Page 80 of The Score We Never Settled

“Bonnie and Clyde?”

“They died, too.”

I watch June slide off her stool, stealing another look at me from her peripheral, and I’m ready for her. She’s more than welcome to get my heated glower, and I’m curious to see how many questions she can get out before I make her really uncomfortable.

“Who are you starin’ at?”

“June Delaney.”

“Ugh,” Everly groans, stabbing another bite of her pancakes. “Keep starin’.”

“Everly,” Adeline protests like a mother would to a child that’s being unruly or unkind; however, my younger sister gets it.

Adeline has always needed to be the good one in the family. She’s always seen a need to keep our name in the good gracesof town, God bless her. I would’ve probably gotten a verbal beatdown from half the town for the shit I’ve done.

However, it’s been minimal, and I’m not sure if it’s because she’s said something or people are starting to realize their golden boy isn’t so moral and golden anymore.

He’s a fucking dick.

“Leave her alone,” I argue. “If she’s gonna survive in this town, she needs to learn how to have a backbone.”

“Did yourwifeget one last night?”

I suddenly break my focus on June Delaney and put it solely on my sister. She says wife like it leaves a disgusting taste in her mouth, but really, she’s still just pissed at me that she wasn’t there to see it. It doesn’t matter how many times I explain to her that it was sudden and we didn’t have much time, Adeline will never forgive me for getting married without including her or Everly.

“Not sure,” I vouch evenly. “I haven’t heard from her.”

“Have you seen her?” I shake my head, and Adeline visibly sighs. “You wantin’ to quit the MLB isn’t going to get her to change her mind. It’s not going to do anything for your relationship either.”

“How so?” Everly asks for me. “He’ll be here. With her and us. It’ll help their relationship?—”

“Because Layla wants Briggs to have everythin’ he’s ever wanted besides her. A career, somethin’ to be proud of.”

“You think havin’ a long-distance relationship is going to be beneficial for her and me?” I pose irritably. “It’s makin’ it worse.”

“Before or after you told her you only married her because of Cruz.”

My nostrils flare because yeah, I said it.

I didn’tmeanit like that, but Layla took it as though she meant nothing but a conquest to me, and we’ve been on the outs ever since.

Meanwhile, I don’t answer the question because talking to my sister, with my little one in tow, is not the easiest conversation to have.

I fucked up.

And I don’t know the solution to the problem.

“What do you want me to do, Adeline?” I inquire as patiently as I can. “Keep playing while she keeps tryin’ to divorce me? It’s fuckin’ with my mental health.”

“Time,” she replies, but it’s vague as hell to me.

Time isn’t going to do shit.

“Right.” I roll my eyes and look back at June Delaney to keep her at bay and away from me when I find someone so much prettier to look at.

Layla Jean.

And, fuck me, do I find her.