Out of My League, Part 3

by Sharon Cummin

  Me: That doesn't sound very friendly.

  Wannabe: Why do you have to make everything dirty?

  Me: Me? That was all you.

  Wannabe: It was not. Did you eat?

  Before I could even type, I already had another message.

  Wannabe: Do not turn that question dirty either.

  I let out a laugh, and all of the stress I'd been feeling instantly melted away.

  Me: I did. I had a few bites of steak, one scoop of mashed potatoes, and one scoop of corn. Is that okay?

  Wannabe: You are so damn sarcastic.

  Me: Goodnight, Parker. I have to be up early.

  Wannabe: Goodnight, Cassie.

  When my head hit the pillow and I closed my eyes, I had a smile on my face. Maybe we'd be okay as friends, I thought.

  Chapter 13

  Cassie

  A few more days went by and things were getting better at work. Cindy had just had her last day, and I actually felt like I could do the job. I'd even taken a few things home for the weekend.

  The next week was more of the same. I was confident in my work, and things were going okay. My time at home was working out better as well. I was able to get more time with the kids and still get done the things I needed to.

  The one thing I hadn't had time to figure out was my lawyer situation, and that was the most important of all. That would be what kept my kids with me.

  James was becoming grouchier by the day, and I didn't know why. Was it my work? Was it how I was at home? Was it even me? I'd heard him bark out on the phone at our dad about me, but all I'd heard was my name. I'd asked Sammie about him. She said she'd noticed too but that he hadn't said anything about it. I needed to talk to him and was so damn nervous to do it.

  As much as I wanted the whole divorce situation to go away, the papers I saw every time I opened my purse reminded me that it wasn't going to.

  When I walked down the stairs and saw James alone in the kitchen, I knew it was time. I poured myself some coffee and sat down next to him.

  “Can we talk?” I asked him.

  “Yes,” he answered. “We need to talk about a lawyer.”

  “My thoughts exactly,” I said. “I found one that I liked. He seemed honest.”

  “I'd like to meet him,” he said.

  “You don't have to do that,” I said.

  “Oh, I do,” was his reply. “We're talking about you and the kids. That's not something I'm willing to take a chance on. I'll be getting a lawyer in Michigan as well.”

  “James,” I said. “I can't afford that.”

  “Doesn't matter,” he said.

  “I'm going to pay you back,” I said.

  “For your lawyer,” he said. “The other one is on me. I need to know that we have someone in both states. Jeff is not to be messed with. He's a complete asshole, Cassie. We have to be ready when we face him.

  Hearing him say we made me feel so good. He really was in my corner. Between him and the rest of the family texting and letting me know how they felt, I knew I was loved. Even Parker had been checking in to make sure everything was okay. My support team was like no other, that was for sure.

  After a few hours, we called the lawyer I liked, and James set up a conference call with that lawyer and the one he had found with our dad. When I told them I didn't want anything but the kids, they all freaked out. I learned that I needed to ask for way more than I really wanted. That way, I'd hopefully at least get what was most important to me. By the time we hung up the phone, I felt like I actually had a chance of keeping my babies where they belonged, with me.

  The first person I text was Parker. He'd been the one to help me in the very beginning, and I wanted him to know.

  Me: I have a lawyer. James made me get one in Michigan as well. They think I can get custody and more. I'm so happy. Thank you so much for helping me. I don't know what I would have done without you.

  A few minutes later, I got a response.

  Wannabe: That's awesome. I'm so happy for you. You deserve some good. I didn't help much. You would have been just fine without it. What are you up to? Want to come over and celebrate. I'll order lunch, and we can watch a movie. Before you get dirty, I promise to sit on the other side of the couch. I'm asking as a friend.

  I asked James if it would be okay if I left for a few hours, and he said yes. Even though we'd talked, his mind still wasn't on what I was saying. I really was hoping that everything was okay with him. I also got the heck out of there as fast as I could before he changed his mind.

