Page 2 of Stalked By the Third Baseman

I’d wanted to tell her everything, I’d waited so damn long to confess my feelings. Back then, I’d known she liked me, felt the same way, but whereas she had been afraid to ruin our friendship all through high school, I’d bit my tongue, not feeling like I was good enough for her.

Not when Callie was going places and was going to change the world.

She was the only reason I decided to play baseball for the University of the Desert. It turned out one of their recruiters had come to one of our games because she had reached out and sent him a reel of me playing. Not to mention, he’d heard I was Roger Marquez’ son. The recruiter had been pleasantly surprised and more than happy to find out I was so much more of a baseball player than my drunk father could have ever dreamt of being.

I liked the game. It was okay. But if I was honest, it had always been a simple means to an end.

Callie had been talking to me, animatedly, in the library, when a couple of the cheerleaders stopped by our table. It hadn’t been the first time their captain had tried to corner me and talk me into asking her out. Simone was used to getting her way, but she knew better than to try that shit with me. And maybe because I’d turned her down time and time again, I’d found a target on my back. A challenge the cheerleader couldn’t seem to shake.

But Callie had sat there, and when we’d headed to the new off-campus place her and my cousin had rented, she’d been quiet. Too quiet.

Until she wasn’t.

She’d asked me why I wouldn’t take Simone out, had pointed out how pretty and popular Simone was. I’d shrugged it off, telling Callie that Simone wasn’t my type. Then she brought up how maybe I should give Simone a chance and take her to the annual baseball fundraiser. A fundraiser we were supposed to attend together.

I still had no idea how that conversation, how a moment I had been waiting a lifetime for, had turned so fucking badly so quickly. Callie had said maybe we were too close, like the cheerleaders had said, and I told her I didn’t care about that, that I liked how close we were. Then, for some god forsaken reason, I’d opened my big mouth and asked if she still wanted to come with me to the one night a year I looked forward to since we’d started college. A night where we both dressed up and went to a dance together and I had all the excuses in the world to hold her in my arms while we danced and laughed the night away.

And she said maybe it wasn’t the best idea for us to go together that year.

I’d looked at her, heartbroken and fucking furious at how out of hand a simple conversation had turned and hadn’t said a damn word until we reached her place. She’d opened her mouth, but I’d opened my big, stupid mouth first and said we needed some space.

Space. I shook my head and opened my eyes.

Callie and that asshole were still sitting and chatting on the bench. With what looked like very little space between them.

Space is for idiots, I thought to myself for the millionth time this last year. I’d thought giving her an opportunity to spread her wings and live life without me would be good. And maybe for her it was.

But for me? I was a miserable fucker lurking in shadows, yearning for the one girl on campus who had avoided me every time she’d seen me coming her way. I watched as a female form approached from the end of the trail.

Roxie. Callie’s roommate and my cousin. Thank fuck!

Callie and the douchebag stood. Roxie hugged my girl, and Callie in turn seemed to introduce the dipshit to Rox. They shook hands and spoke before the girls waved at the asshole and started their way off campus and towards their apartment.

But it wasn’t lost on my how the fucker stood there.

Staring at my girl like he couldn’t seem to look away from her. I understood where he was coming from. I felt that pull in my gut anytime Callie was nearby. The one that would make you do anything to be close to someone like her.

But Callie Villa was mine.

And I sure as hell didn’t share.

ONE

CALLIE VILLA

“So?”

“So, what?” I laughed and shook my head. I knew this conversation was inevitable. If anything, I was proud of Roxie, my roommate and one of my closest friends, for having waited as long as she had.

“He was cute,” she noted. My lips twitched.

“Want me to give Trevor your number?” I offered because I was a girls’ girl through and through.

“Callie!” Roxie groaned.

“What? I totally can. We have a class together. He’d call you for sure. I mean, look at you!” I pointed both my hands towards her like she was one of the prize bundles on The Price Is Right.

“You’re sweet, but you know what I mean.” She sighed, plopping her body next to mine on our old lumpy couch.