Chapter Forty-Two

Bec

“ B arbie has a fucking last name? I don’t believe it,” Dylan says incredulously from across the table.

“Believe it, bitch. It’s Roberts. Now, write it down. We only have forty-five seconds to turn in our answer,” Dee responds confidently beside me. Aiden is sitting on my other side, his arm around the back of my chair.

Earlier today, the Aviators walked away from their home opener with a win. The group of us who went to cheer for Aiden met at a bar downtown afterward to celebrate. Once Dee realized the bar was hosting a trivia night, she forced us all to participate. The competitor in her just can’t help herself.

For the last hour, she’s been working Dylan up with her extensive trivia knowledge while every single one of his guesses has been wrong. I’ve enjoyed sitting back and watching them go at it. They both bring plenty of fire and stubborn confidence—borderline arrogance—to the table.

“How the fuck do you know that, Dee? For some weird reason, I can only imagine you cutting off your Barbies’ hair in a fit of rage, thriving in the anarchy of it all,” Dylan says.

“And you’re not wrong, sweetie pie,” Dee retorts. “My dolls all got badass haircuts compliments of yours truly. They looked like damn runway models when I was done with them.”

The announcer confirms that Dee’s answer is correct, and I swear I hear Dylan muttering curses under his breath before taking a big gulp of his beer. Dee smirks at him while chomping on a crispy fry.

“I’m almost scared to try to answer any of the questions with the encyclopedia sitting next to you,” Aiden murmurs in my ear.

“You and I both. With any luck, she’ll share her winnings before she realizes how much pain she should be in from carrying all of us on her back to victory,” I say quietly enough that only he hears.

“Next round is on us,” Dom calls out as he and Ellie rejoin the table with two buckets of beer to share.

“How is Luca doing with your parents tonight, Ellie?” Carissa asks.

“Well, he refused to nap but took a bottle, so I’m calling it a partial win,” Ellie responds. “Even if that means bedtime is going to be an absolute shit show,” she adds, grimacing.

Ellie has been doing her best adjusting to spending time away from Luca, especially since she’s gone back to work. She tries to make time to go out with friends while also making some time for herself, but she always seems more relaxed when she brings Luca with her instead. Lately, all of our get-togethers have been with Luca around, which we all love. But she didn’t feel comfortable bringing him to the game today, so to the grandparents he went…with plenty of video chats to check in.

“You be sure to call his favorite uncles over when you’re ready for your next break. We’d be happy to take the night shift if you two need some rest,” Chris offers, and Ellie leans into his side, wrapping her arms around his waist.

“You really are the best brother-in-law,” she says.

“What the fuck, Ellie? I’m sitting right here,” Jake yells over the roar of the bar as the trivia MC calls out the next answer, which Dee also guessed correctly.

“Did you offer to watch your nephew so I can sleep?” Ellie asks sarcastically, still squeezing Chris tight, and he wraps his arms around her protectively.

“Yeah, did you, Jake?” Chris asks. Ellie and Chris always team up against Jake and Dom. When they met, it was agreed that the married-in siblings have to have each other’s backs, and they take one another’s side in every disagreement I’ve ever seen between the four of them.

“No, but we all know if Chris is there, then he’s dragging me along too. Whatever, I don’t need to be your favorite brother, Ellie. When Luca’s old enough to know better, I’ll be the favorite uncle. Just give it time. You wait and see,” Jake says with a pout.

“Aiden, I was impressed with your pitcher’s command of the strike zone tonight,” Abby says, grabbing my attention.

“Oh yeah? Big fan I take it?” Aiden asks.

“Eh, I grew up playing softball. I can appreciate a good pitch when I see one,” she says with a shrug.

“Abby’s trying to teach me the lingo,” I say.

Aiden eyes me skeptically, a smirk pulling at the side of his mouth before he asks, “Babe, what are you talking about?”

“Well, I don’t know anything about baseball. When the announcers say stuff about you, I want to know what they’re talking about,” I respond.

“And how did that go today?” he asks, his lips pulling into an uneven smile.

“It could have gone better, but I was distracted by the soft pretzels. Those are delicious by the way,” I say.

He leans in close, humming low in my ear. “Almost as delicious as you. ”

I bump my shoulder into his and take a quick look around the table of our friends, who have broken off into several conversations. It strikes me how much I appreciate being here with Aiden. It helps that he’s met everyone before and he’s close with Dom and Dylan, but it still feels surprisingly easy having him join me in the group I’ve known for so long. It’s always felt awkward bringing someone I’m dating to hang out with my friends…but not Aiden.