  The closer I got to Parker's apartment, the more I wondered if I was doing the right thing. The last time I'd been there, we'd had sex. Then I'd found out he wasn't who I thought he was. Part of me wanted to see the place again, from the view of a real player and not some crazy fan. Could I go there without one of us blowing up on the other, or without me ending up beneath him, I wondered?

  I walked up the walk and knocked on his door. Then I heard the click of the lock.

  “You're friends,” I whispered to myself, as the door opened in front of me. “Just two friends getting together for lunch. You can do this.”

  Chapter 14

  Parker

  I could have kicked Lance and Lucy's asses for what they did to me. It didn't matter if that girl was leaving James' company or not, I didn't want to date her or go to lunch with her. They should have warned me, but they didn't, and it pissed me off. Cindy rambled on the whole time about her friends and which players they liked. I didn't need to know that shit. I thought I was going with Lance to do something for Lucy. Seeing Cassie was going to be an added bonus, until she said she didn't want anyone to see us talking to each other anyway. The whole thing was a disaster. Cassie acted like she didn't care, but she was full of shit. I saw that with the dried tears on her face and how she took off after we came back.

  The two weeks we'd given Jeff when I broke his nose had come and gone, and the fucker hadn't done a damn thing. Did he think we were playing, I wondered? I wasn't, and I was pretty sure the other guys weren't either. I knew for sure James wasn't. I'd been sending him messages that whole second week, and he was just as pissed as I was. When I got his message letting me know that they were meeting by phone with lawyers, I felt a tiny wave of relief wash over me.

  A few hours after James' message came through, I heard my phone ding and hurried to grab it, but it wasn't James. It was Cassie. She let me know that she had not one but two lawyers and thanked me for my help. I hadn't done much. When she'd come over to talk, we'd ended up arguing and then fucking it out. I did send her the links she needed after she left, so I guess that was something. I was happy that I'd heard it from her and not her brother, especially when I knew that their meeting had just ended. Before I could answer her text, I got one from her brother letting me know what she'd just told me, only his was a little more about getting that fucker's ass. I sent her a message inviting her over, but only as friends, and she accepted. There was no way she could handle more than that, not yet anyway. I had no idea where she told her brother she was going, and I didn't care.

  Once she was on her way, I sent her brother back a message.

  Me: Two teams will be much better than one. One in each state was a great idea. I still can't believe she hasn't heard from him. He's definitely got balls for such a little shit.

  James: We'll get his ass, and if he's not careful, we'll take his company down with him. You don't put your hands on a woman and get away with it. The lawyer from Michigan is the one I'm counting on. He's going to cost me a fortune for the team he'll bring with him. Cassie doesn't know that, but I don't care. She will keep her kids. That's what matters. I want her to fight for everything he has, but she won't. We talked her into at least going for half. I couldn't believe how hard it was to convince her. Not the same girl I remember. I'm damn proud of her.

  Me: Having someone close to Jeff is a great idea. Good job there. I'm glad you've got it under control. Those kids deserve a good life, and he's not the o
ne to give it to them. I can't believe he would put his hands on his wife. That's fucked up.

  James: You're right about that. Those kids will be with family, our family. Did anyone find out about your hand? How is it? Thanks for being there. You have no responsibility to any of us.

  Me: No, I stayed home so nobody would see it. I'm almost back to normal. The shit hurt, but I pushed through. No problem. You're a great bunch of guys, and you love your women.

  James: We're a crazy bunch, I'll be the first to admit that, but we love each other something fierce, and we'd definitely go down for one of our own.

  I thought about his words, and it hit me right in the center of my chest. They were definitely a family not to be messed with. I had my parents, but that was it. They supported me and my career in their own way, but they'd never go down for me like Cassie's family would for her. She had no idea how lucky she was.

