Free Fever Pitch by Ann Marie Frohoff Page B

he was telling me the truth, but it still didn’t make me feel better. She was still in the picture and in contact with him. I felt like I was in high school again; well, I was still in high school. I took in a deep breath and held it. He continued to explain.
    “Sophia and I are friends, Aly. We were friends for a very long time before we became romantic. She knows all about you. She was there during those dark days of me trying to get over you.”
    I gulped, feeling a bit foolish for allowing my emotions and jealously to control me. I felt kind of sorry for her. “When are you gonna tell her?”
    “When I get back to New York. I don’t want to be insensitive, Aly, come on.”
    I battled with wanting to go off on him. What had he been thinking? It all seemed so erratic. Here he planned this elaborate welcome for me, with plans of a marriage proposal, and at the same time he had some poor girl waiting for him in New York.
    “You know how crazy this all sounds.”
    “Our whole relationship has always been crazy.” He hung his head, then met my eyes. “I’m sorry. I can only deal with one thing at a time, Aly. I didn’t know how all this with you was gonna go down. It’s all a fantasy, with you. A dream. It always has been. It’s almost like I didn’t believe it would really happen. You know, you had your life before you came here, don’t act like you didn’t.” Zing, ouch. “You’re all I want. You have to know that.”
    In that moment my ill feelings began to ebb. He was right. “But I broke it off with Nathan.”
    He smiled softly. “You’re better for this than I am, then.”
    “Looks like you have two things to deal with. Telling your guys you won’t be there tonight, and telling Sophia about me.” I turned back to the oven and turned the heat up to 400.
    “I’ll take care of it. I promise, by the time you come to New York.” He rubbed at his knitted brow. “I don’t want this to be a thing , like, I don’t want you to harp on it. I haven’t seen her in months. We don’t live together, we never have. She knows I’d been seeing someone here too…I mean, I am only human.” He half-laughed, shaking his head. “I’ve never lied to her. I just choose not to tell her things because, why? It would only make her feel bad. I just need to take care of this my way, ok?”
    “I won’t say another word about it.” I smiled at him, uneasy, telling myself to trust him.
    “Come here, beautiful. After everything, all these years, you’re still the one,” he sweet-talked.
    I melted into his arms, and soon after I was in that tingling, gratifying place I was so desperate for earlier.

 
    11
     
    I woke to hearing Jake’s voice. He was arguing with someone on the phone, pacing back and forth in the kitchen. I looked at the clock, and it was 11 in the morning. I’d never slept that late in my life. The time change was clearly the instigator. I felt like I was floating, moving in slow motion, and I was thirsty. The fire was roaring and crackling. I snuggled back in under the covers, listening to Jake’s pitchy tone.
    “Look, man, I’m sorry. I’m sick. I’m not gonna be able to be there today either. I’ll let you know about tomorrow, too.” A long silence , “Mhmm, yeah? Really?” A longer pause. “Oh man, yeah something must be goin’ around. Sorry to hear it. You goin’ to the doctor? Ok, I’ll call the guys and let them know we’ll take a break for a couple of days. Alright, feel better, man. Later.” Jake disconnected the call and I looked over at him. His gaze met mine.
    “Hey, Alycat.” He smiled a lopsided grin. “You sleep good?”
    “Yeah. Will you please get me a glass of water, since you’re in the kitchen?” I said as sweetly as I could and stretched out.
    “Anything for you, darlin’,” he replied, his tone making me giggle. “What’s so funny?” He smirked, waggling his eyebrows. He turned and filled a glass with water from the fridge dispenser.
    “You and