Chapter 5

A few weeks later, Levi still hadn't figured out what to do with his feelings for Farrow.

Which sucked, because he was seeing even more of her than before. They'd had several more games, and despite his distraction, he played well; and after their loss to the Redcoats, the Longhorns hit a winning streak. Their little fan section, which now included Tina, had much to cheer about.

The only thorn in their side, as it were, was Billy.

After Tina broke it off with him, he became quietly hostile toward Levi, barely speaking to him unless it was required and not bothering to hide his disdain. He'd then tried to ask Farrow out, but after she declined, his bitterness extended to the whole team. During one game, Andrew even had to sit Billy out for its remainder—for which Billy complained no one appreciated him.

Frankly, Levi was over Billy's attitude and did his best to ignore it.

But he was done ignoring what he felt for Farrow, and every time they were remotely alone, he had to restrain himself from backing her against a wall and kissing her senseless.

Recently, the wall in question was one of the hallway nook walls where they were busy setting up the library. He and his dad had placed themselves in charge of that room, and Farrow volunteered to help; they'd gotten the window seat built, and were nearly done installing all the bookshelves.

But Mr. Bennet often stepped out to go check on the other projects, which left Levi and Farrow alone but for the clattering of other construction and chatter throughout the house.

It wasn't a bad thing, Levi mused. In fact, his mood had been significantly buoyed by those small moments with her, enough to carry him for the rest of day.

And though she seemed to enjoy it, too—though she seemed more comfortable and relaxed around him, and her smiles were more natural—he still couldn't decide if he should make a move. They'd stumbled into friendship, and the last thing he wanted to do was ruin that before they'd barely begun.

Today they would finish the library built-ins, and it would be really satisfying to see it all come together. And since he was already thinking about Farrow, he decided to distract himself by thinking about Jackson and Bree.

Levi had to admit he wasn't entirely sure what happened there. Last week, Jackson had asked Bree out; since they'd seemed to like each other a lot, he couldn't determine why Bree had turned Jackson down.

Poor Jackson still stared at her a lot, his eyes constantly drawn to the bleachers during games, or watching Bree leave a room. He kept assuring everyone he was fine, but he'd been even more reticent than usual. It didn't help that Bree was still friendly with him, which made the whole thing awkward.

"That's a really intense thinking face you've got there."

"Hm?"

He looked up to find Farrow watching him with something like amusement and no little curiosity.

"This is you," she said, and proceeded to demonstrate by turning her mouth down in a pursed frown, tipping her head to glare at the floor. Then she straightened and cleared the expression from her face. "You were thinking pretty hard over there."

"Yeah, I guess I was." His brow automatically furrowed, and he shook himself out of it.

"Careful, your brain's not an Etch-a-Sketch."

He chuckled. "Oh, that it were."

"I feel that. Do you want to talk about it?" She hesitated. "Did you argue with Cristina?"

"No, Tina and I are all good."

And they were. They'd refortified their friendship in the past few weeks, and had moved on from everything enough Tina not only felt comfortable teasing him about his crush on Farrow, but had befriended Farrow.

"I was actually thinking about Jackson and Bree," he admitted. "It seemed like they were pretty into each other, but she said no when he asked her out. Has she said anything to you?"

He hadn't really decided if he should ask Farrow about Bree, but it seemed his curiosity and concern for his brother won out over tact.

Farrow hesitated, looked away. "We've talked about it. Her feelings are private, but I will say she feels bad for leading him on. She didn't do it intentionally—she does like him. But she has other feelings that prevented her from accepting him, and I reminded her it wouldn't be fair to anyone involved."

"What does that even mean, other feelings?" His gaze narrowed, suspicion making him hone in on her face. "Are you saying you convinced her not to go out with him?"

She lifted her chin a little, eyes narrowing back. "I didn't convince her of anything. I only reminded her of her own feelings."

