Free Hitting to Win (Over the Fence #2) by Carrie Aarons Page B

was on that mound." Owen's jeer snaps me out of my zone. I'd been swinging for the last 20 minutes, home run after home run after home run. Too bad this was an empty stadium and not an actual game.
    "Dude, are we going or not?" Parker Avery clambers up the dugout steps, with Clint close behind. Parker, that surly son-of-a-bitch. I used to tease about being such an angry prick all the time. That was, until I joined the club.
    "Where are we going? I say, dropping my bat and wiping my face with the towel I'd shoved in the back pocket of my practice pants.
    "Drink's at Sammy's, you in?" Clint rubs his stomach, which has shrunk since the start of the year. He must be down 25 pounds. He looks healthier than I've ever seen him.
    I don't really want a beer, and that shocking surprise is not lost on me. It may be ten kinds of fucked up, but I've actually felt pretty spectacular after fucking out all of my anger on Chloe.
    Yeah, I know. I'm a fucking dick. I left her there and ran like a scared little shit. I didn't even have the guts to contact her since. Which will end tomorrow, when we have our usual Saturday morning studio time. I won't be surprised if she doesn't show up, or kicks me in the balls, or something. Although none of those things sound like Chloe. Which only makes me feel like more of a tool.
    But since that night, a lot of my anger has subsided. I finally feel like the darkness that has been shrouding me the past three months has lifted.
    "Yeah, I'll go for one beer. But only if you girls are paying. This is a date, right?" I flutter my eyelashes at them.
    Owen looks so shocked, I think he might fall over. Okay, so it's been a long time since I've been my usual goofball self. But it feels really good.
----
    T wenty-five minutes later we walk into Sammy's, the local college bar right off of Grover's campus. I nod at Ricky, the owner of Sammy's- yeah I know-as we pass the bar and slide into our usual table. We order a round when the waitress comes, and about three too many appetizers for the table. Whatever, we're guys.
    "We're going to shoot a round before the food comes." Clint and Parker get up to go play pool, leaving Owen and I sipping our beers.
    "So, you ever catch up with Chloe on Tuesday night?" I haven't talked to Owen except for passing each other in and out of the house, but I know his question is loaded. He either already knows something happened, or he suspects it. Might as well come right out with it.
    "Yeah. I went back to her house and fucked her." I swallow as Owen chokes on his beer.
    "You...what? Wow. Didn't think that's where this was going."
    "I didn't either. I don't even particularly like her. Or I didn't. I don't know, Axel." I was so confused, it felt good to be able to talk this out with someone.
    "Is it going to...continue?" He's treading carefully, being used to my moods from the past couple of months.
    I laugh sardonically. "Definitely not. I'm a dick, man. I know I've been one the last few months, I've thought about it all week. But I wouldn't be surprised if I really got Chloe to hate me this time. I basically hate-fucked her, without a condom, and then ran out as soon as I pounded one out."
    Owen blinks, clearly stunned that I'm being this candid with him. "Dude. First of all...um. Jesus, that's a lot of information. Let me think...well, the no condom thing. You're an idiot. But yeah, you're a dick for running out of there. I hope you called her, or at least texted her."
    Smiling sheepishly, I take a slow sip. "Not exactly..."
    "FARRIS! That's a dick move. Especially to my girl's best friend. What the fuck is wrong with you?"
    "I know. I've been a prickly son-of-a-bitch recently. Olivia fucked me up good. But that's no excuse for what I did to Chloe. Its weird actually. Hooking up with Chloe kind of...healed me. Its like, she took all of my anger, and then got rid of it. I've been able to think clearly this week, no depression clouding my view."
    "Well, at least there's that. I have to