Page 20 of Unbearable
I get there just as Red does with Lenny and Nova.
“Uncle Ty!” Nova yells, running toward me as she’s scrambling out of the car and pushing up the sleeves of her shirt. She’s wearing a black shirt like our team with the Walker Automotive logo on the front only her number is ½ pint.
Kneeling down, she runs to me and then jumps in my arms. A pain hits my chest as she does it, mostly because I’ll never have this. I’ve always had a special connection with Nova though, and she’s called me Uncle Ty from the beginning.
“Hey, girly!” I pick her up to carry her toward the field as Red carries his bat bag on his shoulder.
“Raven coming tonight?” I ask Lenny, not Red. Though we’re not totally cool like we were, he’s getting over it.
I’m not even sure why I ask Lenny but as I do, Red grumbles and steps ahead. I know he can’t stay mad at me forever but shit, I wish he could just let it go.
“She’s on her way.” Lenny smiles, knowing why I did. Because I care and I can’t deny it.
I wink.
As we’re walking toward the field, I see who we’re playing and cringe. It’s Berkley’s parents’ team which means she’s here too. Fucking sucks for me. I hate running into her, mostly because she always finds a way to make it awkward.
Despite breaking up, she acts like I should want to be friends with her.
Walking into the dugout, I see Colt lying on the bench.
“Dude, why do you come out here if you’re just going to get drunk and pass out on the bench?”
Colt lifts his eyes to mine, a drunken smile plastered across his face as he spits chew at my feet. “Because Miaaskedme to play. Probably because she needed extra players.”
“You got third tonight, right?” Red asks me as they’re sorting out the batting order.
“Yep.”
I watch closely to see where he puts everyone. He sticks Raven at second and I like that because she’s good there. He then puts himself on short stop. I’m concerned how he’ll play. A few months back Lenny’s ex-husband showed up in town. He caught Red, Lenny and Nova off-guard in the shop only to shoot Red in the chest. It was touch and go for days but he pulled through. Given this information, to me it seems a little early for him to be playing softball but I’d never say that to him.
Quirking an eyebrow when he turns around, he stares at me. Though I haven’t said anything, he knows exactly what I’m thinking. “What? It’s just softball.”
“Okay.” Yeah, it’s just softball but I know Red and he never goes easy. I don’t think he knows how actually. Before you know it, he’ll be sliding into bases and diving for line drives.
Raven’s rushed when she arrives, having gotten stuck in traffic. Tossing a hoodie on her bat bag and reaching for a water in the cooler, she notices me sitting next to Nova on the bench.
She gives me a nod. “Hey,” and then smiles at Nova. “Hey, kiddo.”
“Hey, Auntie.”
“Auntie looks pretty, doesn’t she?” I whisper in Nova’s ear, knowing what she’s about to do.
“Auntie, Ty says you’re pretty.”
Yep. Knew it. And yeah, I did that on purpose because just looking at Raven in her tight black pants makes me push Nova off my lap and scoot away from her.
I thought, no, I fucking hoped maybe I could distance myself from Raven since I’m clearly not what she needs, but I can’t do it. I’m a weak son of a bitch.
Nova frowns. “Why’d you do that? The bench is cold on my butt cheeks.”
“It’s for the best,” I mumble, making my way out of the dugout on the other side to stand near the fence.
Over my shoulder, I sneak glances of Raven as she puts her cleats on, her cleavage on display. Good thing I’m standing now.
“What’s up your ass tonight?” Raven asks Rawley, who throws his phone on the ground and storms out of the dugout when he sees Sophia talking with another guy. If I ever thought shit was messed up in my life, all I have to do is look at Rawley and know it isn’t so bad.
Berkley walks by the dugout right then wearing a pair of tight black pants, her white T-shirt with the number 5 on the back even tighter. For being with her for so many years, I feel nothing inside when I see her. Maybe hatred, but certainly no attraction.
