Page 64 of Wild Pitch
Lily continued to theorize that the orgasms had unlocked something within me; her musings were a constant reminder that I was playing with fire. And no, she knew nothing of the true nature of our relationship. How could I put into words the feeling of subspace? Or the completeness I felt when I turned control over to Luc’s skilled hands? The shift from being in command-and-control mode to caring for me confused me.
Our routine settled into a rhythm. When Luc was away, I buried myself in work, picking up extra hours and proving myself in my new career. I sought any bit of distraction that allowed me to deny that I had fallen hard for the man who never wanted to keep me.
I envied women who described the ends of their relationships as they drifted apart from their significant others, a slow, deliberate unwinding of hearts and lives. With every single touch, I wanted him more. In the quiet moments, when I traced the outline of his tattoos and he recounted the tales of how and why he preserved that story on his body, I hoped he would change his mind and make our story permanent.
Kendra: Can you meet me for lunch?
Me: Sure. Everything OK?
Kendra: Yes! I have an interview and need some sister time to work through my nerves.
Since Kendra had accidentally outed Kelsey earlier this summer, she had made more effort to mend relationships with us. No, it wasn’t back to where it was before she went to college, but I felt like I could once again confide in her.
I arrived at the cafe before her, and when the waiter offered me a drink, I figured fuck it. The early fall weather was perfect for day drinking. The spicy cinnamon of the fall sangria warmed me in a way that the sun couldn’t as the days began to grow shorter.
“Ooh, that looks like a great idea.” Kendra arrived a little late, her signature move, and slid into the seat across from me.
“It’s delicious. Try it.”
She sipped my beverage, closed her eyes, and savored it. The waiter, noticing her arrival, shuffled over to our table and introduced himself.
“Can we have a pitcher?” she asked.
“Yes! Should we call Kelsey and see what she’s doing? Sam is home. The boys have a day off.”
“Sure, I’ll text her. But the boys? Are you still secretly screwing the coach?”
Kendra quickly shot out a text to Kelsey and smiled when Kelsey agreed to join us.
I had confided in Kendra, and she’d promised not to tell Kelsey about my relationship with Luc. Her understanding of the situation was limited to the surface level, so to her, we were only screwing.
“Yes, not public knowledge. Not telling Kelsey because of Luc’s relationship with Sam. Tell me about the interview?”
“It’s with the Minutemen in the corporate office. I would work with the athletic director, assisting operations, budget, and personnel management.”
“Shit, Kenny. That’s your dream job.”
“Not exactly the dream—yet. But headed in the right direction.”
Kendra had been a business management major with a specialty in sports management. She’d always wanted to work for a major sports team. Being from Boston, the Minutemen organization was the top tier opportunity.
“Did Sam have anything to do with the interview?”
“Maybe indirectly. When I went with Kelsey to the charity event two weeks ago, I met the athletic director. Did you know that the Minutemen organization has more women executives than any professional team?”
That stat impressed me. While I had always loved the team, I’d never really thought much about their hiring practices.
“Sounds like I have more free Minutemen tickets in my future.”
“Well, if you didn’t wait for Kelsey to invite you instead of Dad, I’m sure Luc would spot you.”
Kelsey arrived for our lunch after we were already deep into the first pitcher. She grabbed the empty third glass and filled hers with a generous glass of sangria.
“What are we celebrating?” Kelsey sighed when she took the first sip of her drink.
“I’ll let Kendra share her news on the interview, but I think it’s worth celebrating the collision of our schedules for the first time in forever.”
“Cheers to that! So, you got the interview?” Kelsey looked toward Kendra, unable to contain her excitement. While her relationship with Sam was new, things had progressed much faster than expected. They planned to marry in the off-season and were finalizing the details. As her life changed from a constant struggle, we had our sister back. Shecouldnow get excited for us, her emotions no longer drained by the constant stress of caring for our nephew on her own.
