Page 61 of All I Have Left

I take the tissue she hands me. “I’m probably Rose.”

“With a little Dorothy in you.”

But Frankie’s right. I will forever have this girl in my life. No matter what.

30

EVIE

When we arrive at the baseball fields a short ten minutes later, I’m still confused about the process just to file a restraining order. I can’t believe you have to get an attorney, but then again, it makes sense because it has to be legally filed, right? I’m going to need to call one to sort this out.

In the parking lot, I glance down the hill toward the fields. I spot Grayson on the field warming up with Josh and Ethan. Grayson wasn’t pleased when Frankie told him I was coming. I think he thought he’d bail on Frankie and use me as an excuse as to why he couldn’t come.

“Think he’s going to talk to you again?” I ask Frankie, smiling toward Grayson. For a moment, I stare at him, memories of our childhood flashing in my head. I haven’t seen him with a glove since high school.

“Probably not. He called me a selfish bitch.”

I laugh. “Well….”

She glares at me and stuffs a blanket under her arm. “I told you that I’d find someone else.”

“I’m just messing with you.”

My eyes drift to Grayson again. He’s dressed in black baseball pants and the gray and lime green T-shirt with the numbereleven on the back and looks fucking amazing. My smile comes effortlessly. It’s the same number he had through his entire baseball career. Even during T-Ball.

Then I spot the bat. His bat. Lou. He’s had that thing since he was five. His granddad made it for him and I’d thought he’d long since lost it. “Where did he find it?” I ask Frankie, nodding to Grayson on the field.

“Find what?”

“Lou.”

“Oh, it was in the garage. Dad couldn’t get rid of it so he kept it for him.”

With my eyes still on him, Frankie is talking about something, the drinks that spilled I think, but all I can do is watch Grayson holding his bat. He has both hands wrapped around the barrel, examining the handle with Josh beside him. I notice, even from the parking lot, his demeanor seems to be a little nervous. I only realize this when he lets the bat down, leaning to one side. His hands are visibly shaking.

Frankie smiles, her chin on my shoulder. “The uniforms turned out nice, didn’t they?”

“How’d you get them that fast?”

“I’m good at negotiations.”

Kelly meets us at the car to help carry everything, but it still isn’t enough hands. After tripping a few times while carrying an armful of chairs, Grayson comes running over to help. Frankie walks ahead of us with Kelly.

“No one this beautiful should have to carry anything.” He grins, winking at me.

“That was a cheesy line.”

“It was meant to be.” He shrugs, laughter on his lips. Taking the folding chairs from my arms, his eyes linger on my chest. He walks backward, his brow pulled together. I stare at his forearms and the tattoos on them. “Aren’t you a little warm in that sweatshirt?” he asks, a smirk surfacing. Judging by what Frankie and Kelly are wearing, he knows exactly what’s under this hoodie.

“Nope.”

He smiles again, shaking his head. “Yeah, right.” Grayson shifts the chairs on his shoulder to keep one hand free. “You know, I thought I misplaced that sweatshirt a while ago.” He rubs his hand against his jaw. “Guess it was in good hands after all.”

I bite back a smile. If only he knew how many of his hoodies I have stolen over the years. “I guess so.”

Nervously, I scan the field and parking lot looking for any sight of Shane. Lance is here so I’m assuming Shane will either be here, or on his way. Even if he does show up, there’s no way he’d come up to me with all these people. At least I don’t think he would be that stupid.

“Fuck,” Grayson curses, letting out a deep sigh, his steps halting.

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