He gritted his teeth, struggled to keep from raising his voice. "Again, what does that mean? And what right did you have to interfere?"

"She asked for my advice," Farrow said calmly. "I gave her my honest opinion."

"Which is what, exactly?"

On a short huff of breath she closed her eyes, and pinched the bridge of her nose. "That it would be unfair to Jackson to go out with him when she's in love with someone else."

That was the last thing he'd expected, and for a moment or two he could only stand there and blink at her. "What? Who…what?"

"And now I've told you something about my friend I doubt she would have told you herself." She sounded frustrated, but her face softened with pity and understanding. "I know it's kind of a mess. I'm sorry if Jackson's feelings were hurt."

Absently, he rubbed at his shoulder, his thoughts tumbling over each other in their haste to make their way to the front of his mind.

Bree was in love with someone else? Did Jackson know? And for Pete's sake, what was with all the love triangles recently?

"You're making the face again."

Farrow's voice snapped him out of it. When he flicked his eyes to her, she looked a little withdrawn. Wary—of him, he realized. And it dawned on him that he'd basically forced her to tell him something she and Bree had probably discussed in confidence.

"I'm…sorry for pushing you to tell me something that's none of my business."

She shrugged, the gesture loose and defeated. "It'll probably come out soon, anyway."

He shot her a questioning look, but he didn't dare ask more. And, interestingly, she smiled—a bit slyly if his expression-reading skills were still intact.

"You'll just have to wait and see," was all she said.

His blood heated a little, and he couldn't help thinking there was another circumstance under which she might give him that particular smile. Then he berated himself; it was inappropriate to be thinking dirty thoughts about her after the conversation they'd just had. They were both a bit wound up. Even if he'd been considering making a move today, this would have spoiled it.

When he had yet to respond, she tilted her head, then walked over to him. Confused, he only watched her approach, swallowed when she stopped surprisingly close to him and reached up with one hand.

She touched her finger lightly between his brows. "What's going on up there?"

The breath he was unaware he'd been holding released on a huff of laughter. "You sure know how to throw a guy some curveballs."

"I suppose I do." She didn't back away, just continued to look up at him, blue eyes twinkling just a little. "Are you telling me you don't know how to swing a bat?"

That sounded a lot like flirtation to him, and he paused to consider his response. "More like I'm still deciding when to take a swing."

Her lips curved on one side as she looked down. "Ah. Waiting for the right pitch. I know what that's like—metaphorically and literally."

He smiled a little now, buoyed by the game and the cheesy metaphors. He decided to test his chances. "Do I have any strikes?"

Her head whipped back up. He'd kept his gaze on her so there'd be no mistaking what he was referring to, and she must have gotten the message, because she gave him the same sly smile that had provoked fantasies in him just moments ago.

"You're still at bat."

He smiled back, but before either of them could say more, Mr. Bennet returned. They stepped away from each other, a bit awkwardly, but the fact his dad didn't tease them about it told Levi he hadn't paid much attention to them.

That, or he'd just tease Levi later.

Either way, it didn't matter. Unless he was reading her wrong, Farrow had just confirmed she was interested in him.

Now all he had to do was figure out what to do next.

An opportunity arose the very next day, and came from a rather unexpected source.

Saturday morning, Levi awoke to the earthy aroma of coffee and the sticky-sweet scent of pancakes, and wandered into the kitchen to find Jackson at the stove. Jackson had often claimed cooking helped him think, and his blank expression as he slid a finished pancake onto a plate made Levi wonder if he was thinking about Bree.

Moving cautiously, as though he were trying not to spook a horse, Levi grabbed a mug and poured some of the coffee. He gave his brother the gimlet eye as he sipped.

"So…pancakes, huh? What's the occasion?"

"Bree's dating Ryder."

Levi sputtered a little on his next sip as hot coffee went down the wrong pipe. He had expected Jackson to hedge, and he wasn't sure what to make of the fact he'd just come right out and said it.

