The Trade(113)

“I know, but at least it’s not awkward for him. Even though Cory hurt me, it doesn’t mean I should drive a wedge between the two of them. They’re teammates, after all, and it’s a long season. They need to get along.”

“You’re being too nice to him.”

I shake my head. “I’m not doing it for Cory. I’m doing it for my sensitive brother. I want Jason to concentrate, to focus on what’s important, and that’s doing his job to bring the team the championship they’re working hard for. Did you see the predictions from the other day? The Rebels are expected to be in contention for the World Series this year. They haven’t been on the prediction list in years. I love my brother more than I care about my own heart. He’s worked so hard to be where he is in his career, and if I have to put aside my broken heart so he can focus on his sport and not worry about me, that’s what I’ll do.”

“Sister of the Year.”

I slip my white tennis shoe on my right foot and say, “I’m not going to harp on it. I can’t change what happened, but I can move on and that’s what I’m doing.”

“After weeks of mourning,” she reminds me.

Growing serious, I stare at my left shoe and say, “I love him, Monica. That’s just not going to go away quickly.”

“So you still love him?”

Trying not to be emotional about it, I nod my head. “Of course, I do. He made me feel so incredibly cherished and important.”

“Only to treat you like you meant nothing.” When I give her a look she says, “You told me to remind you of that when you’re showing weakness. You’re showing weakness, and you’re about to go see him. It’s best that you go in a little on the angry side.”

“Angry or depressed?”

“Angry.”

Lightly chuckling, I tie the other shoe and rise from the bed. I walk over to my mirror and have Monica help me pick out a lipstick she thinks will look good. I’m just going through the motions, like I have been for weeks. I got through my ex’s infidelity, and we were married, for God’s sake. So, I can get through a breakup from a relationship that was only weeks old. After all, even though I love Cory, I can now see we’d never go the distance anyway. After one hiccup, he needs to break things off with me. After one hiccup, he was done. So, that doesn’t speak long-term to me.

Eventually, I’ll believe all those words and know I’m better off.

I’d be lying, however, if a piece of me didn’t wish Cory’s performance had tanked after he sent me on my way, but he’s held pretty steady. Not outstanding, but not failing miserably either. You know how it is with every woman scorned, they want the man to disintegrate when they realize they just let go of the one person that was holding them together. Apparently, that wasn’t the case with Cory.

“Have you heard from him at all?” Monica asks, picking out a bright red lipstick that matches the Rebels jersey I’m wearing, the one with Orson on the back . . . not Potter.

I shake my head. “Pretty sure he deleted my number from his phone.”

“He’s such an idiot.”

I finish up my lipstick and cap it off then drop it in my small backpack. Taking a deep breath, I look at Monica and say, “Doesn’t matter. Jason is proposing tonight, and that’s what I want to focus on. This is a big day for our family.”

“You’re right.” Monica grips my shoulders and says, “I’m here for you, only a phone call away if you need to talk.”

“Thank you.” I give her an air kiss, not wanting to get my lipstick on her, and then head for the door of my apartment. “You’ll be here when I get back?”

“With buffalo wings and ice cream waiting for you.”

“Perfect.” I give her a quick wink and then take off. There’s a car waiting for me outside. Jason sent one for each of us so we didn’t have to drive, and I head down to it, nerves twisting and turning in my stomach.

I’m going to see him.

I just hope the makeshift wall I built around my heart doesn’t tumble with one flash of those devastating blue eyes of his.





“Oh my God, your hair is amazing,” Dottie says, pulling me into a hug before playing with the ends of my hair. “Seriously, the color suits you perfectly.”

“Thank you. It was a risk, but I needed the change.”

Dottie nods, understanding what I mean. We don’t talk about Cory, at all. Because what’s the point? When she was dating Jason early on, they had a massive breakup that devastated both of them, and the last thing either of them wanted to talk about was their breakup. So Dottie has tried to keep my mind on other things when we’ve hung out, even if it meant suggesting I peel myself off my couch and go for a walk. That was the first day I felt like maybe I could make it through this breakup, when I went for a walk around the block with Dottie, in my slippers and robe, looking like the crazy lady searching for her missing cat that she never had in the first place.

“God, I’m nervous. Why did Jason sign me up for this?”

I laugh and shake my head. “He’s a yes-man. They ask, he says yes.”

Jason told the front office that he wanted to propose to Dottie in front of the fans, to start the season on a high note given all the bad press they’ve received throughout the preseason, so the focus wasn’t all on Cory. I mean, the majority of it was centered around Cory, but the media painted the Rebels in a terrible picture, and Jason was sick of it. If he was going to be a Rebel, then he was going to make it crystal fucking clear that there was good news to report about too.