Chapter 12 #2
“Oh hush all that nonsense, you ain’t change nothing, I just decided since I fell in love witchu there was no way I would ever let the game get in the way of our love.
Even if it meant losing the battle to root for the better team alone.
” I smirked as I glanced over at Hollis who looked on with a mix of a smile and pain in her eyes, giving a bittersweet expression.
“That’s beautiful,” Hollis said quietly.
“So how long have you two been together?” the lady asked, bringing my attention back to them.
“We’ve been married for eleven years, with our anniversary coming up in late August. But if you ask me the truth, this woman has owned my heart since the day she sat next to me in the fifth grade.
” I grabbed Hollis's hand, kissing the back while I stared into her sad brown eyes, now welling with tears, hoping mine spoke louder than hers. She needed to know too.
And still do and will forever will.
The first tear slipped and I used our still connected hand to wipe it away and I leaned in to kiss the wet spot.
“Oh how sweet, childhood sweethearts,” the lady said.
“Oh God no. He had to work very hard to earn me,” Hollis said as she playfully rolled her eyes at me, which had the couple laughing and me grinning.
Shit, I’m still putting in work to earn you back.
“And that’s how you do it, sweetie. Keep him on his toes,” the lady co-signed, causing her husband to groan and mumble something just as the doors opened.
“Well, this is us. It was very nice meeting you two. We’ll be watching tomorrow, take ’em to church tomorrow, Deacon,” the man said as he stepped off, taking his lady by the hand.
“It was nice meeting you too and you already know how we do.” Once the door closed again, Hollis spoke, putting us back on the topic of her demands.
“Luke, I want room service. I’m talking one of everything. Not tonight but just know I’m running up a bill for breakfast.” I smiled as the doors opened again, leading us to our suite. Since I knew I would be traveling with Hollis, I’d asked the coach to upgrade my room.
“For you, you can have whatever you like.”
After a shower for both of us, I watched as Hollis unpacked her things while I conditioned my glove.
“Damn, I didn’t even ask how long you would be here when I was packing. Some of these outfits might be repeated if it’s longer than two nights.” I chuckled as I watched her lay out her jersey for the game.
“Three nights. This is a four day series.”
Hollis held her head to the side, then shrugged.
“Welp, I guess I’m using the hotel services to wash something.”
“Or you could go buy something. We’re down here in Austin Peaks. You can do one of their outlets after your buffet style room service,” I tossed out, putting my gaze back down on what I was doing.
“Yeah, that might work because I can’t have those wives talking shit about me. I might sit in the stands anyways. I need a break from the real baseball wives of Crescent Falls. They’re still talking about Lolly and James and I need a break,” she groaned as she rubbed her temples.
“I heard you be mugging the fuck outta some of the wives. I forgot to tell you to be nice.”
“Ugh, and which gossiping ass WAG ran back and told their husband that? I don’t mug, but I damn sure don’t be smiling the whole time.”
“Gossiping coming from you is wild, Hershey, and you already know Angie told Shep.” She frowned.
“It was harmless. Angie likes you and thinks you’re funny and keep her and a couple others entertained. We even got you ladies suite seats for the games this week. I can’t even lie, I’m low key jealous that they get to see that side of you. I miss her.”
“She misses you too.” Her voice was light and low. I was positive I wasn’t supposed to hear her but I had. I looked up, staring too long as she finally looked at me.
We went unmoved until her eyes fell to my glove.
“I will never understand how you play the damn game and still don’t know how to do that right. Here, pass it to me.” She made her way between my legs, her hand stretching for the glove and towel.
“And for someone who has never done more than toss a few balls, you swear you know more than me,” I said not even protesting to hand it over. This was one of our things.
Hollis had trained herself on conditioning and breaking in my gloves over the years when we were together, even going as far as buying my last one before she left me.
“Because I do, duh! And I tossed more than a few. You better act like before the team and the league it wasn’t me in the backyard with you going for hours. Now watch out while I handle this for—” Her sentence cut off and I heard a low audible gasp as she looked over the glove.
It was the same one she’d bought all those years ago. It was a wedding present and the only one I had kept up with over the years besides the fifty dollar wedding band back home in a box of memories of us. Besides my love for her, it was my most prized possession.
In the beginning of our end, I couldn’t bring myself to replace it. It was all I had left of her with me. Then it became a superstition thing, or so I said to make it make sense why I still had a glove that was over ten years old.
