Page 64 of Pitcher Perfect
No change in expression from Eve. “Because I wanted to.”
Madden made a sound. “Don’t lie to me.”
“Guys...” Feeling oddly as though she was interrupting something, Skylar took a few steps in their direction. “Why don’t we go talk in Eve’s office?”
“No,” Eve blurted, eyes widening. A rare glimpse of nerves from her usually deadpan best friend. “No, we can talk here.”
“Why?” Madden asked, gaze narrowing. “What’s in your office?”
Eve said nothing.
A beat passed.
Madden turned on a heel and strode farther backstage, paying no mind to the scattering of scantily clad burlesque dancers, toward the office. He didn’t have far to go, either, only fifteen yards or so and he was nearly ripping the hinges off a door marked “Manager,” while Eve and Skylar hustled forward in his wake.
The last thing Skylar expected to see on the other side of the door was two little kids.
A boy and a girl. Both of them roughly the age of five.
Were they... twins? Yes.
One of them played on an iPad, one colored in a Barbie coloring book.
Madden jerked to a stop, as if he’d hit a brick wall.
The kids barely glanced up from their activities at the three newly arrived adults.
Face pale, Eve reached past Madden and closed the office door.
“Are you happy?” Eve wanted to know.
Madden said nothing. Only stared.
“They are my sister’s kids,” Eve said, quiet and firm, visibly keeping herself calm. Poised. “Lark and Landon. They’re mine now.”
“Eve...” Madden sputtered. “How?”
“It’s a long story and I don’t have time to tell it tonight.” She caught Skylar’s eye and Skylar watched a shadow of guilt dance across Eve’s expression. Because of her tone, maybe. Or because major life changes had obviously taken place and she hadn’t even called her best friend. Whatever the reason for her guilt, Eve visibly forced herself to soften, though she refused to look at Madden. “I’m selling this place to take care of them. There’s a prospective buyer but... he’s hesitant. I haven’t had a chance to build the clientele since I turned it into the lounge. I’ve only gotten the doors open, so...” She closed her eyes. “I thought ifI performed, word would get around. You know every asshole in this town will show up to see me humbled. If that’s what I have to do to get butts in seats, so be it—”
Madden turned and put his fist through a wall.
While this action made Skylar gasp, Eve, weirdly, didn’t seem the least bit surprised. “I’d like you to leave, Mads,” she said after a gulping breath.
The catcher paced one way, then the other, before giving Eve one final, hard look and kicking his way through the emergency exit. Skylar gaped. What wasthatbehavior about?
Skylar was off-balance and worried on Eve’s behalf, but Madden was...incensed.
“Skylar...” Eve trailed off while reaching for the silk robe hanging on a nearby chair, finally dropping the fan that hid her brief lingerie and pulling on the garment. She swiped at her eyes and took a long breath, before giving Skylar a quick but crushing hug. “Can we meet up in a day or so? I know you left me a message, but... I need to work up a little more courage to talk about this.”
Skylar banded her arms around her best friend, empathy and alarm and love for Eve making her eyes damp. “Of course. You know where to find me.”
“Throwing balls at a tree, probably,” Eve said on an abrupt laugh, her gaze straying toward the exit door. “I’ll call you. We’ll meet somewhere... where we won’t be interrupted.”
“You sure you’re okay?”
Eve winked, fanned herself with the feather fan, but the corner of her mouth quivered in an almost unnoticeable way. “I’m always okay, babe.”
Skylar left through the same door as Madden, though he was nowhere to be seen. Feeling disconnected from reality, Skylarcircled back around to the front of the establishment while tapping through the process of calling an Uber. Seeing that she had a fifteen-minute wait, she sat on the carved stone bench outside, absently murmuring hello to customers as they walked inside, wondering if they were about to see Eve dance.