"I see," he managed to croak before coughing again. When his throat was clear, he asked, "How'd you find that out?"

"Ryder told me." Jackson turned off the stove, plated the last pancake. "We had a talk about it last night."

"Are you okay?"

"Actually, I am." Jackson picked up his own coffee and leaned against the counter, a small smile lighting up his face. "I know I was pretty cryptic after Bree turned me down, but she'd asked me not to say anything. Now that the cat's out of the bag, I can tell you."

"I may have poked at Farrow about it," Levi admitted sheepishly. "She told me Bree was in love with someone, but she didn't say who."

Jackson gave him as scolding a look as he was able, but nodded. "Bree said as much to me, except she told me it was Ry. I assured her she didn't need to explain, but she was worried it would strain my friendship with him. I promised it wouldn't."

Levi picked up a pancake, still warm, and took a bite. "So you've known this for almost a couple weeks?"

Jackson nodded. "I was a little worried about Bree, since I didn't know if she'd said anything to Ryder, but I've also been using the time to think."

Several questions zipped through Levi's mind, but he didn't want to stray from the current topic. "But Ryder talked to you."

"Yeah, we met up for a beer because he wanted to talk to me." Jackson shrugged. "He confessed he'd been in love with Bree for years. And when I asked if he was going to tell her…he admitted they'd told each other how they feel a week ago."

"For real? Why the secrecy?"

"They had their reasons, but I think you should hear them from Ryder yourself."

Levi shook his head. "I have so many questions." But instead of asking them, Levi shoved the rest of the pancake in his mouth.

"Well, you'll get a chance to ask them this afternoon if you want," Jackson told him. "He got tickets to the Cubs-Cardinals game, and invited us along."

"Really?" Going to a game was always a good time, but he also didn't want to bombard Ryder over the Bree situation. "Just the three of us?"

Shaking his head, Jackson picked up his own coffee. "No, Bree and Farrow are going, and he invited Tina, too. So, six of us."

Bree, Ryder, and Jackson hanging out together? Levi was sure his skepticism was plain on his face when Jackson only gave him a knowing smile. Plus, even if they'd become friends, Levi wasn't sure how he himself would handle hanging out with Tina and Farrow at the same time. Maybe with all six of them, it wouldn't be too weird, but the potential for awkwardness abounded.

Levi leaned against the counter, met his brother's eyes. "I take it you want to go? You don't think it will be awkward?"

"I do," Jackson confirmed, his smile widening. "It might be a bit awkward at first, but the sooner we all clear the air and get used to it, the better. Plus, baseball game," he added, as though it were obvious.

With a quiet snort of laughter, Levi finally grinned back. Jackson making light of it all was the best sign he could have his brother was truly fine.

And it really was a great day for a baseball game.

"Alright, then. I'm down if you are."

"Good." Jackson picked up the stack of pancakes. "Then let's eat."

The day was bright, clear, and hot. As part of their pre-game ritual, Farrow, Ryder, and Bree sat at the bar of their favorite hole-in-the-wall in Wrigleyville, each with a Chicago handshake—a can of Old Style and a shot of Mal?rt.

The neighborhood had changed quite a bit since the Cubbies' 2016 World Series win; whether or not "new Wrigleyville" was better was up for debate, but some things, thankfully, remained untouched.

One such institution was the Nisei.