  The knock on my door pulled me from my thoughts. When I opened it, Cassie was standing there with a smile on her face. She was nervous too, I could see it in the way she stood. I moved aside and motioned for her to come in. She walked in slowly and looked around my place. It was different than the time before. She actually walked over to the wall to look at what was on it. Then she looked over the shelves that had a bunch of ball stuff on them. When she turned back to me, she had her bottom lip pulled between her teeth. It took all I had to hold myself back, but I did it.

  “What?” I asked. “If you're thinking about making fun of me, don't.”

  “Me?” she asked, as she put her hand to her chest innocently. “It's different seeing it all as one of your accomplishments and not as a crazy stalker fan.”

  “Oh yeah,” I said.

  “Very,” she said. “You really do have a pretty strong career. Any word yet?”

  “Not yet,” I answered. “That's not something I want to talk about today though. What do you want for lunch?”

  “Anything is fine,” she answered. “I'm actually starving though, so you picked a bad day to offer up lunch. Talking to James and the lawyers has taken a huge weight off my back. He's been so crabby these last few days, and I was worried about talking to him. I shouldn't have been though. I know that now.”

  “You're pretty lucky,” I said. “You have a great team behind you.”

  I heard the ding of her phone, and she pulled it out of her purse.

  “We'll see if you're still saying that in a couple of hours,” she said, as she motioned to her phone and checked whatever message had just come through. “They message me all day long. I think they have some type of schedule worked out between them. My grandma is the only one I haven't figured out yet. She sends a text whenever she wants.”

  “I'll order food while you answer that,” I said. “We wouldn't want them to hunt you down and find you here.”

  “Parker,” she said. “It's not like that.”

  “You sure about that?” I asked.

  When the ding of her phone sounded again, I laughed.

  “Just answer them,” I said. “They worry about you. There's nothing wrong with that.”

  When I walked back into the living room, she was sitting on the couch and had just set her phone down.

  “It should be good for a bit,” she said.

  “Pizza is on the way,” I said. “I figured I couldn't go wrong with that.”

  “Not at all,” she said.

  I handed her the remote for the television after I'd turned it on.

  “You're the guest,” I said.

  “A romance movie it is,” she said, as she wiggled her eyebrows and laughed.

  “Really?” I asked.

  “I'm the guest,” she said.

  She did pick a romance, but at least it was a comedy, so it wasn't too bad. We sat on opposite sides of the couch, just as I'd promised. Before long, the pizza had arrived, and we were both stuffing our faces. I was happy that she was eating, and seeing the smile on her face as she laughed at the movie was perfect. I went to the kitchen to get us each a drink, and when I came back, I sat down next to her. If she noticed, she didn't say anything.

  Once the movie was over, I turned off the television and looked over at her.

  “How do you feel about the lawyers?” I asked.

  “Okay,” she answered.

  “Be straight with me, Cassie,” I said, looking into her eyes.

  “I only wanted one, but James would not let it go. He wanted one in Michigan as well. I told him I can't afford it. He said he's paying for that one. He seems really worried about Jeff, and that scares me.”

  “It scares you that James is worried?” I asked. “Do you think he's wrong to feel that way?”

  “I honestly don't know anymore,” she said, with a sad look in her eyes.

  “Why's that?” I asked.

  “I just don't know what to think,” she answered. “Jeff isn't the Jeff I once knew. Maybe he is, and I was just too dumb to see it.”

  She turned her body, pulled her legs up onto the couch, and rested her chin on her knees.

  “And,” I said.

  “After seeing him report my cards stolen and lock me out of our accounts, I don't know what else he'll do,” she said. “I don't know what he has up his sleeve or what he'll do to make me look bad.”

  “Has he said anything?” I asked.

  “Not recently,” she answered. “He can't. I have a new phone.”

  “And before?” I asked.

  “Yes,” she said, and I was shocked.

  When she didn't continue right away, I waited patiently.

  “They don't know,” she said.

  “Who?” I asked.

  “My family,” she said.

