Page 76 of Darlin'

What am I?

"What—"

Before I can get another word out, Jesse turns around and storms away, leaving a dust of confusion in his wake.

"Heads!"

Too late.

"Ow!" I groan, rubbing the side of my head as Carlos runs up to me and picks up the baseball from the ground. "Damn it, that hurt."

"Sorry!" he squeaks, cringing. "Thought I had it."

"It's fine," I mumble. "It happens."

"You uh—" Carlos scratches his chin, glancing toward Andy, Zack, and a few other kids. "You wanna play with us? Boys against girls?"

I look at Andy, who has baseball diamonds in her hands. She catches my uncertain gaze and rolls her eyes, sighing before she nods in the direction of an open field.

Is that...is that an invitation?

"Sure," I draw out, wary of her intentions. His intentions. Heck, even my own. "Who else is playing?"

"I think Ryder and Rad said yes," Carlos replies, face scrunched up. "You wanna ask JP if he wants to play?"

Play. Maybe that's it. This is all a game. A fun little activity. But games come with rules. In order to win, you need to know the rules. And I don't. He never told me. We never discussed it. That means I'll most likely lose, and I don't want to lose; I want to win. But...I want him to win too.

I glance over my shoulder, finding Jesse aggressively huffing on a cigarette as he and Jo argue by the bake sale stand.

What's the prize, Jesse? Is it worth it?

"Well?"

"Uh—I think he's busy right now." I look down at Carlos. "Maybe next time, though."

"Whatever," Carlos says, running offto the group of kids and Andy. I follow behind lethargically. "She said yes!"

"If you suck, I'm cutting you from the team," Andy states as I join her side. "Got it?"

"Sure," I mutter, absentminded. "Whatever."

Andy sighs. "Stop freaking out. Miguel's not gonna try anything, okay? Not on JP's watch, trust me." I glance at her, swallowing. Her jaw tenses from discomfort. "I'm not a moron, Savannah."

"Umm..."

"I'm sure if JP had any say," she adds, mildly bitter yet surprisingly honest, "he wouldn't allow Miguel within two feet of you." I frown, not understanding. Andy sighs again like I'm an idiot. "JP's middle management. He wears a nice title, but at the end of the day, seniority matters."

"Oh..." I look over my shoulder at Jo and Jesse still fighting, and my shoulders relax a little. "I see."

"Let's go." Andy nudges me with her elbow. "We got a ball game to play."

At least I know the rules ofthisgame.

CHAPTER 23

Safety First

"Keep her out of it!"Jesse barks as I approach his office with a burger in hand. He's been cooped up in the clubhouse all morning. Given his furious tone, the man desperately needs some brain food. Or a stress ball. "Promise me, Jo."

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