“Well, my bad. I guess I have to take back my words. I can’t believe you still have this glove, Luke. How has it lasted this long?”
“My photogenic memory of watching you care for it, and well, of course replacing the strings to help tighten her back up.”
“Her?”
I grabbed the glove, opening it wide so she could see her name I had engraved with a message.
Hollis Deacon ~ Forever Loving You
This time her pulling in air wasn’t missed as she covered her mouth.
“When did you do this and why? I know we’re supposed to be making the world believe us, but this… Don’t you think this was too much?”
“The engraving isn’t new, so no. I did this at a time when my heart yearned to hold you, so I came up with the second best way I knew I could make it happen.”
“When was that?”
“Before I lost you.”
“Why didn’t you replace it then? We had broken up.” she asked in a hushed tone while I watched her run her fingertips over her name.
I paused, debating if I wanted to tell her the truth, my truth, or hold it in. I wasn’t sure if she could handle it or not. When her heavy gaze met mine, I got my unspoken answer.
“Because even with you deciding to leave me, I still wanted to hold you.”
Still do.
“And now?” She whispered this time, but I heard her loud and clear.
“Hershey, my arms will always want to hold you. They were made to cover you in them. Even if you hate me.” She kissed her teeth then put her attention back on the glove.
“Luke, I don’t hate you.” She lied with a silly ass grin on her face, which had me laughing lowly as I took a seat next to her on the bed.
“Bullshit. So we lying to each other now? I mean, it’s cool if you do, shit, not really, but I can respect the part I played to switch your feelings for me. It doesn’t change my feelings for you.”
“I’m not lying. Well, not fully. My hate is growing to dislike more.”
“Aw shit, I’m moving up on the list, huh? What do I have to do to make it to the like stage? I’m trying to move like this after you decide to leave my ass again.” Hollis’s laugh was light as she shook her head.
“Move like what? Sharing hotel rooms and beds?”
I shrugged. “As bad as I want to say hell yeah, no, as friends at least first. Shit, I mean, six months is a long time to share a space. We could at least enjoy each other’s company.”
“Friends? As if we were ever that to begin with. I don’t see how that would work, especially when you just openly admitted to still loving me.”
“I never admitted that. I said my feelings hadn’t changed.”
“Exactly, meaning what?”
“Meaning I don’t hate you. You’re still one of my favorite people who I enjoy being around, so friends?”
“No, because you’re not one of mine. And what do I get from being friends with you, Luke?”
“Damn… still? We gotta move me up the list more then. I’m trying to be the top person, number one. And Hershey, you already know you can have whatever you want from me.”
“Wow, whatever I want and only friends,” she said sarcastically as she handed me my glove. I put it on so she could continue conditioning it.
“Yes, just friends. I won’t lie like other people in the room, but I want to keep you in my life. If all I can be is your friend this time around, then I want that position.”
“Who lied? Not me.”
“Yes you. Tell me you didn’t have fun today. C’mon, tell me sweet lies.”
Hollis stopped rubbing the rag but wouldn’t meet my gaze.
“Fine, I did, even with your scary ass wanting to hold my hand on every ride.”
We shared a laugh because even on the Ferris Wheel, we held hands.
“Oh girl, stop playing. You know you loved it. Acting like you didn’t want to hold my damn hand.” I snorted as she pushed me playfully.
“Whatever, I barely like you.”
“Now it’s barely. Shit, I’m moving up fast. I bet I can make you wanna be my friend by the end of our trip here,” I said as she released my hand, glove and all.
“How you figure that?”
I stood there rubbing the glove still on my hand, then it came to me.
“That’s what I want as my winning gift from the hide and seek game.
” Yeah, I was pushing my luck, because no matter if I won or not, Hollis could tell my ass no and there was nothing I could do about it but cash in another request. When she tilted her head to the side as she gave me that death stare that had me smiling harder, I knew what her response would be.
“Good night, Luke.” I chuckled lowly. Hollis was kicking me out to the couch, meaning the conversation was over tonight, but by the end of the series I would be friends with my wife.
“Damn, I guess not. It’s cool though. I’ma earn that spot back. Good night, Hershey, thanks for the glove.”
I took one last glance at her before I left the room, going for the living room where my pillow and blanket were waiting for me.