Chapter Fourteen
Ellie
Six Weeks Later
T he ball diamonds at the local high school hum with excitement as several teams from nearby counties come together for the annual Baseball Invades the Rockies tournament on this extremely hot summer day.
Bear and I sit perched on the metal bleachers at Diamond One, proudly sporting our matching green and white raglan jerseys with the number eleven in support of Gunnar.
Beside us, Hollis and Poppy radiate the same energy, their cheers rivaling ours as they root for Mike. Penny and Harlow sit opposite them, completing our spirited team.
The stakes are high as we battle for first place. In addition to the tournament trophy, the winning team will be awarded a grand prize of $2,500 to donate to a charity of their choosing.
It’s been a close game right from the start, and it has created a lot of tension, especially from the opposing team. They have yelled at the poor ump all game, challenging every call he has made, and it only escalates as we head into the final inning with Mike stepping up to the pitcher’s mound.
“You got this, Mountie Mike!” Poppy cheers, her ice cream slowly succumbing to the sweltering heat as she roots for her big brother. “Strike him out. ”
Bear barks his support, prompting a smile from each of us.
“Does he look nervous to you?” Poppy asks, shifting her gaze to Hollis.
“Maybe a little,” Hollis replies. “It’s a close game and there’s always a lot of pressure on a pitcher.”
“I’m sure the heat isn’t helping,” Harlow adds, fanning herself with the tournament’s brochure. “It’s hotter than Satan’s aaa…butt out here.”
Poppy giggles at the quick correction.
I agree with Harlow. A blistering heatwave has swept through the Rockies this past week and it has been relentless. It’s even forced Gunnar and me to seek refuge at his place for its air conditioning, a luxury my house lacks. I never deemed it necessary, not when our winters are as long as they are. However, this week has me strongly reconsidering.
“I’m gonna head down there,” Poppy declares, rising from her seat. “Just in case he needs a pep talk.”
“Watch your step,” Hollis cautions. “And keep an eye out for any stray balls.”
“Don’t worry, I will.” Poppy beckons for Bear to follow, and the two navigate the bleachers effortlessly, leaping from bench to bench.
“It’s adorable how much she loves her big brother,” Penny comments with a smile.
“It really is,” Hollis agrees, her affection for Poppy evident.
Mike deserves every bit of that love. He has sacrificed a lot to raise his little sister, and I know he wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m glad they both have Hollis now, especially knowing how much Poppy has longed for a stronger family dynamic. It’s one of the many reasons we were thrilled when Mike popped the question during their trip to Disneyland. We have also grown quite fond of the California native and we’re grateful to have her as part of our group.
“How are the wedding plans coming along?” I ask, knowing she’s been in full preparation mode.
“Amazing,” she beams, her smile stretching from ear to ear. “Thanks to Harlow.”
Harlow waves away the compliment. “I can’t take all the credit. You make it easier by knowing what you want. Sometimes, that’s the hardest part.”
I can’t imagine not knowing. Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve dreamed about my wedding day, envisioning every last detail.
“Oh, that reminds me,” Hollis cuts back in. “We need to pick a day to go dress shopping. I was hoping to do it before Poppy goes back to school. Can you guys make that work?”
I nod, feeling a surge of excitement all over again at getting to be a bridesmaid. “Just let me know when and where, and I’ll be there.”
“Me too,” Penny adds, her smile displaying the same enthusiasm.
Harlow leans over, nudging my shoulder playfully. “The real question is whether Elle will need alterations for a baby bump.”
A laugh escapes me. “With the way things are going, I don’t think that’s something we need to worry about.” I keep my tone light despite my pang of disappointment, knowing it’s ridiculous to feel this way. It can take months, heck, even years, to conceive, but it can also take just one time, and I had hoped that would have been the case for Gunnar and me. It wasn’t, and every time that bitch Aunt Flow shows up, it’s a major punch to the stomach.
“I’m sure it will happen for you guys soon,” Penny offers gently, picking up on my disappointment.
“Definitely,” Hollis echoes .
“And look at the bright side,” Harlow says. “At least you get to keep having mind-blowing sex with your hot best friend.”
Penny and Hollis share a chuckle while I smile in response. That is certainly a perk, but these past couple of months with Gunnar have been about so much more than that. It’s about coming home to him every night and sharing our day over dinner. About snuggling on the couch and watching a movie before taking Bear out for a late-night walk, all while reminiscing about our childhood. It’s about pleasuring each other in ways that extend far beyond the physical and ending the night in each other’s arms, discussing our hopes and dreams for the future before finally drifting off to sleep.
It’s everything I have ever wanted for myself, everything I hoped for, but even better than I imagined because it’s with my best friend.
“God, the smile on your face right now is so sweet it’s almost sickening,” Harlow comments, bringing me back to the moment.
I burst into laughter, this one more genuine.