  I watched her lean over and go through her purse. When she sat back up, she had a phone and charger in her hand.

  “Can I plug this in?” she asked.

  “Of course,” I answered, and I stood up, went to get an extension cord, and came back with it already plugged in. “Use this.”

  She took it from my hand and plugged her cord into it, as I sat back down next to her. Then she plugged the other end of her cord into the phone. She looked down at it for a few minutes before I heard the sound of it turning on. Her fingers moved around the screen. Then she looked up at me with a nervous look.

  “You can't say anything to any of them. Do you hear me?” she asked. “If I show you this, it has to stay between us.”

  “Cassie,” I said, giving her a questioning look.

  “I'm serious, Parker,” she said.

  “Okay,” I said.

  She turned the phone toward me, and my eyes went wide.

  “What the hell happened to this?” I asked.

  “I threw it, and it broke against Sammie and James' wall,” she answered.

  I took the phone in my hand and scrolled through the messages, pissed at what I was reading.

  “I don't get this,” I said. “He was tracking your phone.”

  “All the time,” she said. “I had no idea until after I left. He was doing it the whole time, Parker. Do you know how scary that is?”

  “That's fucked up,” I said. “Totally fucked up, Cassie.”

  “What's fucked up is that I let it happen,” she said.

  “You didn't know,” I said, as I continued reading. “This is bullshit. How could he talk to you this way? How could he threaten you? You should have said something. You should show these to James.”

  “No way,” she snapped. “They know enough about Jeff already. There is no way I want them to see these too. I'm trusting you, Parker. Do not make me regret it.”

  I narrowed my eyes at her.

  “Please,” she said, as a tear formed at the edge of her eye.

  “Did he touch you?” I asked.

  “Parker,” she said, in almost a whisper.

  “Cassie,” I hissed through clenched teeth. “Did he touch you?”

  When the tear I'd seen slid down her cheek, I set the phone down on the table next to the couch. Then I
leaned forward and wiped that tear away, along with another.

  “He did,” I said. “Didn't he?”

  She nodded, and I felt every muscle in my body tense.

  “It wasn't the whole time,” she said, as more tears began to trickle down her cheeks.

  “Doesn't matter,” I said, ready to kill the fucker.

  It was one thing thinking it had happened. It was another thing entirely to have it confirmed.

  “It hadn't happened before the day I left,” she said, and that made me feel just a tiny bit better. “He grabbed my arm hard that day, and it freaked me out.”

  “That was the only time then, right?” I asked, relief starting to fill me.

  Then she shook her head, and every bit of my tension was back.

  “When I met him at the hotel,” she said. “The day after Thanksgiving.”

  “Seriously?” I asked.

  “He smacked me in the face,” she said, and I thought I was going to lose my shit. “I was scared and wanted to get out of there. He grabbed my arm hard again, and when I pulled hard against him, he let go, and I hit the wall behind me.”

  “Cassie,” I said, as I reached out and ran my hand up and down her arm. “That shouldn't have happened.”

  It was taking all I had to hold back just how pissed I was to find out that he'd done even more. It could have been much worse, but he shouldn't have touched her at all, not ever.

  “Thank you for telling me,” I said. “You have no idea how much that means to me.”

  “You can't tell them, Parker,” she said. “Not any of them.”

  I nodded, letting her know that I'd heard her request.

  “What happens now?” I asked.

  “I guess we wait,” she said.

  My hand was still slowly moving up and down her arm. Her eyes were on mine, and tears began moving down her cheeks a bit quicker. I scooted in closer.

  “What's wrong?” I asked her calmly.

  “I don't know what I'll do if they give him my kids,” she said, and the tears broke free completely.

  I'd done all I could not to wrap my arms around her, and I was done. I couldn't wait any longer. My heart was breaking for her. I leaned forward, wrapped my arms around her, and pulled her closer until her legs were over mine. When her head went forward and leaned against my chest, I ran my fingers through her hair over and over.