Then, Ellie nudged me with her elbow. Turning to face her, I noticed her wide eyes, shining like a beacon of light over a dark horizon. Her mouth hung slack and her grip on my hand tightened until I could barely feel my fingers. I glanced around the room, wondering whose name had been called…and noticed everyone watching me.
Me.
My dad slapped me on the back, grabbing my attention. His mouth moved, words came out, but I hardly recognized anything he said. Although, when I tried to read his lips, he appeared to be telling me how proud he was of me. He stood, then Ellie followed, and I realized I needed to get out of my seat before the cameras caught me sitting on my ass like a dumbstruck fool. I hugged my dad, then swooped up Ellie into my arms and held her for a beat longer before making my way to the front of the room.
The coach for the Titans met me first, and shook my hand, welcoming me to the team, and then he handed me a cap with the image of a golden, three-pronged staff embroidered on the front above the stiff bill. Mindlessly, I curved the bill in my hands and put the cap on my head. Once I made it to the stage, the commissioner—dressed in a tan suit that looked older than me, his head full of white hair slicked back on both sides—wrapped his arms around me and offered me a T-shirt with the same logo across the front.
I unfolded it and held it against my chest for the cameras, feeling like a moron vacationing on cloud nine. Eventually, I’d wake up from this dream, although while I was still in it, I figured I needed to enjoy it. The break of dawn would come too soon.
Finding Ellie’s smiling face in the crowd, I held up my index finger in her direction. Anyone else would’ve thought I simply pointed at her, but she understood what it meant, proven by the way her finger hung in the air, directed at me.
The announcers along the side of the room droned on, as well as the commissioner at the podium. Lights flashed, people continued to share in the excitement, and the world just kept on spinning, wrapping me up in this fairy tale I knew better than to believe in.
Everything was a whirlwind after that moment, the next few hours happening in a blur. I’d tried to memorize it all, lock it away in my memory box for a rainy day, yet my brain couldn’t seem to catch up to the reality. One minute, I was in my seat, flanked by my father on one side and my best friend on the other. The next, I had strangers in my face, shaking my hand, some giving me hugs without much warning. Questions were tossed at me, assumptions were made behind my back, but through it all, Ellie was there.
Neither the chatter in the dimly lit room nor the aroma of a well-cooked steak could pull my focus from the night I just had. After the completion of the first two rounds of the draft, my dad had the driver of the car take us to a nice restaurant to celebrate.
“Your mother would’ve been so proud of you—no,” he corrected himself, shaking his head. “She is proud of you. I can feel it. She was with you tonight, in that room. I have no doubt about that.”
Dad rarely spoke about my mom. When I was younger, he’d brought her up often, always making sure she was in my life, even though she wasn’t physically present. He instilled in me that she would’ve been there every single day if she had been given a choice, and that she’d loved me with her whole heart even before I was born. I didn’t once doubt it. But as I got older, he talked about her less and less. I didn’t mind, because I figured he’d told me everything I needed to remember, and he’d done a sufficient job at making me aware of her unconditional love. So to hear him bring her up now, seeing his eyes mist, meant far more than anything else.
“I know, Dad.” I wasn’t sure what else to say. “I had all the important people by my side tonight, physically and spiritually. I don’t doubt that.”
To my surprise, when the waitress came by for our drink order, my dad requested a bottle of champagne…for the table. The woman turned her wire-rimmed gaze to Ellie and me, but after a second of hesitation, she left to fulfill his request. She must’ve assumed we were of age, doubting a parent would’ve ordered an alcoholic beverage for his underage children.
“This calls for a celebration.” He held up his glass, waiting for us to lift ours. “To the next step in our lives. May this only be the beginning of dreams coming true and the start of everyone’s happily ever after.”
The clink of glass concealed my groan. “Dad, it’s not a sure thing yet. They could defer the contract. More than likely, I’ll get placed with their farm team and never see the real mound.”
