Chapter 8 #2
Until her favorite customer arrived.
“Jess!” Troy toasted her with his giant cup of soda. “Winston told me about your amazing game at Horn Beach! It sounds like things have been going great for everyone. Well, except for Viv and Lee losing today.”
She nodded and handed Troy his rings. “It had to happen eventually, I guess.”
“But you won one, right? That must feel good.” He scored on the center bottle with his first throw.
The win in Horn Beach felt like it had happened years ago. Did she feel good? No. She felt rejected. Alone. Not lovable.
Because it wasn’t just Skye, if she was being honest. Since Phoenix, she hadn’t had any serious relationships.
A few dates, a few hookups, but nothing that ever went anywhere.
The other women didn’t like her enough. They “didn’t feel an authentic connection,” or “were still processing some things” with their ex, or, now, needed to “focus on” themselves.
Troy tossed another ring, hand steady. Direct hit. He didn’t seem to mind waiting for her reply.
What if she never found a life partner? She tried to answer Troy’s question but asked her own instead. “How did you and Sunny end up together?”
He held up a ring, poised to toss it, but didn’t actually throw it. “Depends on your definition of ‘together.’ We were friends in high school, and everyone but us knew we liked each other. She asked me to prom.”
Jess nodded. “So … you’ve never had to worry about not being able to find anyone.”
Teddy frowned thoughtfully and tossed the ring. Miss. He turned to study her. “It’s hard, isn’t it, to put yourself out there and hope someone sees that little piece of their soul in you?”
Jess blinked over watery eyes. “Especially when no one ever wants you.”
Troy shook his head. “That cannot be true.” He hit his next two shots. “Cannot be.”
“Why would you say that?”
“I’ve known you for two seasons now, and you are a beautiful soul, inside and out.
That very first day, you brought cookies for the entire league.
You are professional and kind, and I know how much you care about the game.
And here is the thing—all of that’s true whether you have a partner or not.
You are a whole, complete person on your own. Don’t forget that.”
Again with the tears. She sniffled and searched for a tissue under the counter. “You know, you’re a really good team manager.”
“Everything will work out for you, Jess. Trust me.” He scored with his remaining rings.
“Twenty-five points.” Her voice was still a little watery. She handed him a ticket.
He tucked it in his pocket. “Trust me,” he said again. He collected his soda and waved, heading off to find his Sunny.
Jess leaned her hip on the counter. The sun was hanging low over the horizon, glinting off the water. A waft of the buttery popcorn smell from the nearest cart hit her.
Her phone buzzed. A text from Vivienne, of all people. Hey, thanks for the banana bread, I already ate a whole loaf. Then another text came in.
The Saturday Losers Club is going to Maggie’s for drinks. You and Tania in?
Jess bristled. I thought it didn’t matter if you won or lost?
It doesn’t, but if I lose at least I can go get shit-faced.
Jess imagined having to put up with Vivienne all night and decided she’d had enough of beautiful women walking all over her for now. I’ll pass.
Aw, come on. You can talk about my win–loss record all you want.
Jess’s thumbs hovered over the keyboard. Did she tell Vivienne she just got dumped and wanted to go sulk in her bathtub with a mug of tea and a bag of animal crackers? I really don’t feel like going out. Long day at work, she said instead.
Boring.
Jess clenched her jaw. She could hear the word in Vivienne’s snooty, judgmental tone. What did Vivienne want from her, anyway? They weren’t even friends. They actively disliked each other, even. Then I guess I’m boring.
Vivienne sent the thumbs-up emoji. What the fuck did that mean? Jesus, she was sick of women right now. Time to go pick up her dog.
Of course she forgot that she had promised Nelson an update on the Skye situation.
“Oh no,” Nelson said when he saw her face.
It was not lost on Jess that the people she was closest to read her face like a book. She didn’t even need to say anything.
“Don’t worry about it, baby girl.” Nelson handed Fleming over. “You don’t need a woman to complete you.”
Jess sighed. “That’s what everyone keeps saying. Still sucks.” She also noticed that her friends seemed to have much more confidence in her than she had in herself. Too bad they were deluded.
She took Fleming home and was just settling into her bubble bath with Bianca Collazo’s Pacific League game on her phone when it buzzed.
She narrowly saved it from plunging into the soapy depths and opened the text.
It was a photo from Vivienne—a selfie of her, Lee, and Chrissy.
It was angled from up high and right down into Vivienne’s cleavage.
She was smiling in a rather seductive way, lips hardly curling, eyes lidded.
… She looked fucking hot and it was extremely annoying.
Jess wasn’t sure how she was supposed to reply.
She sent back a thumbs-up, lobbed her phone out of reach, and sank down deep into the bubbles.