A narrow, dimly lit space, the Nisei Lounge boasted of cracked and chipped floor tiles, dark crimson walls and a black ceiling, and rickety stools and tables. Of the things one would expect to find in a bar, there was a patio out back, a questionable photo booth complete with photo wall, a clunky old jukebox, and a single pool table.Of the things one would not expect, there were too many to name, but Farrow's eyes were often drawn to the singing bass propped up against some board games on a shelf, and the clear glass jar on the far left side of the bar filled with baseballs and a brownish liquid, labeled "Baseball-Infused Mal?rt." It had been there for a good few years; though it could not legally or safely be consumed, it was a nod to the Nisei's tendency to infuse Mal?rt with other things to see how it tasted—such as candy canes for peppermint Mal?rt in December.And speaking of December (and the unexpected), wrapped around the bright red air duct was a set of garland string lights, and hung from the ceiling with care were Christmas stockings, sparkly snowflakes, paper reindeer, shimmering bits of tinsel, and other Christmas-themed ephemera—including an entire felt advent calendar. More string lights and fluffy red stockings lined the wall opposite the bar.One of the bartenders had once complained it took her forever to put up the Christmas decorations a few years before, but Farrow suspected that wasn't why they had never been taken down.

It was an atmosphere that unashamedly proclaimed, "Who gives a shit?"

Farrow loved it.

Normally, she would be wearing her Cubs tee, but since they were playing her favorite team, she was wearing her Cardinals tee; so it was that when Levi, Jackson, and Tina walked in and joined them at the bar, the first thing Levi said to her was, "You're a Cardinals fan?"

He didn't sound disgusted, or disappointed, just surprised, so she answered his unasked question with a smile.

"I was born in St. Louis. My parents moved to Chicago when I was three, and since my dad is a Cardinals fan, I grew up one, too. But since Chicago is my home, I'm still a Cubs fan—just not when they're playing the Cardinals."

"I see…"

He didn't sound convinced, and unfortunately Ryder, who'd just finished ordering handshakes for the others, overheard. He called over the two bartenders (thankfully friends of theirs), and they gave her their usual flack, insisting you couldn't be a Cubs fan and a Cardinals fan at the same time, even as they filled the order.

She stuck to her conviction with smiles and laughs, but on the inside the teasing grated a little. She knew they didn't truly disdain her, but neither did she understand why they were so intractable on this subject.

Baseball was baseball, to her mind.

The bar was busy with its pre-game crowd, but thankfully no one was really paying attention; and to Farrow's relief, a couple patrons got the attention of one of the bartenders, pulling them away. Ryder used the opportunity to order another round of Mal?rt for himself, Farrow and Bree; the bartender poured out their shots, and one for himself, and the seven of them held up their glasses in cheers. Farrow went through the ritual, clinking her shot glass against the others, tapping the bottom on the bar top, and knocking it back.

She managed not to grimace—this batch tasted like sour pond water—but reached for her beer for a pull.

Levi used the opening to change the subject, noting Farrow's reaction to the shot with a grin.

He took a seat on the stool next to her. "Not a fan?"

She rolled her eyes. "Is anyone? Ry's the only person I've met who actually likes it."

He shrugged. "It's an acquired taste."

Her eyes narrowed on him. "You like it, too?"

"I do," he laughed. "Why drink it if you don't like it?"

"It's tradition." As if to prove her point, she took a sip of her beer. "I don't always have a shot, but sometimes the occasion calls for it. Besides, I don't think you're actually supposed to like it."

The six of them chatted without any awkwardness for the next half hour, though Levi couldn't help noticing how much happier both Bree and Ryder seemed to be. They were just…brighter, somehow.

But eventually, the game's start time approached, so they headed out to make the few-block walk to the stadium.

The sidewalk was only big enough for two at a time, and almost as if they'd discussed it, Jackson and Tina stepped ahead of everyone else. Bree nodded to Ryder, and went on ahead with Farrow, leaving Levi alone with his friend.

"You probably have questions," Ryder started.

"Yeah."

Ryder stuck his hands in his pockets, blew out a breath. "Look, I've been in love with her forever, and I—"

"Dude, I'm not mad you have feelings for Bree. I just don't get why you never said anything. Instead you let it drag out until Jackson got involved, and you still didn't tell anyone."

"I know." Ry's shoulders slumped a little. "I was an idiot about it. We both were, and I've apologized to Jax. But that's part of why we kept it to ourselves for a little bit. We've both waited so long, now that we've finally made it to this point, we wanted it to be just ours for a bit before we let others in. We wanted to test the waters without all our well-meaning friends hovering around."