“You also didn’t think you’d hear your name tonight, despite your agent preparing you for it. And you were the first one called. Even if you have to spend a season or two in the Minors, there’s no way they won’t see what you can do and not give you a spot on the big roster.”
“I guess we’ll have to wait and see, won’t we?” I muttered under my breath.
He more than likely heard me, but at least he didn’t come back with more sickeningly optimistic words that would only further prove to upset me when they didn’t follow through. Instead, he continued to dream. “At least you won’t be too far away. And you’ll be close to Ellie, too. Although, this will be the first time in your lives you’ll be separated.”
“Dad,” I warned with a pointed stare. “We won’t be separated. We’ve already talked about this—about the possibility of us not attending college together. But I got the best deal out of everything by getting in with the Titans. Sure, we’ll have to spend more time apart than we’re used to, yet it’s not like we won’t see or talk to each other.”
“No, I get all that, son. I’m talking about birthdays and such. You two have spent every holiday together since you both were born. And since your birthdays fall within the baseball season, that could mean being away from each other. I don’t doubt you guys will remain close, although I guess this will be the first real test of your friendship.”
Everything stopped.
The world quit spinning, the air refused to exist, and my heart ceased to beat. In all the scenarios I’d played out in my head or with Ellie, not once did I ever contemplate the possibility of us not being physically together during major milestones in our lives. I had no idea what would happen from here, but I had always assumed Ellie would be by my side through it all, and now, I was smacked in the face with the likelihood she wouldn’t.
The last thing I wanted was for my life to interfere with hers. She had worked hard to get into the University of Alabama, and she deserved to be there. She deserved to live the college life to its fullest, and now I worried that my career would hinder her goals and aspirations.
“It’s not like we can’t call or Skype. Not to mention, it’s technically not the first time we’ve spent celebrations away from each other,” she pointed out, setting her glass down after drinking half of it in a few gulps. “Remember when we turned ten? I left for camp on my birthday.”
I hadn’t forgotten, but it also wasn’t a valid comparison. Even though she left that day, I’d still seen her that morning. In fact, I’d slept at her house the night before and woke her up by jumping on the bed. So really, we hadn’t spent the day apart—at least, not all of it.
However, I didn’t argue. I simply nodded and pretended it didn’t bother me, even though it killed me inside. “We’ll be fine, Dad. Nothing can come between the two of us.” And I meant it, too. I refused to let anything separate us. We’d been through too much together to allow a silly sport to break up our unity.
“That’s good to hear, son. Keep your head on straight, your eyes ahead of you, and you’ll navigate this life better than the rest.” Without admitting it out loud, he feared the possible consequences of this decision. He’d followed baseball all his life—as well as almost every other sport—so he was well versed on the demands that came hand in hand with a high-profile sports career.
Ever since he’d hired an agent for me to handle the draft, he’d preached about remaining grounded if—and when—I ventured into the world of Major League Baseball. He worried more because of my sheltered life and quiet person
ality. It’d started when the scouts had pried into my personal life, asking anyone who’d ever so much as taken a glimpse at me questions most couldn’t answer accurately. The truth was, I was a very private person without many friends. Aside from my dad, Ellie, and her parents, no one really knew me. And I was perfectly okay with that. My agent explained how the teams needed to make sure I wasn’t a hazard or liability, and that my unpopularity could haunt me. With the amount of money these teams paid for players, they needed to ensure they didn’t “buy” a lemon. Those were his words, not mine. But I figured as long as I had Ellie by my side, I wouldn’t have a problem.
She grounded me.
Three steaks and a bottle of champagne later, we were back at the hotel, ready to call it a night. My dad gave us both one last hug, telling me for the hundredth time how proud he was of me, and then retired to his room, leaving Ellie and me to ourselves.
“Can you believe it?” she asked, giggling all the way into the room.
