“I hate the idea of you leaving so soon, but we knew this was going to happen. If you go pro, there is a good chance you’re going to have to move anyway.”
“When he goes pro,” Dad corrects her.
“I love you both. Thank you,” I tell them.
My parents have always been my biggest supporters, and I’m damn lucky to have them in my life. Knowing that they are behind me on whatever choice I make makes it a little easier to breathe. I’m going to think on this some more, and maybe after finals, track down Coach Hopkins and get his opinion. Sure, he’s not going to be happy that I’m leaving, but my heart is no longer in Florida. It lives in Tennessee.
CHAPTER 23
Peyton
Anxiety has my steps faltering as I make my way to my parents’ front door. I’ve made some life decisions that I didn’t discuss with them, and I know they’re going to be angry. I just needed to do this on my own. I needed to make this choice for me, but that doesn’t stop the guilt from weighing heavily on my chest.
Taking a deep breath, I hike my bag up on my shoulder and push open the front door. “Anybody home?” I manage to call out without my voice shaking.
“In here, lady,” Dad calls back.
On trembling legs, I make my way to the living room. I take a seat on the couch, my bag and what’s inside sitting heavy like a bag of bricks is placed at my feet.
“What a nice surprise,” Mom says. “We didn’t know you were stopping by today.”
“There’s something I wanted to talk to you about,” I tell them before I lose my nerve.
“Are you pregnant?” Dad asks.
“What? No.” I shake my head, giving him an incredulous look.
“Easton!” Mom scolds him.
“What? We have three beautiful daughters.” He shrugs like it’s a given.
“Ignore your father,” Mom tells me. “What’s on your mind?”
“Well, I’ve been thinking a lot, and I’ve decided on something. Before I tell you what it is, I want to say I’m sorry for not including you in this decision, but I didn’t include anyone. I wanted to make this choice for myself and not for anyone else. I didn’t want anyone to sway my choice either way, so I kept it to myself.”
“Go on,” Mom prods gently.
Taking a deep breath, I reach into my bag, pull out the envelope, and hand it to her. My eyes stay glued to her as she pulls out the contents and scans them. Tears well in her eyes, but she’s also smiling. That’s a good sign, right?
“Oh, honey.” She sets the papers next to her on the couch and stands to give me a hug.
“Anyone care to tell me what’s going on?” Dad asks.
Mom releases me, then grabs the papers and hands them to Dad. His eyes quickly scan them, and he tosses them on the table. I’m ready for his anger, but instead, he comes to me and pulls Mom and me both into his arms. I feel his lips press to my head, and that causes the dam to break.
“Hey,” he says, pulling back. “Why the tears?”
“I thought you were going to be mad at me.”
“Is this what you want?”
“Yes.”
“Then I’m happy for you. That’s all we’ve ever wanted for our kids is for them to be happy.”
“What does Griffin think about all of this?” Mom asks as we all take our seats.
“He doesn’t know.”
“What?” Dad asks. “You mean to tell me you’re uprooting your life to go to school with him, to be closer to him, and he doesn’t know?”
“I know Griff. He would have tried to talk me out of it. He would have told me that we can make this work and that it’s just a few more years, but I don’t want that. I want to be where he is.” I pause, taking a deep breath. “He’s mentioned moving here before, and I shut him down. He has a full ride, and he’s kick-ass with his team. Starting pitcher as a freshman is a huge deal.”
“What about your team?” Mom asks.
“The only one I’m close to is Karina, and the others are all catty. They know who our family is and assume that’s why I’m on the team. I hate it. The camaraderie that was there in high school just isn’t there for me this year.”
“We didn’t know that,” Mom says.
“It’s not a big deal. Honestly, had I not met Griff, I would have just let it go, but I did, and that changes things.”
“Where are you going to stay?” Mom asks.
“Coach Stone, she’s the head coach. She said she’d make sure I could live in a dorm, but I don’t know yet. I need to talk to Griffin.”
“Are you moving in with him?” Dad asks.
“Maybe?” I shrug. “I know that’s not what you want to hear, but if we can make it work, then probably.”
Dad picks up the papers again and reads over them. “They gave you a full ride.”
“Yes.”
“And you already signed with them?”
“Yes.”
“Are you happy?”
“Yes.”
He studies me. “Then why the tears? Why does it look like someone just kicked your puppy?”
“I don’t have a puppy,” I counter.
“You know what I mean. What’s going on, lady?”
I take a few minutes to get my emotions under control. It’s stupid, but it’s the last piece of the puzzle that’s holding me back. “I feel guilty.”
“Guilty?” Mom repeats. “What on earth do you have to feel guilty about?”
“I’m messing up a Monroe family tradition.”
“What?” Dad asks.
“You, Mom, Paisley, Parker, and me. We all attended the same college, and now I’m leaving. I feel like I’m abandoning my team.” I wipe at my eyes. “You, my family, you’re my team, and I feel so guilty for messing up a family tradition and leaving all of you.”
My phone rings, and I see Griffin’s face. I was supposed to call him an hour ago, but I came here instead. I needed to talk to my parents. “I’m sorry. He’s probably worried. I was supposed to call him, but I wanted to come here first.”
“Answer it,” Dad encourages, which surprises me.
I hit answer and somehow end up putting the call on speaker. “Hey.” His deep voice fills the room.
“Hi.”
“What’s wrong?” he asks.
“What makes you think something’s wrong?”
“I can hear it in your voice, baby. What’s going on?”
“Nothing. I’m with Mom and Dad. I had to stop by and give them some news.”
“What news?”
I look at my mom, and she nods. My gaze moves to my dad, and he does the same. “I needed to tell them about something I did. Something I was worried they would be mad about, but it turns out I was wrong.”
“Of course you were. They love you.”
My dad smiles at that.
“I know they do, but I was still worried about their reaction. About disappointing them.”
“I don’t know them well, but from what I do know and from what you’ve told me about them, that would never happen. Do you want to talk about it? Are you okay?”