22. Boston

TWENTY-TWO

boston

"Thanks for the coffee," she tried to speak with the toothbrush still in her mouth, emerging from the hotel bathroom with a frothy grin.

"Only the best for you, gorgeous," I called out, leaning against the door frame.

"Ugh, do we have to leave? Can’t we just—I don't know—live here forever?" She gestured at the cramped but cozy room, half-joking, but there was a wishful tone behind her words.

I smiled, walking over to hand her the cup. "You’re going to be a big star one day. You've got many hotel rooms ahead of you to enjoy."

She spat out the toothpaste and rinsed her mouth before accepting the coffee with a grateful smile. "You really believe I'll make it, huh?"

"Always your biggest fan," I said.

As we started shoving clothes into our bags, I glanced at Chandler. "So, how many points did I score this weekend?"

Chandler zipped up her suitcase and sat on the bed, a smirk playing on her lips. "Keeping my cards close to my chest for now, thank you very much."

"Alright then, I'll just have to keep working at it," I replied with a wink.

"I wouldn't expect anything less," she said, her eyes sparkling.

"Hey," Chandler added, as she slung her purse over her shoulder, "I'm gonna swing by Willow’s room. I’ll meet you at the buses?"

"Sounds good," I nodded toward her half-closed suitcase. "Leave your bags. I'll take them all down."

"Thanks," she said, stepping closer. "You’re the best, you know that?"

She leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to my lips. As she pulled back, my hand instinctively reached out to graze her arm, wanting to hold on to her for just a second longer.

"See you soon," she whispered, her breath warm against my skin.

"See you," I echoed.

With one last look, Chandler grabbed her coffee and slipped out of the room, leaving behind the scent of her shampoo mingling with my coffee.

Back at the bus, luggage was being stowed away, signaling the end of our brief escape. As we lined up to find our seats, Bailey's snicker was unmistakable. "Crew hooked up with twins last night," he said, nudging Parker with his elbow.

Parker shook his head, covering his face. "That’s not a flex, that’s deeply disturbing."

From his seat, Crew tipped his hat back, his grin all shades of sly. "I will neither affirm nor deny that accusation," he drawled.

"Reese hooked up with someone too," Parker continued, scanning the group. My gaze fell on Chandler, who quickly looked away, her expression unreadable.

"Whoa, jumping to conclusions, aren't we?" Reese countered, leaving everyone curious about the accusation.

"Actually, he's jumping to the right conclusion," Bailey interjected, with a grin. "The bartender said you already closed our tab then left with a blonde."

"Remind me to leave you with the tab next time," Reese shot back. “And when have I ever been with a blonde?”

“He’s got a point there. He only hooks up with brunettes.” Crew nodded.

"And where did you sleep, Bailey? There’s no chance you made it to your own room," Reese asked, giving him a knowing look.

Bailey laughed. "I stayed in Willow's room. But behaving isn’t really my style."

Parker paused for a moment, interrupting Bailey before he could speak. “Wait-–if you were in Willow’s room..." Parker's eyes narrowed, then turned to Chandler, "...where did you sleep?"

Frozen, Willow and Chandler exchanged a silent conversation. I felt the weight of the moment settle over us.

"I let her have the bed in my room," I said, trying to keep my voice steady despite the hammering of my heart.

Relief washed over Parker's face. "Oh, thanks for looking out for her, man."

I nodded, the guilt gnawing at me. He had no idea what his sister and I had really done, and after last night, I knew I had to tell Parker how I felt about her.

Reese took a seat, shooting me a subtle smirk—just enough to suggest that he somehow knew what had gone down between me and Chandler. It felt like silent approval, even though I couldn’t ignore the fact that he’d once had feelings for her. Maybe he still did.

The bus rolled into the Blue Devils' lot, the familiar sight of the field stirring everyone from their slumbers. Chandler shifted beside me, her head lifting from my shoulder where it had been resting during the ride. As if on cue, Bailey's eyes met mine from across the aisle, his expression a mix of amusement and annoyance. That glare could only mean one thing—I still owed him for the underwear fiasco.

"Sorry, man," I mouthed to him, offering what I hoped was an apologetic grin. He just shook his head, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Hey," I whispered to Chandler, leaning in so only she could hear. "I had fun with you this weekend, pretty girl."