Even with Josh—who was my longest relationship to date—it was always uncomfortable trying to bring him into the larger group. Most of that was probably my fault. I could never really be myself around him. I didn’t want to pretend to be someone else around the people who know me best, so I wound up feeling so confused I mostly just kept quiet during those hangouts, keeping to smaller side conversations if anything.

I’ve always held a piece of me back, thinking that when I met the right person, it’d be easy to let someone in. I’m sure I’m missing some kind of life lesson here, where I should make myself more vulnerable, but being with Aiden has only solidified my belief. Because none of this feels forced. Every moment I spend with him feels genuine. It shines a light on how painfully wrong all my past dating attempts have been. Maybe it really is that natural, that comfortable, with the right person.

I’m still reflecting on this when I excuse myself to the bathroom. I’m so distracted by my own thoughts that I barely catch myself before running headfirst into someone as I exit the restroom.

“Oh shit, sorry. Didn’t see you there. Excuse me,” I say, keeping my gaze on my phone, stepping to the side to let them pass me.

“Bec?”

Fuck, I know that voice.

“Hey, Josh,” I say, turning toward him.

“Bec, wow. It’s really good to see you,” he says with enthusiasm. “ I mean…you look incredible. How have you been?”

I haven’t heard anything from him obviously, since I blocked his number. I thought when I did finally see him again, the heartache and embarrassment would come rushing back as if it had never dulled, but I was wrong. Seeing him now, after knowing what it’s like to be with Aiden, it’s almost laughable how little I feel.

I know without a doubt that Josh was right to end things between us. We could never work. Yes, he’s wrong to have strung me along like that after breaking up with me. To keep looking at me as if I could find his soul mate for him, but I recognize that he’s probably just feeling lost himself. Holding out hope that somehow, by reaching out to me, he was at least taking action, trying to find his person. He’s wrong for the way that he went about it, but I think I understand him a little better now.

It’s a relief to know that whatever hold he used to have on my emotions, it’s gone now.

“I’m good,” I answer. “Doing better than I have in a while.”

“Oh, that’s great. I’ve been thinking about you a lot. You haven’t answered my calls lately, not sure what that’s about, but that’s okay, I guess. Maybe we could get a drink sometime. I’m about to call it a night, I’m on a blind date right now, but I can tell she doesn’t compare to you.”

Oookay, is he fucking serious right now?

“No thanks, I’m seeing somebody.” As much as I resent the way Josh acted since our breakup, and clearly, he’s undeserving of the blind date he’s here with tonight, I still hope someday he finds his person. And he gets his head out of his own ass before then. He’s got some work to do.

“Already? It can’t be serious, right?” His stance changes, and he sounds disgusted.

Already ?

As if the eight months we’ve spent apart mean nothing at all and his drunk calls mean everything. As if he deserves for me to wait for him. As if I deserve to feel like shit, shaking my confidence with every repeat rejection he delivers. As if he didn’t just admit to being on a date himself?

The overwhelming desire to cry flares as anger floods my veins and I do my best to will it away. Any overwhelming emotion always comes out as tears. So goddamn annoying. Before a single drop can spill onto my cheek, I feel a hand on my lower back, warm and comforting.

“It’s serious,” Aiden says firmly. His presence alone instantly causes my shoulders to drop in relief. For once, I don’t have to face Josh’s scrutiny and indecision alone. Instead of embarrassment, I feel safe having Aiden here for this conversation. Like for once, someone is protecting my heart instead of ripping it open to see if the contents meet their needs and expectations.

Aiden’s never looked at me like he was weighing my worth and what benefit I could bring to the table. He’s only looked at me with curiosity, intrigue, passion, and warmth. The contrast between a future with him at my back and my past standing in front of me is stark.

“Aiden Price? As in the Aviators’ second baseman? Congrats on the game, man,” Josh says, a note of hesitation in his voice. He’s still trying to piece together what he sees in front of him.

“Thanks, but I’d be even more appreciative if you’d drop the condescension from your tone when you’re speaking to Bec.”

Okay, why the fuck is that so hot?

“No offense, but Bec and I have a history that you don’t need to concern yourself with.”

“You’re right. Because it’s history . I suggest you lose her number because she doesn’t want to speak to you, in case her not answering your calls wasn’t a big enough clue.” He dismisses Josh by turning me toward him and running his hand along my jaw to pull my gaze up to his. “You ready to go home, beautiful?”

And the tear that originated from anger melts into something sweeter as it finally topples over onto my cheek. Aiden wipes it away quickly, and I smile and nod. “I’m ready.”