Foul Ball
Chapter 11: Jayce

Macey stared at me, her jaw hanging open a couple of inches, those stunning topaz blue eyes reading my face, waiting for some sort of joke, I'm sure, to erupt from my mouth.

"Yes," she said finally, and all the tension I'd been feeling in my body melted away as she hugged me, her warm arms embracing me in such a way that somewhere deep inside of me, I felt like Macey's love was what I had been waiting for my whole life. That little piece you just never even knew was missing. "Yes, I will be your girlfriend, but I can't promise I'll be any good at it."

"Good at it? You're all I've ever wanted, Mace."

I'd fallen for this girl, and I'd fallen hard.

"Just wait until you get to know me," Macey teased. I rested my lips on the top of her head, allowing them to linger there for a short moment of bliss.

"You make me so happy," I said. "Truly. Let me make you happy, too."

"You do," she whispered, and I was surprised to hear these words, surprised that we had completely ignored being anything more than friends when the reality of the situation was that we belonged together.

Macey and I held each other for a long moment that I never wanted to end. Her body molded to mine perfectly, the sweet smell of her shampoo consuming me entirely as I closed my eyes and allowed myself to be caught up and held captive at this moment.

"Hey," Macey whispered after a while. She pulled back from me a little bit, her eyes meeting mine with serious concern. I frowned, afraid to hear whatever big, ugly revelation she suddenly had for me. "What?"

"Does this mean I have to go to all of your games?" she asked. "Because the first one was difficult enough."

"Woman, you're going to be the death of me, aren't you?" I pulled her back in for a kiss, touching my nose to hers.

"Quite possibly," she said with a small smile, taking her hand in mine as we began to walk again.

"Do you live far from here?" I asked, and Macey shook her head.

"About a block, in the Eagle River Apartments."

"Can I walk you home?"

For a moment, I was sure she would turn me down flat, or worse yet, laugh in my face. I had just asked her to be my girlfriend, and we hadn't even been on a proper date yet. But she did neither of those things. Instead, she blushed a little. Not a lot, but enough for me to notice. She reached for that long, beautiful braid once more and touched it, running her fingers along her hair.

"Yes," she said finally. "I'd like that."