The Fix (The Carolina Connections, #1)(55)

“But he doesn’t want to do anything!” My anger from last night was resurfacing.

“You know that’s not true. He wants to play baseball.”

I almost choked. “But he can’t! A gazillion doctors and trainers have told him that. It’s over—no big leagues. He needs to get over it and grow up.” I set my wine on the coffee table so I wouldn’t spill it—or throw it.

Nate put a hand on my leg. “Look, I don’t know if he can or can’t play, but if he wants to try, that’s his business, not mine, and frankly, it’s not really yours either.”

“Excuse me?!” My blood pressure hit the ceiling and I threw the pillow down, knocking Nate’s hand aside in the process.

“I know you’ve been dealing with this situation for a lot longer than I’ve been in the picture, but I saw the look in his eyes when he was talking about playing. It’s his passion—his dream. I know what it’s like to be forced to do something other than what you love and it sucks.”

I couldn’t stay seated any longer. “I can’t believe I’m hearing this. Since when am I the only person on earth who is in touch with reality?”

“Cut the sarcasm, Laney. Usually I think it’s cute but right now is not the time.” Nate sat forward and set his beer down too.

“I’m sorry, I just don’t know how else to respond when I’m faced with not one but two delusional people who think you can just wish on a star and all your dreams come true—poof! That’s not how life works, and encouraging Gavin will just lead to heartbreak in the end.”

“Who’s heart? If he wants to risk it, let him.”

“Everyone’s heart, Nate! Everyone’s! That’s what happens when people you love make bad decisions and you’re left standing as the only responsible person in the room, no matter how much you wish you could say, ‘Fuck it! I think I’ll skip work and go to Paris tomorrow—that sounds like a shitload of fun!’”

Nate stood and put his hands out in a “let’s placate the crazy person so she doesn’t shoot” manner. “Okay, I can see I’ve touched a big nerve and you’re getting emotional. Let’s take a step back—”

“Emotional? Emotional?! Oh, so now I’m just the hormonal female fucking things up by bringing feelings into it. Oh, and I probably have PMS too so obviously my opinions are invalid!”

“That’s not what I said and you know it!” He was starting to get pissed. I should accuse him of having PMS.

This was getting way out of hand. “I can’t talk to you right now. I think you should leave.”

“Come on, Laney. This is crazy!”

Tears pricked my eyes. “Of course it’s crazy—the entire world seems to have turned inside out and I’m the only one making any sense!” I physically turned him around and started pushing him to the door. “Please just go. I can’t handle any more of this right now.”

“I don’t want to leave things like this, Laney,” he protested but let me lead him, even though he certainly possessed the strength to stay put.

I started to cry. I couldn’t help it. “I can’t … I just … I need you to leave me alone for now.”

I think the tears did him in because he finally caved. “I’ll go home but we’re going to talk tomorrow and work this out.”

I continued to push him out. All I could do was shake my head. My mind was so discombobulated and the tears wouldn’t stop. I felt my heart breaking but I wasn’t entirely sure of the source.



“I am so sorry! I had to go to Raleigh for one of the charities—my mother guilted me into it—and everything was so last minute. Gary was pissed so I’m probably fired, but that’s actually a good thing. He was starting to flirt with me and you know I don’t go there. I’ve got something else lined up anyway, I think. So I ended up spending the night because my dad got off work and we all went out to dinner. One wine led to another and I stayed at the hotel where the function was. So, what did I miss?” Fiona chattered over the phone.

I laughed but it held no humor at all.

“Oh no! What happened?”

“I have no idea. I mean, I do, but I don’t. I think my brother is moving to Virginia and I think Nate and I may have broken up.” The tears started again for the tenth time since last night. I’d had to call Charlotte for emergency babysitting this morning because I didn’t want Rocco to see me upset—so at least I was by myself while I cried my eyes out. Two nights without sleep and with too many tears—I was shriveling up like a raisin.

“What? No! That can’t be true,” Fiona protested.

I proceeded to tell her everything I knew, ending with me shoving Nate out the door.

“You really told him you loved him?”

“That’s all you took from that whole saga?” I sniffled

“Of course not, but I wanted to focus on the good stuff.”

“There is no good stuff. And to top it all off, if I broke up with Nate and Gavin is leaving, I’m essentially stripping my poor kid of his two best friends. Just hand me my ‘Mother of the Year’ award right now,” I sobbed.

“Oh stop. All of this can be fixed. Just listen to your fairy godmother, Fiona, and it will all be okay.”