Levi thought he understood. He wasn't sure he'd want the eagle eye on him and Farrow either.

"I get it," he said honestly. "And I'm happy for you."

"Thanks, man." Ryder clapped him on the back, and they were silent for a moment. Since he was looking straight ahead, Levi noticed Farrow and Bree glancing back at them; Bree said something to Farrow, then paused while Farrow walked on ahead.

"May I cut in?" she asked, but the question was directed at Ryder.

"Of course," he beamed, then jogged to catch up with Farrow.

Levi raised a brow as Bree fell into step with him.

Wringing her hands, she glanced at him, then away. "You must think I'm a terrible person."

"What?" He stared at her, mouth a little agape. "No, I don't."

"Really?" Her clear green eyes were wide, and a little sad when she blinked at him. "I feel so bad for leading Jackson on. I didn't mean to—but I was a coward. I didn't think Ry would return my feelings, and Jackson is easy to like."

"You don't have to explain, Bree. It's not my business," he assured her. "And Jackson is fine."

"He's the best—and he deserves someone awesome," she smiled sadly. "And I know I don't need to explain, but I wanted to make sure everything is out in the open."

They were across the street from Wrigley Field now, and the group had stopped at the corner, waiting to cross—perfect time to wrap up this conversation, he thought.

"Well, now it is, and we can all put it behind us."

"Everyone except Ro," Bree chuckled as they turned at the corner with the rest of their group.

"What do you mean?"

Loudly enough for Farrow to hear, Bree said, "I mean, she'll be telling us both ‘I told you so' for the rest of our lives."

"Are you kidding?" Farrow turned her head to smirk at her friend. "I'm putting it in my maid of honor speech at your wedding."

Ryder balked a little at the jest, but there was no mistaking the smile he and Bree exchanged.

They breezed through security, and began making their way around what Ro thought of as the ‘catacombs' of the stadium—the alternately dimly lit and sunlit wraparound hall filled with concession stands, merch stands, and the restrooms. People moved in every direction, swiveling and sidestepping, zigging and zagging through the crush.

But she'd been held up getting her bag checked by security, and now she was falling behind. She could clearly see the others, only a few feet away, but it had taken her a little longer to pick her way around a line of people. Not to mention her legs were shorter.

Though she knew if she lost them she could easily call or text them, or meet them at their seats, a fissure of panic went through her at the idea they wouldn't notice she'd fallen behind. That they'd forget her, or be too absorbed in each other to notice her absence. Not for the first time, she cursed her social anxiety.

Levi was just in front of her, his tall frame and Bryant jersey right in her line of sight; she thought about calling out, but despite her fears, that smarted her pride, so instead she quickened her pace, turning her body to squeeze between the throng.

She saw the moment Levi's pace slowed a little, when he looked back over his shoulder to check that she was still there. Though he kept moving, when he saw she was still several paces behind, he pivoted slightly to reach his arm back and hold out his hand.

Relief was a warm breeze as she reached out to grasp it, and her heart skittered as he practically pulled her through the crowd, up to his side.

And didn't let go.

It was a simple gesture, but it touched her nonetheless. She smiled at the picture they must have made—the tall, handsome man in his Cubs jersey, and the short, petite woman in her Cardinals tee with "Pujols" emblazoned on the back.

He held on to her hand until they started up the stairs to the next level. The stairwell was less crowded, so it was a logical thing to do, but she was still disappointed by the loss of contact.

When they found their seats, several rows back from the home side dugout, everyone disregarded their assigned seats and coupled up, leaving Farrow sandwiched between Levi and Bree.

Her nervousness faded as the game began, and she settled back in her seat to soak in the familiarity and comfortable camaraderie of a professional baseball game. Though she was rooting for her beloved Cardinals, she wouldn't be terribly upset if her home team won, which helped her relax and enjoy the game even more.