“I’m serious. Not even my brides look this way on their wedding day. I’m totally envious. Of both of you,” she adds, sweeping her gaze between Hollis and me.
“Same.” Penny sighs.
Hollis flashes me a knowing smile. “Who knows, maybe you and Gunnar won’t be far behind Mike and me in tying the knot…”
That statement has me choking out another laugh. “Uh, let’s not jump the gun just yet.”
Harlow gapes at the response. “Jump the gun? Seriously?” she questions. “You two have known each other for most of your lives and are trying to have a baby. You’ve already made the jump, Elle, and you jumped so damn far, I don’t think there’s any way back. ”
She makes a valid point.
While marrying Gunnar would complete the dream, the deal is to take it one step at a time. It’s what was agreed upon, and I intend to uphold that, even if my heart has already surpassed it.
A commotion on the field draws our attention back to the game. Looking over, I see that we’re already up to bat, with Dawson hitting a double that ties up the game.
Our crowd erupts into cheers, the excitement echoing through the stands.
“I see Dawson is still quite the athlete,” Harlow muses, shooting a look at Penny.
“Surprise, surprise,” she grumbles, her voice loaded with sarcasm, but there’s also no denying the pain hidden beneath the surface.
Dawson and Penny were once high school sweethearts. Voted most popular couple from our graduating class and most likely to marry, their breakup came as a huge shock to everyone, especially their closest friends. Penny has always been vague about the details of their split, but her pain has radiated for years. According to Gunnar, Dawson was just as broken up about it. It wasn’t long after that he left for the U.S. to play college football for a few years.
I had hoped after some distance between them, they might be able to make amends or at least become friends. Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened, and I’m not sure it ever will.
I’m pulled from the thought as Gunnar steps up to bat.
“Go, Gunnar!” Poppy cheers from below, her small figure climbing the chain link fence surrounding home plate. Bear jumps up on his hind legs next to her, barking his support.
“You got this, babe!” I clap, adding my encouragement .
“Yeah, you got this, babe,” Linc mocks, ribbing Gunnar from where he warms up on deck.
Gunnar shoots him a glare before flipping the bird.
I chuckle at their usual banter.
“This could be the last bat, right?” Penny asks, her voice tinged with nervous excitement.
I nod, feeling my own tension mounting. “If Gunnar hits this and gets even one person home, it’s game over.”
Hollis gives my shoulder a reassuring pat. “Our odds are good.”
They are and Gunnar never misses a hit, but I still find myself nervous.
My breath stalls as he takes position, settling into his stance with determined focus.
The first pitch is thrown, forcing him to step forward, but he holds back from swinging.
“Ball!” the umpire calls out, causing me to sigh with relief.
“Good eye.” I applaud.
The catcher disagrees. “Come on, ump! Open your fucking eyes. That was clearly a strike.”
Gunnar turns to confront him, but the umpire intervenes, issuing a stern warning to the catcher.
“They need to chill,” Harlow says, annoyed. “This is for charity, for god’s sake. Not the major leagues.”
“Still Meadows has always been this way,” Penny adds, her frustration also evident. “I remember the school having to bring in security every time we played them because it always ended in a brawl. They’re the same team that jumped Dawson when his back was turned.”
I recall that game vividly and remember all hell breaking loose. Still Meadows is what some would call ‘upper class’. Most of its residents come from money, which, in turn, has led them to believe they are better than everyone else, but it couldn’t be further from the truth. You’d think they would have grown up since then. Obviously, they haven’t.
I refocus on the game as the pitcher winds up for the next pitch. Gunnar swings this time but, unfortunately, hits a foul, sending it astray.
He shakes his head, frustrated at himself.
“Don’t sweat it,” I tell him. “This next one is yours.”
Before he has a chance to prove me right, the opposing team signals for a timeout.
As the umpire momentarily pauses the game, Linc shifts his attention toward us, leaning casually over the chain-link fence.
“Hey, Harlow,” he calls out, a mischievous grin spreading across his handsome face. “You gonna cheer me on when it’s my turn?”
Harlow meets his taunt with a steely glare. “In your dreams, Slimer,” she sneers, using the nickname she gave him back in elementary school.
He chuckles, enjoying the reaction he always gets from her.
The two have been rivals since childhood. It all started when Harlow’s parents purchased the house next door to Linc’s family, and it’s been that way ever since. Even after Harlow’s parents relocated them to the big city during her senior year, their rivalry persists, which makes things slightly complicated when we’re all together.
“God he’s annoying,” Harlow grumbles, continuing to glare at him. “I don’t know how Gunnar can tolerate being friends with him.”
I laugh, unable to suppress my amusement. “He’s not that bad. ”
“Not that bad?” she protests incredulously. “He made my life a living hell throughout my entire childhood and well into my teens. If he wasn’t pelting me with water balloons in the summer, he was launching snowballs at me in the winter. I swear, he and his brothers were like ninjas, always lying in wait to ambush me. And that’s putting it mildly.”
