Rounding Third - Michelle Lynn Page 0,90

have enough pussy. I’m damn sure not fucking a pumpkin.” He gobbles another bite of the burrito, mumbling, “I’m surprised it’s for Ollie. He’s a sweet-talker.”

I couldn’t agree more. Ollie never promises, but there are a few consistent girls I’ve seen with him around campus or at games. I don’t know his game or if he lives in Brax’s and Saucey’s philosophy—the more, the merrier. Ollie’s an odd duck, but the girl didn’t appear upset in any way when she dropped it off. She even tried to proposition Crosby until I showed up at his side.

“Yeah, nice chatting, but I’ve got class.” Taking the last two steps to the door, my hand is on the doorknob when Brax comes alongside me.

“Is he okay?” He nods in the direction of the stairs.

“I think so,” I lie. Crosby would never want me to say otherwise.

“Liar. I know you too well, Cinderella. Isn’t it a princess code that you can’t lie?”

“Good thing I’m not a princess then.” I turn the knob, but his hand holds the door hostage at its hinges.

“He just got back,” he says, his voice slightly breaking.

Not many people would notice the emotion held in that statement, but I do. Brax doesn’t want his friend to bolt.

“And he’s staying.” I leave out the words, I hope.

“Yeah?” he asks, as though I could be one hundred percent sure.

None of our grief can compare to Crosby’s.

During the years, Brax and I never talked about Crosby that often. Usually, if we reminisced about a story from high school and were about to mention him, the conversation faded, and we’d both change the subject. It was too painful.

“All we can do is hope the charity game is over as quick and painless as possible.”

My messenger bag falls to the floor, and Brax bends down, picking it up and placing it over my shoulder.

“It will definitely be painful. My dad called last night.” He glances upstairs.

My gut twists because he’s making sure Crosby really isn’t around. This is bad.

“Mrs. Bishop is trying to get the police to not allow Crosby over the city line.”

He drops the burrito on the plate and places it on the table.

“What? She’s a nutcase.” My voice is low and shaky.

Brax wraps an arm around my shoulder.

“Why can’t she stop?” My fighting words fade as I fight the tears. My sadness quickly morphs to anger.

I step out of his hold and swing my messenger bag across my body. “I’m going to Beltline today. I’m talking to her.” All the confidence squares my shoulders. I am woman, hear me roar.

Brax snickers a laugh.

“I’m serious.”

He holds his hands up in defense.

“She won’t listen. With Xavier, there could be a brawl before the charity game starts. I’m not sure why Bradley doesn’t hold it at their stadium. That family will stop at nothing until Crosby pays for a crime he never committed.”

“I know. Xavier questioned me about him when I was home.” I pull my phone out of my pocket.

My last elective credit class, poli sci, is about to start in a half hour. I weigh the importance of my attendance. I have an A in it right now, and the teacher’s assistant seems to like me. Sitting in the front row gave me huge brownie points. Might as well cash them in.

“I’m going now actually.”

Brax glances to the stairs and then to his backpack sitting next to the couch. “I’ll go with you.” He jogs up the stairs and is back down a second later, shrugging a T-shirt over his head and putting his baseball hat on.

“You don’t have to.”

He opens the door and waits for me to go first, swiping his keys from the table. “I do. I didn’t do enough the first time.”

I smile because Brax truly is a great friend—not only to Crosby, but also to me. He’s consistently been typecast as the party-loving friend, who is only concerned with himself, but that’s far from the truth. He’s an honorable friend.

He unlocks the doors of his truck with the key fob. It’s a nicer truck than Crosby’s because it was brand-new when he got it senior year for his grades.

The Brentwoods are the only family in Beltline who don’t rely on agriculture or the factory. Mr. Brentwood is an entrepreneur, a self-made millionaire through his development of apps. No one would have any idea how much money Brax had because his family lived in a modest four-bedroom house in the downtown area with no land. His parents wanted simple living