Total pages in book: 45
Estimated words: 43198 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 216(@200wpm)___ 173(@250wpm)___ 144(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43198 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 216(@200wpm)___ 173(@250wpm)___ 144(@300wpm)
I usually avoid even talking about Eli’s paternal grandparents, but I'm desperate to change the topic from Miller.
Tammy gives me the look, letting me know that she knows what I'm doing. "Uh, well, the Davenports are not very happy with me right now. They wanted Eli to play tennis or something over at the country club instead of baseball."
I roll my eyes."Fuck them."
My sister blurts out a laugh, and her eyebrows raise in surprise. “Lindsey!"
I shrug. “What? I'm just saying out loud what you're thinking."
Tammy laughs. “Yeah, but I'm the one that usually says it. I like this side of you, sis."
I point at Eli as he runs the bases. Cheering, I elbow Tammy. “I mean, look at him. Look how happy he is. If they can't see he loves baseball, then they don't need to be here."
Eli looks up at us as he crosses the plate, and Tammy and I go crazy.
When we sit back down, Tammy leans over to me. “Sis, it's been almost two months since your date. If you really want to end things with him, you need to tell him because whatever this is, he’s not getting the message.”
When I don’t say anything, she leans toward me. “If you don’t want him, I’ll take him.”
I turn toward her so quickly it’s like I get whiplash. “Forget it, Tammy. Don’t you dare.”
She shrugs. “I’m just saying. A woman would have to be crazy to turn all that down.”
There’s no hiding the truth. “He’s going to break my heart, sis.”
She shakes her head. “You don’t know that.”
I shrug and avoid her knowing gaze. “Well, I’m not willing to chance it.”
Guilt keeps eating at me. I know Tammy is right. I need to end things with Miller. I have him blocked on my phone, but he still finds ways to reach me. He sends coffee, flowers, and even showed up indirectly last week when his driver, Mike, helped load my gear after a photo shoot.
I should have stopped this a long time ago, but I don’t trust myself. It wouldn’t take much for me to give in to his attention. It’s been months, and he still seems interested. I very much want to give in to him, but I also know that by avoiding him, I’m avoiding heartbreak.
I blow out a breath. “I’ll talk to Miller this week.”
Tammy gives me a sad smile. “You deserve happiness, sis.”
I turn to her. “So do you. Maybe it’s time you started dating again.”
She blurts out a laugh. “Can you imagine? The Davenports would have a field day with that. They already think I’m an unfit mother. If I started dating, they would make my life hell.”
I want to argue with her, to insist it isn’t fair, but deep down, I know she’s right. Eli’s grandparents would never accept another man in his life. They would try to take him from Tammy again, and there’s no way she would risk that.
I slip my arm through my sister’s and rest my head on her shoulder. “We’ll stay single together.”
“Grow old,” Tammy adds.
“With cats,” I say.
She laughs. “Neither of us even has a cat, and they’re not allowed in the building.”
I shrug. “One day we’ll live somewhere that allows them, and we’ll have at least three.”
She leans into me. “Just because I have to stay single doesn’t mean you do.”
I shrug again. “It’s safer this way.”
Tammy is still beside me. I mean my heart, the way it stays intact when I keep my distance. For her, it means something else entirely. Something heavier. Something she barely escaped. “I love you, sis,” I whisper.
She sighs, and I can hear the contentment in her voice. “I love you, too.”
CHAPTER 8
MILLER
It’s like I’ve been in a fog.
I know my family is fed up with me. Hell, I’m over my attitude.
But I’ve never been in love before, and I had no idea it would hurt like this.
Lindsey wrecked me.
She won’t go out with me. She won’t let me explain. Hell, she wants nothing to do with me.
As if I could have the best night of my life and walk away.
My brother claps me on the shoulder. “What the fuck you frowning for, man? This is a party. Plus, Ozzy has the grumpiness on lockdown. We can’t deal with two grumpy asses.”
I blow out a breath and force a smile to my face. “I’m fine. I’m good.”
But I can tell that he doesn’t believe the lie. Guy just smirks. “Is this about that girl?”
My mouth drops, and I shake my head. None of my brothers believe me when I tell them Lindsey is the one. They think I’m full of crap and I’ll get over it, but I can’t see myself getting over her. Hell, not a second goes by that I’m not thinking about her.
“Her name is Lindsey.”
Guy shrugs. “Yeah, Lindsey. Is that what the frown is about?”