They all got a beer when the vendor came around, which was particularly refreshing in the oppressively sticky humidity; Farrow also savored her ballpark hot dog—a personal tradition—from another vendor, while some of the others eventually got up for other concessions.

She paid special attention to the field whenever the Cardinals were at bat, and was on the edge of her seat every time Pujols came up. Her diligence was eventually rewarded in the fourth inning when he cracked a solo homer into right field, giving the Cardinals a one-nothing lead.

Levi smirked at her triumphant outburst, delighted she was so caught up in the game she didn't realize she'd allowed herself to cheer out loud. When she turned her head to find him smiling at her, he could tell she was surprised, but her own smile didn't dim, and she held his gaze for a beat before returning her attention to the game.

In the sixth inning, Levi noted Ro's change in mood when he felt her tense beside him. He looked away from the field, but didn't see anything unusual around them until he realized what was on the wide screen behind the outfield.

The Kiss Cam.

He felt his own body tense a little—whoever thought subjecting unsuspecting patrons to a public display of affection had obviously never considered that not everyone would want that kind of attention. Most people rolled with it, some even delighted in it, and sometimes it was cute, like when the camera fell on a parent and their child; but other times it was just plain awkward, like when it was obvious the spotlighted pair had no desire to kiss the other.

He'd never considered how he'd handle it, since the odds of the camera landing on him were slim.

But if it landed on him and Farrow…

Perhaps he'd just ask her what she wanted. As much as he wanted to kiss her, he didn't want their first kiss to be forced because of the Kiss Cam, under the watchful eyes of the entire stadium.

Please don't land on us. Please don't land on us.

He froze when, against the odds, the next camera shot cut to their row. He could feel how stricken Farrow was when she braced herself, could see her widened eyes reflected on the giant screen—and felt her relief as his own when they realized the camera was pointing at Bree and Ryder.

Maybe the operators behind the Kiss Cam were more perceptive than it appeared, at least in this instance, as they'd chosen the couple among their group most likely to not mind the attention, and be purposefully enthusiastic in their kiss.

As Levi cheered, he was surprised to see Ro beaming at them, and whooping with the rest of the crowd before the camera moved on.

She did, however, let out an audible sigh of relief once the spotlight was no longer on them. And after that, the game was fairly uneventful; the Cardinals ended up winning four to two, which made Farrow happy.

After the game, they all went back to the Nisei to hang for a bit and wait out the after-game traffic. This time, the bar was packed. They managed to snag a few stools at one end of the bar near the Baseball-Infused Mal?rt jar, Farrow, Bree, and Tina taking a seat while the guys stood behind them.

Levi found he didn't mind not having a seat, as it forced him to stand closer to Farrow than he normally would. He stood more to her side, and instead of leaning against the back of the chair, she leaned a little into him. If he questioned whether she was doing it on purpose, all doubt vanished when she turned her head to give him a sultry smile.

Eventually, Tina stretched and indicated her desire to go home.

"Did you guys drive in?" Bree asked.

"No, we hopped on the Swift," Jackson told her, referring to the L's yellow line, which ran from Skokie into the city.

"Perfect," she beamed. "Then we can all walk back to Addison together."

As they headed back in the direction of the field toward the L stop, they once again paired off, with Jackson and Tina up front, Ryder and Bree in the middle, and Levi and Farrow bringing up the rear.

"Do you have any other plans for the day?" he asked her.

She shrugged. "Probably just order take out and read a book. You?"

"Probably play video games with Jackson."

He caught the little quirk at the side of her mouth.

"What?"

She shook her head, her smile widening. "Nothing. Just, for some reason I pictured you being super competitive at video games."

"Oh, he is," Ryder called back over his shoulder. "Dude is merciless, especially in Mario Party."

Levi only smirked. "You're welcome to join us."

"Nah." Ryder slung his arm over Bree's shoulders. "Bree and I are going out to dinner."

