Page 42 of Grand Slam

I spent last night reconnecting with the girl I know I’ve loved for years but now have truly fallen in love with.

Emerson has been a part of my life for years through my sister. She was always at our house, staying over, tagging along to all my games both home and away. She was a constant.

Now, that love has shifted into something bigger than I ever imagined it to be. When she isn’t close I feel that loss. I also know that she won’t always be right here by my side, but for today, I’m still riding the high that she is.

Being able to look up in the stands to the very place I know she is sitting and see her at my sister’s side makes the scoreboard disappear.

So tomorrow, we win, tonight I will accept that we lost the game, but I still fucking won.

Sitting at the table, I stare across at Emerson as she laughs at something my sister said. Her head is thrown back, her palm pressed to her chest, everything about the moment is beautiful.

When she looks up and sees that I’m watching I wink and instantly notice the way she melts right before me. Her shoulders relax, leaning back in her chair. Reaching out across the table I do the same and we link our fingers together.

I ignore the flirting my sister and Jerry do right under my nose. I’m too focused on Em and the comfortable pattern her and I have settled into so easily.

Dinner is full of conversation and laughter. When we make our way back to the hotel, Emerson and I go to my room, and Jerry and Liz decide to stop in at the bar for a late drink.

One of these days I need to sit down with Jerry and have a little one-on-one. My sister is a big girl, but she is still my sister. I respect Jerry, but there is a line, and using my sister as someone to pass the time, that would be crossing that line.

I need to make sure he understands that.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

Emerson

“You’re going to be late.”Liz pokes her head into my room as she hurries by. We’ve been home for a day from our visit with Kelton and I can’t shake this grogginess. “Are you sick?”

“I’m drained,” I mumble into my pillow and hear her giggle.

“Monkey sex will do that to you.”

“Go away,” I tell her not lifting my head only waving my hand, motioning for her to leave. She doesn’t but that doesn’t surprise me.

“Did you sleep at all last night? Or did the two of you sit up on the phone like two teenagers?”

“I passed out the second I entered my room. If he called I slept right through it.” I can’t even look. “Honestly I think my phone is still in my bag. I dropped everything to the floor and climbed into bed.”

“Maybe you are coming down with something.”

“Or I need to sleep for a week.” Yeah, that sounds good, I’ll do that.

“What about work?”

“Already called in.” Mel wasn’t happy but he’d get over it.

“So when do we plan on telling Kelton that we’re getting things ready to move to Tennessee?”

“I’m going for the element of surprise.” I need sleep. I find myself praying to whoever is listening that Liz suddenly loses her voice and I’m granted with silence.

“So when we show up on his doorstep with our bags then? Got it!” She laughs. “He closes on the house next week.”

“I know.” Please give me peace.

“Okay I’m leaving,” she says and I hold up my hand giving her a thumbs-up. Again she laughs. “Wow, you and Kelt must have gotten no sleep at all.”

She walks away laughing, and I can’t even fire back at her. My mind is a cloudy, blurring mess of nothing. I’m not even sure I remember what day it is.

I settle in, pulling my blanket over my head just as the front door shuts. Quickly I give in and fade off once more into a deep sleep.

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