You’re already head over ass for her again, aren’t you?”

I blinked away the memories and had a seat in the rocker on the porch. “She offered up a no-strings, sex-only situationship.”

Boon sounded like he was choking. “Damn. I’m the professional athlete and yet these things happen to you. Well, shit, Col, you better take her up on that.”

“You just said to stay away from her!”

“Well, that’s when I was worried you’d fall in love with her again. This is far better. Fuck her brains out, but don’t catch feelings.”

That red haze was coming back. “Watch what you say about her, fucker.”

Boon whistled into my ear. “Listen, who cares if you do catch feelings. If you’re together, who needs a piece of paper like a marriage license? That’s where you went wrong before. So intent on putting a ring on it when you didn’t need all that bullshit. Fuck her good enough and she’ll stay with you.”

I rolled my eyes. “Taking relationship advice from my little brother who’s never been married? Sounds like a terrible idea.”

“I’m exactly who you should take advice from! I’ve managed to stay single my whole life, a skill you could use, by the way.”

I scoffed. “You think Kinsley would agree that’s a valuable skill?”

Now it was Boon’s turn to throw the threats around. “Leave my daughter out of this.”

“You’ve done a good enough job leaving her out of things all on your own, brother."

I could hear Boon breathing into the phone, so pissed he couldn’t even speak. Boon’s button to push was always his daughter. He’d had her with a girl who’d chased him after he made the big leagues. They’d broken up while she was still pregnant, and his daughter had lived full-time with her mother ever since. It was a sore spot with him that he’d never been more of a father to Kinsley. Mom and Dad had pushed him to take a more active role in Kinsley’s life, but he’d insisted she was better off with her mother.

“Get your ass to Blueball already,” I finally said, breaking the angry silence.

“I’m in the middle of my season, douchebag. I haven’t even announced my retirement yet.”

I shrugged, though he couldn’t see me. I watched all his games, though I’d never tell him that. “They haven’t been playing you much this season.”

Boon sounded deflated. “It’s this stupid shoulder. Can’t take another hit at third or I’ll be out for good.”

I rocked back and forth. “I know the feeling. I’m not sure I can take another hit either.”

We both knew I was talking about Tully.

“Remember what I said about catching feelings, man. Don’t do that shit.”

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