“Okay, so he went a little overboard sometimes,” I admit. “But he’s a tease by nature. He can’t help himself. Besides, if memory serves me right, you gave just as good as you got.”
“That’s true,” Penny chimes in, backing up my claim. “I distinctly recall you decorating his bike at school with pink streamers, a flower basket, and Barbie stickers.”
I remember that too. Harlow’s retaliation for whatever Linc had done to her was both creative and memorable.
She chuckles at the memory, clearly proud of herself. Until she looks over to see my self-satisfied grin. “He started it,” she grumbles.
“He did,” I agree. “But that was a long time ago. People change.”
Harlow scoffs at the remark. “That man will never change. He will always enjoy torturing me.”
“Maybe you’re looking at this wrong,” Hollis interjects, offering another perspective. “Maybe there’s a reason behind it.”
Harlow’s brows furrow in confusion. “What do you mean?”
“Well, when I was in elementary school, if a boy teased you like that, it usually meant he liked you.”
Harlow laughs, the sound strained and a bit squeaky. “Trust me, that is not the case with us. Our hate for each other is very mutual.”
“Sometimes there’s a fine line between love and hate,” Hollis counters, holding nothing back. “Just look at Mike and me. I thought we hated each other. If it hadn’t been for your little manipulation at the bar that night all those months ago, I would have continued thinking that way.”
Harlow grimaces, not appreciating the reminder.
I jump in, redirecting the conversation back to its original topic. “Look, I know there is a lot of history with you two, and Linc is to blame for most of it.”
Harlow nods, dignified.
“But,” I add, “I’ve also spent a lot of time with him over the past few years, and I assure you, he’s not as bad as you remember. You should give him a chance to prove it.”
“How about I take your word for it instead?” she suggests, flashing me a cheeky smile.
I shake my head, but can’t hide my amusement. “All right. I give up.”
Chuckling, she wraps her arms around my neck. “Don’t worry. I’ll always tolerate him for you and Gunnar.”
I hug her back, appreciating that she and Penny both do because, despite the friction, I love our friend group and couldn’t imagine it any other way.
The umpire’s whistle pierces the air, calling for everyone to take their place again.
My forgotten nerves heighten once again as Gunnar resumes position.
“Come on,” I whisper. “You can do this.”
The catcher signals for the pitch. I hear the crack of the bat connecting with the ball before it soars through the air and over the fence, securing a home run.
An explosion of victory rings through the park, sending us all to our feet. We whistle and cheer as Gunnar runs the bases, watching the entire team swarm him at home plate .
We descend the bleachers and make our way onto the field to see Bear and Poppy already there.
Bear jumps up on Gunnar, gracing him with slobbery kisses, while Poppy is lifted onto Mike’s shoulders.
Gunnar looks up, his piercing gaze meeting mine, and for a moment, a lifetime of memories floods my mind and heart—from childhood antics to late-night confessions, and all the moments that led us here.
After a final stroke to Bear’s head, he strides forward, meeting me halfway.
I launch myself into his arms, wrapping my legs around his waist, giving him a celebratory kiss.
The chaos around us fades into insignificance, leaving only the love between two best friends.
He eventually sets me back on my feet, his grin filling my vision as he pulls me in close. “How was that for a final bat?”
I smile up at him, revealing every bit of my pride. “Amazing, just like you.”
He leans in to grant me another heart-stealing kiss until a disturbance ensues on our left.
Looking over, we see Dawson engaged in a physical altercation with someone from the opposing team, while Penny desperately tries to break it up. “Let it go, Dawson. I’m fine.”
Mike hands Poppy over to Hollis and rushes in to break it up.
We’re just about to follow when the catcher from the other team forcefully knocks into Gunnar, causing us to stumble.
Gunnar quickly steadies me, his gaze blazing with fury as he turns to confront the guy. “What the fuck is your problem?”
The catcher squares his shoulders, clearly looking for a fight. “You were in my way. ”
Gunnar starts forward, primed and ready.
I shove him back, fear and adrenaline gripping my chest. “Don’t. It will only make things harder for Mike. They’re clearly trying to provoke you guys. Don’t let them.”
“Yeah,” he taunts, “Listen to your little cheerleader, hick.”
I stiffen, my blood heating at the insult. Turning, I place myself in front of Gunnar, my hands instinctively moving to my hips. “Who the hell are you calling a hick?”
He flashes me an arrogant smirk. “Your boyfriend, sweetheart, but if you ever want to trade up, let me know. I got a premium stick you can ride.”
The remark sends Gunnar charging forward, and this time I don’t stop him.
Fists start flying all over the field, and just like back in high school, all hell breaks loose.