Page 100 of Face Off With Fate

That must be who Miguel was to her.

“Hey,” I said, cutting through the silence that had settled between us. “I need to talk to you about something.”

I couldn’t put it off any longer.

Itzel glanced over at me, just a flick of her eyes, and whatever she saw on my face had her straightening slightly in her seat. “Okay, go ahead.”

“This arrangement between us...” I kept my eyes on the field. Easier that way. “I think it needs to end.”

The pounding in my ears dulled the crack of the bat.

“Okay,” she said again, with a little chuckle, not seeming concerned in the least. Meanwhile, my stomach tossed and turned as if I were on a rocking ship.

No, a sinking ship.

“I’ll make sure you get paid what you’re owed. I know we said through the offseason, and I know that’s not⁠—”

“Josh.” Her voice was firm enough to make me look at her. “It’s okay. Really.”

“I’m not trying to leave you in a bad spot.”

“You’re not.” She shook her head. “You’re really not.”

I held her gaze for a second. She meant it.

“It’s because I want Graciella,” I blurted, throat closing as the words spilled.

She snorted a laugh. “I know.”

My phone buzzed, a text flashing on the screen.

It was like she heard us talking about her.

Trouble:

You did amazing out there. Should have put you in baseball pants…bet your butt would look good in them.

I smiled.

Me:

Were you checking out my ass Graciella?

A response came back almost instantly.

Trouble:

Always checking out your ass

Before I could shoot off a reply, a photo came in.

She stood somewhere in the concourse, grinning at the camera with her chin tipped up. I saved it without hesitation.

Itzel leaned over and looked at the screen. “She’s going to be so good for you.”

The Miners got a hit, and the crowd surged around us, and I sat there in the middle of all of it, processing the comment.

“We should do it sooner rather than later,” she said, after a moment. “The longer we drag it out, the messier it gets. For everyone.”