Her laughter quickly turned into a satisfied moan as soon as she kicked off her heels, which only made me chuckle with her. I’d never seen her in anything other than low-top Converse sneakers. In an instant, we collapsed onto one of the beds in hysterics, neither of us sure what was so funny anymore.
She’d never looked more beautiful than she did at that moment. The glow of her excitement coupled with the grin on her face sent an ache straight to my core, and I wondered how I’d survive without her on a daily basis. The laughter died on my lips as she rolled onto her side to face me.
My silence must have triggered something in her as she, too, quieted down and stared at me. “What’s wrong, Coby?”
I hated being the cause of the fear in her voice. “Just thinking about how different life will be without you around to help navigate.”
She propped her head on her hand. “What are you most afraid of?”
I laid down beside her, the same way we’d done countless times before, and pondered my response. “I’ve spent my whole life in a bubble. A tiny hick town with more dirt roads than paved, and aside from the last couple of weeks, I couldn’t tell you the last time I met someone new.”
“So you’re going to meet a ton of new people…is that so bad?”
I wasn’t explaining myself properly. “That’s not the part I’m worried about. Did you see those other guys there tonight? Ellie, they were more…mature than I am. They had confidence in the spotlight, the women hanging around outside after the draft picks were announced, the cameras. I was the only awkward one in the bunch.”
“But, Coby, none of them were picked first. You were the only one whose name was called for that slot. You’ll figure the rest out. You always do.” She giggled and poked me in the side. “And just think of all the female possibilities. The Courtney Hunters of the world will all be vying for a night with you. You get to live the dream of duckling to swan…or whatever the equivalent of that is for a guy.”
“Ellie, I’ve never even kissed a girl—unless you count your mom’s cheek, which is just weird. What eighteen-year-old guy has never so much as made it to first base?” I turned my head to face her and wait for her response.
Her pupils dilated, and the warm blue I was accustomed to seeing softened to a shade so pale it was almost white, while the ring around her irises darkened. Her pink tongue slowly made its way across her full lips, and I watched, awestruck, as it left behind a moistened trail. Not once had I considered Ellie anything more than my best friend, but in the heat of the moment, I realized just how stunning she truly was, yet it was a quiet, unassuming beauty.
She inched toward me, hesitating. Her eyes searched my face, probably waiting to see if I backed away, but when I didn’t, she leaned in, closing the gap between us. Frozen with the possibility of her mouth meeting mine, I closed my eyes and prayed I hadn’t misread her signs. Our lips melded together in an initially awkward exchange. The moment I shifted to a more comfortable position and took her cheek in my hand, her tongue traced the space between my lips, and I opened for her. The exchange started as an inquiry but quickly turned into an exploration. One I’d never thought about taking with my best friend, although now I couldn’t imagine sharing it with anyone else.
Her tongue was soft and unhurried, turning with mine as though dancing to the beat of our hearts. The serenity was overtaken by the stirring in my pants when she put her thick thigh over mine, hooked her knee behind my own, and then pulled me to her, eliminating what little space remained between us. I had no clue what to do with my hands or if she even wanted them on her, but when hers untucked my shirt and slipped onto my bare skin, I decided to follow her lead.
We were both virgins—neither of us had a clue what we were doing. I probably should’ve questioned the wisdom behind our being together this way, yet nothing had ever made more sense. She pressed her body against mine and ignited parts of me that had been dormant my entire life. The warmth of her fingers on my chest sent chills down my spine, and I longed to touch her porcelain skin.
I gathered the courage to reach out and mimicked her touch. The instant my hand found her velvety side under her blouse, she moaned into my mouth. The soft, sensual sound spurred on my pursuit. I became desperate to hear more of that but didn’t have a clue how I’d solicited the response to begin with. The desire to touch her everywhere at once sent my mind into overdrive, and my dick ached for relief. Instinctively, my hand slid over her hip and down to her round ass. My fingers curled and pulled her core against me, providing myself—and her—with the friction I desperately craved.
