Free Throwing Love #3 (The Throwing Love Romance Series - Book #3) by Nella Tyler Page A

with
his life? Dreams can be crushed so easily, and there had been a lot of people
out there trying to crush his.
    Connie returned with the bottle and an extra glass and
filled all our glasses. We all silently took a drink, taking everything in. It
was just amazing how quickly your life could change, and in Bennett's case, he
had nothing to do with it and there had been little he could do to change it.
    Bennett turned to Connie. “I wanted to apologize to you,
too, Connie.”
    She raised her eyebrows. “What for? I barely know you, what
have you done to me?”
    “That's the whole point. I've been acting like an idiot
lately, focusing on myself and pushing Emmi away in the meantime. You must have
thought I was a real jerk. It's not who I am at all. I just have a hard time
dealing with situations like that. I would never hurt Emmi, and I just want you
to know that. You are a good friend to her, and I'm glad she has you.”
    She smiled. “Well, I really appreciate that, Bennett. You're
a stand up guy.”
    “She really means that, too,” I said with a laugh. “She
would totally tell you if she hated your guts.”
    “Good to know,” he said, laughing.
    “I'm not going to lie. I have told Emmi a few times to run
the other way in regards to you. Your lifestyle isn't the easiest thing for
anyone to have to deal with, especially a girlfriend. I think she's pretty
amazing despite her baseball obsession, and she deserves the best. If you think
you can't do that for her, then you need to step the other way.”
    “I agree and like I said, I'm sorry. I want to take very
good care of her, and I'm hoping that it's smooth sailing from here on out.”
    “Amen to that,” I agreed.
    He turned to me. “I'm sorry if I hurt you, Emmi. That was
never my intention. I'm a mess sometimes. I'm glad you stood by me, even though
I didn't deserve it. I couldn't ask for a better girl.”
    I smiled and leaned in for another kiss. “You're forgiven. I
would have done anything to help if I could. I hated having to write about you
the whole time when you were going through that. It definitely didn't help our
relationship at all.”
    “Yeah, I know.”
    Connie spoke up, “I still can't believe the gall of your
editor. She should have assigned that story to someone else. Rebecca was sure
chomping on the bit for another chance. I wonder what she thinks of the
announcement of your innocence. Having been wrong the whole time must be eating
away at her.”
    I laughed, “Yeah, maybe. She's pretty ruthless, though.
She's probably just on to the next thing.”
    “Yes, probably,” Connie said as she shook her head.
    “I'm glad you ladies are so understanding. There is no
excuse for the way I acted, but I was just so frustrated, ya know? You have no
idea what it's like to know you are innocent, but have people not believe in
you.”
    “I always believed in you, Bennett.”
    He smiled and kissed me. “I know. I don't know what I would
have done if you didn't.”
    “We totally understand why you went into jerk mode,
Bennett,” Connie said while laughing.
    “Yeah, we totally understand. And even though I was in a
mess with my editor and forced to write those articles about you, I never once
doubted that you were innocent. I think everything is going to be okay now.”
    “I'm so glad I had you by my side, Emmi. It really means a
lot to me.”
    “Anytime, player.” I giggled as I kissed him again.

 
    Chapter Two

 
    After we finished the bottle of wine, Connie laid out on the
couch ready to go to sleep while finishing the movie we had abandoned earlier.
Bennett and I retreated to my room, and I could hear the movie playing as we
went down the hallway. We crawled onto my bed where I booted up my computer. I
wanted to write the story before I got word from my editor or before she
assigned it to someone else out of spite. I needed to get a move on writing it
as soon as possible. I wasn't sure what was going through her head at the
moment, but I