Page 66 of Fake Love

“What’s up?” I ask.

This has become some sort of a routine between this past week. He calls every time he’s been on the way to the stadium. Maybe it’s because he knows I won’t be there for the actual game, I don’t know, but I like it.

“Just check to see if you needed a ride to where you were going to meet up with your friends.” He states.

“That’s kind of you, but totally out of your way, you’ll be late for batting practice.”

I see him shrug through the screen. “I don’t think Ben would mind.”

“Ben might not, but the rest of the people that run the team will. I’m fine, I’m going to catch the Muni to the mission district.”

“If you’re sure,” he says with a relaxed smile on his face.

I nod, but not like he can see what with driving. “Yeah I’m sure. I’m just going to finish up doing my makeup and head out. I should be out of here in the next ten minutes. We’re just going to a street festival.”

He gives me a nod. “If you ladies are finished before the game is over, you can head over there. I’ll leave tickets at the box office for you.”

A small snort escapes me. “Ah Bauer, you can just say you need me at your games to play better. There is no shame in admitting that.”

“Funny. I played my best season without you there.” He is right about that. “Should I remind you that I got named Rookie of the year?”

“Eh, but have you won a ring?” I tease him, knowing that the answer is no.

“Have you?”

I grab my mascara and start to apply it. “No but I am Selena’s best friend and Hunter won one back in February and I was there so that should count by association.”

A hearty laugh escapes from Maddox and I can’t help but laugh right there with him.

Once the laughs quiet down, he speaks.

“So do you want me to leave the tickets at the box office or not?”

I check the time really quickly. It’s just past eleven and I’m supposed to meet up with the girls at twelve with the game starting a little after one. Without a doubt we will be done with the street festival in two hours, so the game would still be going on.

If we don’t make plans for after we can definitely go.

“Yeah, go ahead and leave them just in case. I don’t know what the plans are for after the festival.”

“Will do. If you don’t end up going, call me after?”

I nod. “Will do.”

“Have fun.”

We end the call and as I swipe on my lip gloss, I realize something about the call.

It felt very much like a call that would happen between Hunter and Selena.

Normal and very much real.

Looking at myself in the mirror, I realize that I don’t want the season to end. Because when the time comes, I will be broken without repair. While this between Maddox and me is fake, the feelings I’m experiencing right now are real.

Very much real.

…

The music, all the food and all the little stands that make up the street festival make my heart and soul so damn happy.

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