Her tired hazel eyes gleamed as she turned to me, a soft smile curving her lips. "I did too."

The bus came to a gentle stop, and everyone around us began to stretch their limbs and gather belongings. Seizing the moment, I continued, "Are you going to dollar beer night tonight?"

"Possibly," she replied.

"Okay, Parker’s going," I said, feeling the weight of the previous night's events pressing between us. "I think I might try to find a way to talk to him, if you're okay with it. After last night... I think he needs to know that I really do care about you."

She hesitated for a moment, biting her lip in thought, then nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine with it. Just not sure how he'll feel about it."

"Just leave it to me," I assured her, reaching out to tenderly rub her cheek with the pad of my thumb. Her skin was soft against the roughness of my hand.

As if on cue, everyone started to stand up. We rose together, caught in the flow of everyone eager to get off. "See you tonight, then," I said, stepping aside to let her pass.

"See you," Chandler echoed, her gaze lingering on mine before she turned to join the others.

Tonight was more than just dollar beers for me—it was about being honest with Parker, and maybe even taking a step forward in whatever this thing with Chandler was turning into. I just hoped he would understand.

Later that evening, Parker threw an arm around my shoulder as we made our way inside the bar, his laughter booming above the chatter and clinking bottles.

"Man, I missed doing this with you this past year," he said, scanning the crowd for our teammates.

"Same," I agreed, before signaling the bartender for a couple of beers.

Parker grinned, accepting the frosty bottles with a nod of thanks. We navigated our way to the back tables where our teammates were scattered either playing pool or throwing darts.

"Reese!" Bailey called out, a lopsided grin plastered on his face. "You ever gonna tell us the details about this blonde you hooked up with?"

The room erupted into a mix of snickers and curious glances, everyone suddenly all ears.

"Bailey, why are you so obsessed with my sex life? You want to see my dick? Just ask," he quipped, taking a sip of his drink with a nonchalance.

“Maybe I am asking.” Bailey shot him a nod, his smile never wavered.

Crew lined up his shot, a sly wink aimed at Bailey before the sharp crack of the pool ball echoed through the chatter. "I hooked up with two blondes," he boasted, chalking his cue after the successful pocket.

"Yeah twins, you sick fuck," Bailey tossed back, shaking his head but chuckling all the same.

I leaned against the wall, amused by the banter, watching as Parker wandered over, beer in hand, about to interject something in this ridiculous conversation.

"Speaking of hook-ups," Parker began, his gaze directed at Bailey. "What’s the deal with you and Willow? Christ, were those her panties you wore at practice?"

Bailey sent a glare my way before he answered Parker. "Man, I wish I could say they were," he confessed. "But I can promise you those panties weren’t hers. And we all know a gentleman doesn’t kiss and tell, anyway."

"Here's to women Bailey hasn’t hooked up with," I toasted, raising my drink with a small smile.

"Until they decide otherwise," Bailey chimed in, raising his bottle to join ours. The glasses clinked together as we continued on with our night.

"Hey, Park," I nudged him. He turned to me. "Could we talk? Out back on the patio?"

"Sure thing," Parker replied with an easy grin.

We made our way over to an empty picnic table on the patio. The wooden surface was worn smooth, and beyond the railings was a view of the lake.

Parker sat down across from me. "What's going on, man?" he asked, leaning forward with genuine concern etched onto his face.

"Being around you and the boys this summer has been good for me," I started, my fingers tracing the grain of the wood. "It's helped me clear my head, not focus so much on the bullshit stuff with my mom."

"Sometimes, that's all you need, right? A little distraction, some good company." Parker nodded, understanding flickering in his gaze.

"Maybe it was." I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding in.

Parker leaned back, the wooden bench creaking under his weight. He took a long swig from his beer, then turned to me with a small grin. "Missed the old Boston this year, man," he said, setting his bottle down. "I’m glad you’re letting yourself have some fun again."

"Yeah, I’m trying," I replied, my eyes drifting toward the still water for a moment before meeting his gaze again.

"Listen, Parker, there's something else I need to talk to you about." My voice came out more uncertain than I intended. It was now or never. "I'm not sure how to say it, so I'm just going to?—"

He raised an eyebrow, waiting for me to continue.

