Page 21 of Drop Three

Her light giggle stirs something in my chest.

“You trying to get me in your room, catcher?”

Jesus.I set myself up for that one. I smirk. “Been there, almost did that.”

She wasn’t expecting that. The shock that paints her face is too damn good for my ego; I’d love to snap a picture and keep it for blackmailing her in the future—mainly for the next time she claims I don’t affect her.

“Low blow. We both know that would never happen.”

God, it still hurts to hear her say things like that. I don’t know why I opened my stupid mouth, but it did me no favors. I made the most colossal fuckup of my life with her and set myself up for the roasting.

Fuckup for me, the right move for every other factor in my life.

I have to ignore her to shut the shameless flirting down. Navy barely has to bat an eyelash, and I’m swooning at her delicate feet. I can’t let my heart win on this one.

“I figured you finally realized a free place to crash was a great idea.” Feelings aside, I want her to be safe and have somewhere she feels comfortable.

Her cute little smirk is back. “Not a chance. Tenley’s condo has a doorman; you think I’d give that up to live in a house full of cocky ballplayers?”

A doorman? That’s oddly comforting. I wonder if Cal knows that, too.

She’s doing her best to be sarcastic, as if what happened between us never really hurt her. I can see it.

I don’t show her how satisfied I am as I continue questioning. “Then what brings you here? You made it clear the other day it wasn’t a good idea for us to be around each other.”

Navy doesn’t react like my question hurts her. Instead, she agrees and asks herself the same thing. “I came here as your friend.”

My friend?Why does my pride hate that so much?

I nod. “Right.”

It’s better to stop this conversation while we’re ahead. I have a house full of friends, Navy included, and I plan to make the most of it.

Things are weird between us now; I see it the more we’re around each other. We used to be close and reached a point in our friendship where we could confide in each other.

I’m not a fan of this weird limbo we’re floating in.

The silence between us is heavy despite the chaos going on around us.

I don’t realize I’m staring at my feet, waiting for her to speak, until she finally does. “I should probably go see if they need any help.”

My eyes lift. “Yeah, I guess you should.”

It’s as if I forgot how to be normal around her. It’s such an unfamiliar feeling. Navy is the most outgoing and passionate woman I’ve ever met. She lights up a room the second she enters, yet it’s starting to feel like that same light dims in her the second she sees me.

These are the moments when I wish I had a mom to give me some type of insight into the female brain—I’m useless.

I hate this, and I need to fix the tension.

I have no idea what that looks like, but it’s time to experiment and find out.

7

NAVY

I don’t knowwhat I was thinking coming here.

When King texted the group with a change of plans, claiming Bodhi needed us, I didn’t think twice and immediately agreed.

---