That’s where Milly works. Did I fail to mention she’s a mechanics marvel when it comes to baseball? I would personally say the best in Illinois. She knows her stuff, helped Carson with his swing back in college, and they still work together. She works at one of the top facilities in the country, perfecting the swings of Chicago’s youth.
“Thank you, that means a lot to me. Still trying to get everything up and running. There’s a lot more to all of this than I thought, but my family has been a huge help.”
When I knew I was ready to start a foundation in honor of my brother, I turned to my family to help me. My sister was more than happy to step up, as well as my parents, especially after I told them it was to honor Joseph, who has cerebral palsy.
My twin, my biggest fan, the guy who gives me drive to do better every day. He’s the best person I know and because of him, I want to make an inclusion foundation that raises money for those with disabilities to be included in The Lineup by providing them with the right equipment to do so.
In high school, I had the most understanding and caring coach of all time. He saw my talent and saw the way Joseph yearned to be on the field with me, so my junior year, after I sat down with Coach and asked him if Joseph could be the bat boy, he said, “Why don’t I do you one better and put him on the team?”
I wasn’t sure how that would work given Joseph uses a walker to get around, which requires both of his hands, but Coach Whittaker had another vision: Joseph became a pinch runner.
After sitting our family down, Coach Whittaker asked Joseph, “Have you ever wondered what it felt like to score a run for your team?” When Joseph emphatically shook his head, yes, Coach told him, he was going to get that chance.
And sure enough, Joseph did.
Between our junior and senior year, he scored fifteen runs as a pinch runner.
Let me tell you, standing at home plate, my brother and his walker at third, begging to be able to cross that plate, nothing ever inspired me more to someway, somehow, get my brother to score a run for the team.
Out of those fifteen runs, I hit him in ten times.
That’s a feeling I’ll never forget, and something I want to be passed on from ballplayer to ballplayer. No matter your limitations, there’s always a spot for you in the lineup.
“Don’t you have that date thing coming up too?” Carson asks. “I’ve seen PSA about it all over the damn place.”
“Yup, I think people have one more week to enter and then the winner will be announced right away.”
“What date thing?” Milly asks while dabbing her mouth with a napkin.
“It’s with that group called Charity Hustle. They contacted me a few months ago asking if I wanted to participate. Basically, they set up an exclusive opportunity for fans to have dinner with a celebrity and the way you enter is by donating to the celebrity’s charity of choice.”
“Oh yeah, I entered a few,” Emory says with a blush to her cheeks. “There was one where you could go on a dinner date with Emily Blunt and John Krasinski. I knew it was a long shot but I donated anyway.”
“Aren’t you cute,” Knox says. “I can score you a dinner date with them if you want. Remember, I used to date Mia Ford. I know people.” Knox tacks on a smile, but it does nothing to help him from the scowl directed at him. Mia Ford is a well-known celebrity and while Emory and Knox were apart, he dated her. Let’s just say, I don’t think Mia is a name used often around their apartment.
“Do you want to spend the night in Jason’s apartment tonight?”
“I’m a good cuddler,” I say. “I’ll make sure you feel the love, but I do sleep naked, so it’s up to you.”
Knox rolls his eyes and pulls Emory into his chest, pressing a kiss to the side of her head. “You know I’m kidding.”
“I want to know more about this date,” Carson says. “Are you really going to go out with a stranger?”
“Not by myself.” I shake my head. “I’m taking Natalie.”
“Smart.” Carson nods his head.
“For many reasons. First of all, who knows if this person is a psychopath? I need to make sure I have someone with me in case the winner tries to steal me and take me off to their organ harvesting den. And second of all, what if it’s a girl? My sister will be my chaperone so she can’t pull a fast one on me, like a ‘he touched me without my consent’ kind of thing.”
“Very smart.” Carson nods.
Knox asks, “Organ harvesting den? Is that something you’re really concerned about?”
“Yep.” I bite down on a chip. “I’m always concerned about my organs being harvested. You can never be too sure these days.”
“You’re insane,” Knox says while standing and picking up everyone’s garbage.
I clap my hands together. “Okay, who’s ready to help me unpack?”
Without another word, my friends stand and quickly make their way out of my apartment, the door shutting with their retreat.
Huh, I’m going to take that as no one.
Chapter Sixty-Seven
DOTTIE
Emory: What are you doing?
To tell the truth or not.
My best friend isn’t here right now. She can’t see me, so there’s no need to get her mother hen feathers all ruffled by revisiting the rabbit trail of my failed relationships. That’s the last thing I want. Picking up my phone, I type out a curt response.
Dottie: Working.
Taking a deep breath, I give myself one more look at the memory Facebook decided to share with me today. Happy as can be, I’m smiling at the camera as Nick kisses my cheek. We’re standing in front of The Bean, Chicago’s iconic Cloud Gate, winter hats decorating our heads, and rosy cheeks from spending the day outside, sightseeing like tourists and enjoying every moment of it.
I thought he was it. I didn’t think I’d ever meet a more kind, caring, or empathetic man than Nick. He gave me a sense of confidence to be the killer in the boardroom that I am. He encouraged me, and he made me feel sexy when we were home, sharing a bed. And in those moments when I was weak, didn’t think I could stand up to the other tycoons I had to face daily, he stood behind me, rubbed my shoulders, and told me how intelligent I was, how ruthless, and how I could score any deal I put my mind to.
And I believed him.
I fell for him.
Head over heels.
I told my dad I was going to marry Nick one day. One day soon.
And then, I found out the true man he was. I wasn’t his love, I didn’t matter to him, and I wasn’t all the things he told me I was. And he wasn’t the things I thought he was. Instead, he was embezzling money from me, using me for my connections, and planning to be with me for a few more months before meeting up with his longtime girlfriend, where they’d ride off into the sunset together . . . rather than be with me.
I’ve never felt more foolish in my life.
More used.
Not only did I lose my self-confidence, I also jeopardized the biggest deal to date for my dad’s company. He salvaged that, thank God. Being new in my position as the president of business relations, making such a colossal mistake made every board member doubt my dad’s choice to put me in such a prestigious position. It made them question his decision-making and ever since then, it’s been an uphill battle to prove that not only do I deserve the position I’m in, but I was meant to hold it.