Page 130 of The Strike Zone

“What? What did they say?”

“Coach said he thinks this was enough punishment. I guess you got benched without being officially benched.”

“Huh.” I glanced around, half expecting to see her sitting there. But no. The same thing happened when I went to find my phone, because I couldn’t find it, I didn’t have it here, so I couldn’t even check to find out where she was. “Do you guys have my stuff?”

They all shook their heads.

“It’ll still be in your locker, I’ll ask Pablo to pack it up and bike it over here this morning,” added Ace.

“Thanks, man.” I smiled at him. “And if you see Scout, will you ask her to come back?”

“Sure.” He nodded, just as a soft knock sounded on the door.

“You can ask me yourself if you’d like.”

And there she was, standing in the doorway, holding a large backpack. She looked so perfect I could almost be convinced I’d dreamed her up. My heart thudded again, and I couldn’t hold back the smile that threatened to split my face.

“Hey.”

“Hey,” she replied, her eyelashes batting as she took in the guys. “Hey, guys.”

Ace jumped up from the end of the bed. “Hey, Scout, we were just leaving.”

Tanner peered over the top ofGQ. “We were?”

“Yep,” replied Lux, knocking Tanner’s feet to the floor. “Let’s go, Tan.”

Tanner put down the magazine and stood up, all with very little grumbling. “Okay, guess we’ll see you later, big guy. I’ll dedicate my first home run to you.”

“You better. I’ll be watching.” I laughed. “Thanks for stopping by.”

“Bye, dude, Bye, Scout.”

“See you later.” Her eyes followed the three of them. My eyes followed her until the door closed and it was just the two of us. She turned around to find me looking at her. “Was it something I said?”

“Maybe.” I chuckled before my smile dropped a little. “I thought I dreamed you sleeping on my couch.”

“You didn’t.” She pushed up the sleeves of her pale blue sweater and sat at the end of the bed. Too far away, in my opinion.

“Why did you leave?”

“I went to meet Holiday. And then I went to the club to pick up your things. I thought you’d want your phone.” She bit down on her smile, and from the angle she was sitting, her entire body was backlit by the sun pouring through the windows. The ever-escaping strands of blonde highlighted her face like she was wearing a halo.

She was my angel.

We both turned as the monitor started beeping faster. Goddamn machine giving away all my feelings. Lacing my fingers with hers, I pulled her in closer. From a night sleeping in here, she should be tired, but she’d never looked prettier.

“Thank you.”

I don’t know if we were waiting for the machine to slow down, but as we stayed there, our gazes locked, it was clear that wasn’t going to happen.

“I’m so sorry about yesterday.” Our voices chorused. “No, I’m sorry. No, me?—”

I paused, holding my hands up. “Let me go, please. It’s the only time I’ll ever ask to go first.”

Her lips pursed, holding back her smile. “Okay.”

Holding onto her gaze, I took a breath. “I’m sorry I was such an asshole to you yesterday. I never should have shouted, and I never should have made you feel like your job wasn’t as important as mine, or as important to me. It is.Youare important to me. Your job, your happiness, your future. All those things are important to me, and I’m so sorry I ever made you think or feel otherwise.”

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