As they approached the station, Levi realized he wasn't ready to part ways with Farrow yet. But she, Ryder, and Bree would get on a red line train going in a different direction than the rest of them. As if thinking the same thing, Bree looked back at Farrow.

"You gonna be alright?" she asked.

"Yeah," Farrow assured her. "My place isn't too far from my stop."

"Shit." Ryder dropped his arm and turned so he was walking sideways. "I'm sorry, Ro, I didn't think."

"I'll be fine, Ry."

"Did I miss something?" Levi asked.

"They're just worried about me being alone," Farrow informed him. "But it's nothing I haven't done before."

"Ah." Levi flicked a glance at Ryder, caught his subtle nod. "What if I walk you home?"

Farrow tilted her head. "Isn't that out of your way?"

"So? Jax and Tina can wait for me once they get back to the Skokie station."

She considered him a moment, and he spent that moment worrying she'd say no; she likely would be fine, but he wanted to prolong his time with her.

And dare he hope she returned the sentiment.

"Okay." Her smile was slow and warm. "Thank you."

He saw the knowing look Bree and Ryder exchanged; perhaps he was being a little obvious, but they also knew Farrow best, so perhaps he should take it as a vote of confidence.

As they entered the station, Levi explained the situation to Jackson and Tina, who smirked and assured him they would wait—if he needed them to. Ignoring her, Levi followed Farrow and the others to wait for a train going toward the city center.

They didn't have to wait long, thankfully, and the ride was as uneventful and full of awkward eye-contact avoidance as usual.

When they reached the stop closest to Bree's apartment, she and Ryder said their farewells and got off, leaving their friends to be alone at last.

"You think he'll finally make a move?" Ryder wondered aloud.

Bree smiled, slid her hand into his. "If he doesn't, I think she'll ask him to stay."

After a few more minutes on the train, Farrow and Levi reached Farrow's stop at Fullerton. They exited the station in silence, Levi following just beside her as he considered what to say. Perhaps he should take Ryder's example and ask if Farrow wanted to grab dinner with him.

It was a nice neighborhood—an area of Lincoln Park close to the zoo—and he'd spotted several interesting-looking restaurants. He was still debating when they made a turn, and Farrow indicated it was her street.

As they approached her gate, she pulled out her keys, clutching them like a lifeline. She was clearly nervous, but he couldn't tell if he made her nervous, or if she was making herself nervous by overthinking. Just in case, he made sure to put a little bit of space between them when they stopped at her gate, and slid his hands into his pockets.

She unlocked it, pushed it open a few inches, the high-pitched groan of the iron piercing the silence, lingering like a question between them. She paused to turn back toward him, and he wondered what she was thinking when she tilted her head up at him, assessing as her fingers fiddled with a keychain of a wooden bat on her keyring.

"Thanks for walking me home," she said softly.

"You're welcome, anytime."

Should he kiss her? Hug her? Wave goodbye? All of the above?

Shit, why was this so hard?

When she said nothing further, he concluded a simple farewell might be best, and gave her a friendly smile.

"I'll see you at practice on Monday."

She nodded. "Yeah. See you then."

He nodded back before turning around and heading down the sidewalk. Well that wasn't awkward at all, he thought, the shrill creaking of the gate opening wider reverberating around in his head.

And then, the unmistakable sound of her voice calling his name.

His feet halted, and his body turned halfway around before his brain fully registered she'd called after him. She stood, one hand on a rung of the open gate, teeth pulling at her bottom lip as he waited for her to speak.

Finally she said, "Do you…want to come in?"

Hell yes.

"Sure."

Her smile was so shy and relieved, his heart deflated and re-inflated all at once. He was by her side in seconds—he hadn't gotten very far down the street—and before he knew it he was on the other side of the gate as she closed and locked it. He shot off a quick text to Jackson (who wouldn't tease him) not to wait for him, then followed her quietly into the building and up into her apartment.