Drew laughs, which pisses me off further. Why are they torturing me like this?You’d do the same thing if one of them were lying in a hospital bed. It’s called brotherly love.
Fine. I’ll lie here and ignore them. I’ve got better things to think about than worrying about what’s on television. I forgot to ask the doctor what the surgery is like. How long does it take? How long will I be under? When can I go home? Will I be in a sling like last time? I’m guessing yes, but for how long? I need to talk to my coach and management personally before they put me on the injured list. Guarantee them I’ll be back stronger than ever. There’s no other option. Baseball is my life.
“Hey, so we were able to keep a lid on your…” Ethan trails off until our eyes meet. “Accident. And no one publicly knows you’re here, but is there anyone special you want us to get in touch with?”
“Like a certain blonde, brown-eyed beauty?” Drew suggests with a know-it-all cock of his eyebrow.
I glance at the wall clock. It’s midafternoon. Chloe’s home now, and if I’m being honest, nothing would make me happier than to see her. But after two weeks apart, and the lack of communication, she doesn’t need to be made aware of my condition. She’ll no doubt find out from Rena eventually. At that point, we can resume a working relationship. Moving forward, I’ve got to give everything I have to rehab. If I do that, maybe, just maybe, I’ll beat the doctor’s timeline and be on the field for Opening Day.
“No,” I say.
“No?” Drew pulls a shocked face before turning his attention to Ethan. “You said they were definitely screwing.”
Ethan and I lock gazes. “No, I said there was definitely something more going on,” my brother clarifies.
“So?” Drew asks. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing is going on,” I say.
My brothers know me better than anyone, though, so it’s no surprise when Drew says, “You left off the ‘not anymore’ part.” Then his brows knit together. He studies me. “And the part where that bothers you.”
I give him a blank look. I don’t want to admit the power Chloe has over me. No woman has ever captured my attention the way she has. Made me willing to compromise my time to be with her, to be whatsheneeded. It never occurred to me to protect myself. That what she wanted from me would end before I was ready.
“I’m getting over it,” I say, circumspect, hoping that appeases them.
“It?” Ethan asks.
“Jesus, can we stop talking already?” I close my eyes, ready to take a nap—or at least fake it.
“You love her,” Drew says, straight-out, no doubt at all. Perceptive jerk.
I lift my good arm and give him the finger. He and Ethan laugh and then talk about me like I’m not in the room. I tune them out. It’s not the first time I’ve brushed off their snooping, and it won’t be the last. Brotherly love and all that.
As I drift off to honest sleep a few minutes later, I am conscious of one thing: the disconcerting truth is I haven’t fooled anyone about my feelings for Chloe. Well, no more. As of right now, any personal sentiments I have toward her are dead and buried.
Chapter Twenty-Three
#LoveDefinitely
Chloe
After basically twoweeks away from home, it feels good to know I’m staying put for the foreseeable future. I’m fried from living out of a suitcase, so the first thing I do after I walk through the front door is my laundry. When done, I inhale the ocean-fresh scent from dryer sheets and put all my clothes away. It’s the neatest my closet and dresser have been in months. I’m pretty excited to open a drawer tomorrow morning and get dressed.
Dad’s watching a basketball game out in the family room while the lasagna he made us for dinner cooks in the oven. A minute ago, he shouted it would be ready in thirty. That gives me time to take a long, hot shower.
This past week in Sacramento has left me tapped out. Being responsible for the posts MLB and Hayden Clemons shared on various social media outlets took extra brain power. For the MLB accounts because I stressed over every image and accompanying text being perfect. And for Hayden because 1) he’s demanding 2) he’s selfish (although with the kids he was great) and 3) he kept hitting on me. His ego is the size of Australia and he couldn’t understand why I kept turning him down. Umm, because you’re so not my type with a side of jackass? I can’t believe sportscasters continually put him in the same box as Finn. There is no comparison. Not on the field and most definitely not off.
Finn.
I stand under the hot spray of water in my small shower. I haven’t been in touch with him all week. He left me a couple of voice messages, but I never got back to him. Guilt ate at me every day, and I started dialing him back at least a dozen times before I chickened out. I listened to his deep, sexy voice over and over again, hating myself for being a jerk, but so unsure about what to say to him that I chose to remain silent.Miss you, his last message had said. God, I missed him, too.
So much so, that I’ve stalked him online. There’s been nothing since the night I saw him withHannah Mills. That’s the gorgeous woman’s name. I did a little more digging and discovered besides modeling, she works with Finn’s cousin Meredith. Meaning she and Finn are probably friends. Soooo, maybe I overreacted.
No maybe, I absolutely did.
Jelly Nellys of the world, raise your hand. I’m officially one of you now, jealousy having invaded my body without my permission.
Time has set me straight, but the courage to speak to Finn has lagged. Leaving myself vulnerableagainis difficult. We can all agree a broken heart is the worst kind of break. But something interesting did happen while I was up north. With each passing day, my heart didn’t feel broken. It felt full. And I realized despite it being trampled onfour times, I wasn’t done with love. My gut or intuition or whatever it is people sense deep in their core finally woke up to tell me this time is different. Finn is different. Having time away to feel what it would be like without him helped me see I want it all. The careerandthe man.