Brax holds my arm to stop me from approaching her.
“One reason. You want a list? He’s a self-centered high school jock who thought he had the world in his hands. Do you really think, if he’d gone to Vanderbilt, that he’d have stayed faithful to you? Get real, little girl. He would have dropped you. You think you love him. Guys like Crosby Lynch only know how to love themselves. As far as him wanting to reclaim what’s his, it’s a load of bullshit, and I’m not letting this town get hurt by another self-centered bastard.”
The people gasp at the fact that she swore. Mrs. Bishop is the most Bible-preaching lady in the county.
“Crosby isn’t Mr. Bishop.”
Her face only reddens, becoming meaner, but she needs to hear this.
“I understand your grief over being left behind in this town, but Crosby isn’t him. He’s kind, he’s sweet, and he’s determined. He’d never do anything to me or this town. He removed himself from this town and my life two years ago, and I won’t let you shame him into disappearing again. He will show up here Saturday, and so help me God, if you stop him, I will make sure my family cuts you off.”
Brax steps in front of me since I’ve been inching closer and closer to her, my anger quickly becoming uncontrolled.
“It might not happen until I take over that farm, but give me a reason to take this shop down with you. She was my best friend, and I miss her every damn day.” Tears sting my eyes. “Crosby and I lost two of our best friends that night, and I refuse to let you be the reason I lose another.”
Tears fall from my eyes and my body trembles. Brax quickly covers me with his body.
“Get her out of here, Braxton,” Mrs. Bishop says.
“I’m with Ella. My family bought this strip of real estate, and I’ll evict this shop when it’s my time to take over. You might not be here, but that’d leave Xavier with nothing. This is a great town, and people love it from the moment they step into the downtown area, but you’ve made it a nightmare for most of the past two years. You need to move on, Mrs. Bishop, and let others decide on their own. We all loved Kedsey, so let us remember her for the full-of-life beautiful girl she was, not the girl of the mother who poisoned Beltline with her hatred toward a boy who made a mistake.”
That earns Brax a few aahs from the customers, and even I’m staring up at him in awe that this is Braxton Brentwood, sticking up for his friend.
“The choice is yours,” Brax finishes. He tucks me into his arm, escorting me out of the shop.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Crosby
Unable to sit around any longer and wait for Ella’s return, I head to the batting cages. The newspaper article will be out Friday, and in five short days, my cleats will be at the first place I felt like a king—the hot corner of Bengals Field at Beltline High School.
Images of people with pickaxes, ready to demolish me, continue to haunt my nights. The only time I’ve thought differently was last Sunday when I was able to sneak in and out of Creighton’s Hardware without problems. Hell, Mr. Creighton knew it was me and didn’t say a damn word. Mrs. Creighton’s shaky hands packed my stuff until he took over, and it spoke more than having no greeting.
I’m a cancer in that town, and if it wasn’t for Coach Weathers, I’d be backing out of this charity event, but he didn’t turn his back on me when I was trying to get Noah out of the car. Nope, he was right there, under the tree. The tree that took away his carefree days of running around with his kids.
Decision made, for Coach, I’ll put myself out there to be crucified.
I use my swipe card and swing my bat bag over my shoulder, walking down the dark hallway. Entering the room on my right, I flick on the dim lights, and the four batting cages lined side by side illuminate, putting my restless body as easy as a caged animal being set free. For now, the threat is outside, but not forever.
I hook my phone up to the stereo and play the radio since I’ve grown sick of my pump-up music. I’m in search of new music that revs me up.