My eyes flew open when she broke the kiss, but hers remained closed and her jaw hung slack. With her head tilted back, she gasped for breath and then rolled her hips against me again. Her heart beat in the vein along her neck, and without thought, I leaned in to kiss the pulse. Locks of her auburn hair fell against my face, and I nudged them out of the way to clear a path down to her collarbone. My lips left a trail of affection as I continued my pursuit. Every time Ellie moaned, her hips met mine, further fueling the fire burning inside me. I didn’t want to let go of her ass—I needed both hands to undo the buttons on her shirt.
I assumed she’d halt this game before her clothes came off, yet to my surprise, she not only didn’t stop me from removing her shirt, but in return, she took mine off, as well. The two of us had never been shy with each other, though we’d definitely been modest. There were unspoken lines neither of us had ever crossed. I had no idea what Ellie looked like without clothes on, even though I’d seen her in a swimsuit a thousand times, and she’d seen me shirtless on more than one occasion.
But somehow, this was different.
Intimate where the other had been casual.
She turned away, and I worried I’d gone too far. Then she swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood a few feet away.
“Ellie?” I sat up and scooted to the edge of the mattress.
She didn’t respond with words, and instead, shimmied out of her skirt. With her back to me, my eyes went wide and my mouth hung open. My best friend stood before me in nothing but a bra and lacy underwear. They weren’t the skimpy things I assumed other girls wore, but the lace was sexy. The cut of her bikini panties accentuated her full curves, her perfect hourglass figure. There wasn’t a hard angle on her body, each flowed perfectly into the next, and suddenly, the crease beneath her ass became my favorite part of a woman.
Her fingers unclasped her bra, and she let it fall to the floor. I waited with bated breath to see if she wanted from me what I would’ve died to give her. Then her thumbs hooked the lace still on her bottom, and in seconds, that scrap of fabric met its match near her feet. My heart raced with anticipation, and I silently begged God for her to turn around.
Nothing could have prepared me for the sight of her when she finally did.
My eyes darted to her face where nervous anticipation lingered in her expression. She chewed on her bottom lip as my gaze took a leisurely stroll down her neck, hovered over her perfect
breasts, down her flat stomach to the little strip of hair, and landed on her painted toes. I needed to say something to ease her worry, tell her she was beautiful, anything other than stare like a prepubescent teen.
“Holy fuck.” Not quite the sentiment I had in mind, but my brain seemed to be functioning in my dick instead of my head. I only hoped the smirk I couldn’t wipe off my face told her more than the words that came out of my mouth.
Her head fell back and the sound of her laughter ensured me all was right in our world. But here stood my best friend, naked as the day was long, while I still had on far too many clothes. I couldn’t tear my stare away to do anything to rectify the situation. While I gawked like a moron, she reached out and unbuckled my belt. In seconds, the two of us were awkwardly aware of just how exposed we were. It took everything in me not to press my palm against my erection to stop its protrusion. To occupy my hands, I reached out, gripped Ellie’s hips, and pulled her body flush to mine.
We’d never talked about sex. We hadn’t avoided it, but it never came up. Neither of us dated in high school, so the topic never presented itself. And yet here we stood, on the cusp of a monumental decision, and as much as I hated to ruin the moment, I had to make sure we were both on the same page.
“Are you sure?”
Her hair fell in her face when she nodded, and then she tucked it behind her ear. I needed to hear the words.
“Ellie?”
She captured my face with both of her hands, responding by taking my breath away in a single, passion-filled kiss. “Does that answer your question?”
I couldn’t quite remember what I had asked, and the only thing that came to mind tumbled out of my mouth. “I don’t have a condom.” Of course I didn’t. No dork who’d never dated carried a condom in hopes of getting lucky. That shit would expire before getting used.
“I’m on the Pill.”
Those four words stunned me. There was no way she could’ve been on birth control and never told me about it. I refused to consider the why behind her truth. But once again, I spoke before thinking.
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