I drew in a deep breath, feeling the fresh air fill my lungs. "I really like Chandler," I confessed, the name feeling like a weight off my chest. "Like, I like her a lot and?—"

"Boston, come on man, are you serious?" Parker interrupted me, sharp with disbelief. I was taken back for a moment, but I held his gaze steadily.

"Yes, I'm serious," I said firmly. "I wouldn't be talking to you about this if I wasn't serious about her."

Parker leaned forward, his elbows resting on the table, and he ran a hand through his hair. We sat in silence for a moment that stretched too long. Finally, he took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Fucking hell. We're really doing this." He glanced up at me, his expression unreadable. "Alright. I know you guys think I'm an idiot, but I knew?—"

"Knew what?" I asked, my curiosity piqued despite the anxiety knotting in my stomach. Could he have known about everything that happened between me and Chandler this weekend?

"About all the times you passed her Monopoly money under the table growing up, or you'd sneak her your draw fours in Uno." Parker shook his head, almost laughing. "I knew there was no way she could have beat me at everything. But you did it for some stupid reason, and I saw that it made you smile to see her happy... so I always let it go."

"You knew about that?" I asked, taken back by his words.

"Hey, I notice more than you give me credit for." He smirked, then his face softened. "Told you, I'm not as stupid as I look. Look, Boston," Parker leaned forward, resting his elbows on the weathered wood of the picnic table. "I know you, man. You're like a brother to me. And I've seen how you are with her—always looking out for Chandler, even when she didn't notice."

I nodded, feeling a swell of gratitude for his recognition. Parker's gaze lingered on the surface of the water before he turned back to me, his eyes narrowing slightly as if weighing his words.

"But here's the deal," Parker continued, locking his gaze with mine, "if you take that leap, and you two decide to be together... Don't hurt her. I don’t want our friendship to be over because things go south between you two."

"I’m thinking of her first, Park, always." I tightened my jaw, narrowing my eyes. "Hurting her is the last thing I want. I care about her more than I've ever cared about anyone."

Parker studied me for a moment longer, searching my eyes for the truth of my words. Finally, he gave a slow nod, a silent pact sealed between us under the night sky.

We both rose from the bench. Parker stepped in, wrapping his arms around me in a brotherly embrace. "Good talk. Love you, man," he murmured.

"Love you too, Park." I clapped him solidly on the back.

The bar was loud with laughter and the clinking of glasses as we made our way back inside. Chandler and Willow were sitting on stools at the bar drawing everyone's attention. Chandler caught my eye immediately, even in a simple tank top and shorts.

"Hey, beautiful," I said, sliding my hand around her waist as I approached. She turned, her hazel eyes lighting up, as she saw me.

"Hey you," she replied with a smile.

"I talked to Parker," I said, just loud enough for her to catch. "All good. He's not mad."

She turned to me with an expression that held a flicker of disbelief. "What, really?" Her eyes searched mine for confirmation.

"Yeah, it's all good," I said with a confident nod that I hoped would dissolve any lingering worries. Relief washed over her face.

"Can I get a round of shots?" Parker asked the bartender, as he motioned to our group.

"You're the catcher, right?" A girl leaning against the edge of the bar asked Parker.

"Depends who's asking, sweetheart," he replied, tossing back a flirtatious tone with a lopsided grin.

She stepped closer, as she said, "I'm asking." Her gaze dropped momentarily in a way that left little to the imagination, then snapped back up to his.

Bailey stood on the other side of Parker, eyebrow cocked. "Tell us," he said, with a grin, "why are you looking for the catcher?"

"Well," she purred. “A few of my friends and I couldn't help but admire how cute the catcher's butt looked in those baseball pants." She tossed a nod over her shoulder, where a table of girls behind her waved and giggled.

One of the freshly poured shots was snatched up by the girl's hand. But before it reached her lips, Willow intercepted the glass with a swift motion.

"Sorry, honey," Willow quipped, her eyes sparking with possessive fire. The shot glass hovered at her lips for a second before she threw it back. "He might look good in a pair of baseball pants, but he's too good for some jersey chasers."

The girl's mouth twisted into a sneer before she folded her arms and marched back to her group of friends. Willow huffed angrily and took off, leaving the rest of us in a heavy silence.