Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 129084 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 645(@200wpm)___ 516(@250wpm)___ 430(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129084 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 645(@200wpm)___ 516(@250wpm)___ 430(@300wpm)
“What do you love about it?”
“Seeing who you were before there was a we, an us. You did so much from playing baseball to working on the student foundation league for your university, president of the marketing club, and voted most likely for basically everything.”
“Including stealing another guy’s girlfriend.”
“I pretended I didn’t see that award.” Her laughter breezes across my stomach. Sliding her head up next to mine, she asks, “Did you steal many girlfriends?”
Running my hand over the soft skin of her arm, I shake my head. “I wish I could say no. There were a few over the years. My thought was can you steal something if it’s not yours in the first place?”
“No.” Her eyes stay fixed on mine, two lines deepening between her brows. “What do you think happened to the piece of paper with my number written on it?”
“I’m not sure, but I would have called you if I could have.” As I think back to that night, the connection we shared—emotionally and physically—has always overridden all else. I remember the moon appearing brighter than usual, the dunes built up from lack of trampling, and the wind active that night. I close my eyes, and the details become clearer.
As sleep sweeps us under, one memory shoots to the forefront. My heart starts racing just as my eyes crack open. “The duffel.”
Under a drowsy haze, Liv says, “Huh?”
“Marina.” I close my eyes to rub them awake and slip out from Liv’s side. “Marina came to warn me that my parents were coming.”
Liv pushes to her elbows to watch me rush to my closet. “What are we talking about?”
“The night we met,” I reply from inside the closet. I reach up and grab the old bag I haven’t used in years from the top shelf. “I woke up when Marina had come to the house to warn me my parents were going to be there shortly.” I return to the bed and set the bag down next to her legs. “You were already gone.”
“Okay, but what are you doing with the bag?”
“This is the bag I used that weekend.” I sit, the reason I was in the Hamptons by myself returning as well. I look at her. There’s no part of me I can’t share with her. The disappointment I felt that day comes back as if it were today. “I was asked to try out for a minor league team. It could have led to playing for the Yankees if I got pulled up to the majors.”
She lies back, smiling. “Really? That’s amazing. When was that?”
On the surface, people will always think the best, but knowing I failed . . . I still feel the humiliation seeping in when I fucked up my chance to play professionally. “The week we met. I had a final on the morning of tryouts. Tired from staying up to study all night, I was late to the field and performed like shit.”
She sits up, resting her chin on my bicep and watching me. I look at my feet on the floor. “What eats you up most about that event?”
“I know it’s nothing compared with what you endured with your father, but I’d never failed at anything before.” I glance at her, and say, “I was told I had the Midas touch. Everything I touched turned to gold, especially those awards I was accruing. I felt invincible, but track record couldn’t save me. I choked when it mattered most. I failed under pressure. They cut me right after that. No second chance.”
“It was one time, Noah.”
I’m not sure why this is hitting me so hard. Being in my room again? Opening my heart? “That’s all it took.” It feels good to get this off my chest though.
“You’ve achieved so much to fall prey to one failure. It made you fight harder. Look at your GPA, the job offers.” Her hand sways in front of her. “Look around this room at all of your success, babe.”
I know my greatest success isn’t in this room, but playing in the grass outside.
She asks, “I’m the first person you’re telling this to?”
“My little sister was there, but we’ve never spoken of it.”
“I love that you invited her.”
“I didn’t. She just knew. I don’t know how. She was always in my business, but I’m glad she was there that day.” I clear my throat. “Other than Marina, no one knows about the tryouts or that I went to the house in the Hamptons to get away from it all and think.”
“Thank you for sharing with me. I’m sorry you didn’t make the team.” Wrapping her arms around my ribs, she smiles. I chuckle and then ask, “Are you enjoying my failure?”
“No, not at all. You could have been playing professional baseball, but we would have never met. You could have your name in lights at Yankee Stadium or be Max’s dad.” She massages the back of my neck, and says, “Everything happened exactly how it was supposed to. You’re in our lives, and we’re grossly entangled in yours.” She laughs to herself. “All because destiny knew where you were needed.”