Free Over the Fence: Lyssa Layne's Baseball Romances by Lyssa Layne

have been texting back and forth about an old friend of ours.
    Timmy bet you wouldn’t score against that monster goalie from St. Mary’s. Remember that?
    I set my spoon back and smile as I type back: I had a hat trick that game.
    I pour another bowlful of Cheerios as I wait for Jace’s response. Thirty seconds later, my phone beeps.
    Then remember back at the dorm that night, he was so depressed about losing the bet that he drank until he lit his underwear on fire?
    I laugh out loud and milk dribbles down my chin as I read the text, picturing exactly what he’s talking about. Grant walks into the room at that time and sets a newspaper on the counter without a word.
    Wiping my chin, I watch him move around the room, fixing himself a Pernod Scotch. I stand up and put my bowl in the sink. When I turn around, we run into each other. Touching him for the first time in a week, my body reminds me how much I’ve missed him. He mumbles, “Sorry” and tries to step around me, but I hold on to him.
    “Grant…” I say softly.
    His body is tight under my hands, which rest on his hips. He sets his drink on the counter and looks down at me. “Colie, don’t do this.”
    “Don’t do what? Care about you? Think you’re insane for pitching with your shoulder the way it is?”
    He grabs my shoulders, giving me a light shake. His voice is unrelenting when he talks. “Exactly, Colie! I can’t handle this… us, I want more, but neither of us can give that right now. I need…” He stops and takes a deep breath before continuing, “I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, but it hurts too much to have you around right now.”
    I feel like someone’s stabbed a knife in my chest. I’ve hurt him. I never meant to do that. Tears sting my eyes and I can only manage a small nod. He takes his drink and leaves the room. The tears let loose and I can’t stop them. Heading to my room to cry in private, a picture from the newspaper Grant set on the counter catches my eyes. The headline reads, “Playboy Jace Richards Enjoys a Night on the Town” and shows a picture of him in a lip lock with a brunette. I can’t wait to get back to New York where I’m homeless and single.

 
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER 10

     
    Pacing back and forth, I glance at the monitor one more time. If they don’t get here soon, I’m going to be late to the game. It’s the last game of the Grapefruit League before we start the regular season back in New York. Today’s game is against the Diplomats, and both Grant and Jace will be starting. I haven’t eaten in twenty-four hours due to my nerves, so I wish their plane would just land already.
    My phone beeps with an incoming text: I don’t see you.
    I glance up at the monitor and see their plane has arrived. In the middle of texting back, I hear my name.
    “Colie!”
    I turn around and run to my sister, wrapping my arms around her and giving her a big hug. Geez, I’ve missed her! Thankfully she’ll be here today to help me figure things out. Grant and I are cordial with each other, but things are still incredibly awkward. And things with Jace, well, they’re moving along… slowly but surely. Of course, today will only be the third time I’ve seen him since our first dinner. I haven’t had the nerve to ask him about the brunette in the paper either, but then again, it’s not like we’re dating so I don’t really have a right to ask.
    Meg and I chatter away, generally talking at the same time but knowing exactly what the other is saying. Mark laughs at us as he picks up their luggage. I give him a quick hug and hello as we walk out to the SUV. My phone beeps again.
    Nikki, don’t tell me you aren’t going to be here today… I need to see you.
    Smiling, I type back: Picking up my sis & her fiancé. We’ll be there soon.
    Great! How about I take you all out to dinner after I bring home the win today?
    I laugh and see Meg raising her eyebrow. I type back a quick okay then back out of my