Page 13 of Pitch for You

“Okay!” Max agreed, sprinting off towards the nearby water fountain.

As soon as Max was out of earshot, Brett turned to me. I hesitated, heart warring with my head. Should I confide in him? Or would that only make things worse?

“Sometimes, I just don't know what the right thing to do is anymore.”

“Life has a way of making things complicated,” Brett acknowledged. “But trust your instincts, Sofia. They've always led you in the right direction before.”

“Have they?” I asked, eyes searching for reassurance. “Or have they just led me back to you?”

As the words hung heavy in the air, I was left to ponder the unspoken question: What did this mean for the future – and for my heart?

8

Brett

Rich was already sitting in our usual booth when I arrived at the diner, nursing a cup of coffee and flipping through a newspaper.

“Hey man, what's up?” he asked, gesturing to the empty seat across from him. I slid in and ordered my own cup of coffee before answering.

“Not much, just hanging out with Sofia and Max a lot lately,” I replied, stirring in a sugar packet.

“Ah, the true love,” Rich teased, raising an eyebrow.

“You aren’t wrong there…” I protested, though a small part of me knew it was true. “Her son is a good kid. Missing his dad, of course, but he just wants to learn how to help with the ranch. He’s worried about his mom.”

Rich leaned forward. “Don’t get too attached. If she doesn’t end up giving you another chance, you’ll be heartbroken even more.”

I’d always wanted to be a dad. Sure, my past was fucked up with my own dad abandoning me, but I promised myself that when the day came for me to be a father, I would be the best one I could be.

“So, how's it going with Sofia? Any progress?"

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “I don't know, man. She's confusing. Sometimes she seems like she wants me to make a move, and other times she's distant.”

Rich nodded. “Women, man. Can't live with them, can't live without them.”

I rolled my eyes. Rich always knew how to make light of a heavy situation. “Thanks for the words of wisdom, pal.”

“What do you want me to say? She’s got a lot on her plate right now. Maybe just be there for her. No pressure.”

“Well there you go. That’s some good advice. You haven’t lost your touch. I was worried there for a second.”

“Anytime, my friend,” he said, clinking his coffee cup against mine. “Now let's drown our sorrows in some greasy diner food.”

I chuckled, grateful for Rich's attempt to lighten the mood. As we perused the menu, my mind drifted back to Sofia. The way her eyes crinkled when she laughed, how her hand brushed against mine when we worked side by side on the ranch. But then there were the moments when she'd suddenly withdraw, her gaze distant and troubled.

“You know,” Rich said, interrupting my thoughts, “maybe you should just be straight with her. Tell her how you feel.”

I nearly choked on my coffee. “I’ve already done that. She told me she still loved me.”

Rich shrugged. “Look, man, you're both adults. She's been through a lot, sure, but so have you.”

The food arrived, and we dug in, the conversation shifting to safer topics like the latest baseball scores and the upcoming rodeo. But my thoughts kept drifting back to Sofia. The smell of bacon and eggs filled the air, but my appetite had suddenly vanished.

“I don't know,” I said, pushing my eggs around the plate. “What about Max? What if things don't work out?”

“That's the risk you take,” Rich replied, his mouth full of pancakes. “But from what you've told me, that kid already looks up to you. You're not just some random guy to him anymore.”

“Maybe you're right,” I said finally.

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