I can’t lose her, but I can’t quit baseball either. “I won’t give you up, Presley. I lived the last two years without you.”

“I know. I lived through missing my prom and having to see you only on breaks, and even then, you were training. I was the one who dealt with the drunken phone calls and heard about girls hanging on you while I was a thousand miles away.”

“I never—”

“Don’t. I’m not done, Zachary.” I let her continue on, trying to think of ways to fix this. “I struggled through two years of waiting for you. I did it all because of how much I love you—and at the end of it, I thought we’d finally be together. And then you do this? Am I supposed to just up and move each time you decide something?”

I try telling myself that she’s in shock. She doesn’t mean this. As soon as the dust settles, she’ll see. “This is my dream. I mean it’s pro. It’s everything I worked for. There’s no way I can walk away from this. You’ve always known this was the end game.”

Her chest heaves as she looks me in the eye. “Then go.” She tries to catch her breath.

“I feel like you’re making me choose between you and baseball. I can’t do that. Don’t you see I can’t choose?” To give up my dream or her . . . I can’t. But I know Presley, she’s upset, but she loves me.

“No, Zach.” She sniffles and I can see a multitude of emotions playing across her face. “You’re choosing what you want. And that’s fine. I’m choosing what’s best for me. I’m not changing colleges. And I’m not going to live my next three and half years in misery while you tour the country. I’m happy you got picked up.” Hope starts to form. “I really am proud of you. I love you so much it hurts.” This is the Presley I’ve loved my whole life. “But that doesn’t mean I can be with you while you do this. I want you to be happy, but I need to make sure that I’m not being stupid either. I’m eighteen years old, so maybe this is for the best.”

Yeah, we had a different plan, but this is a chance of a lifetime. There’s a thousand people in line behind me who would kill for this deal. I step closer, and she doesn’t retreat. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“Then tell me this isn’t over. We can find a way.”

She steps close, kisses me, and then takes a huge step back. “I wish we could. But I’ve lived the last two years in a long-distance relationship with you. I know what it takes. I won’t do that again.”

“Fine, then we’ll take a break while you finish.”

“A break?” She closes her eyes. “And what? We see other people?”

“I don’t know. We can see how it goes.” In the back of my mind, I know it won’t work. Not because we don’t love each other, but it’s a whole different world. I’ve talked to guys who went to the majors and none of their relationships lasted. “I’m willing to try.”

She wipes the tears that fall. “I want a life with you, Zach. Not to spend the next few years apart while I sit around waiting for phone calls again.” Presley places the engagement ring in my hand. “I will always love you, but goodbye, Zach.”

Before I can say anything else, she’s running away. I could chase her. I want to chase her, but my feet don’t move. I watch the love of my life leave, and I don’t do a damn thing.

Presley

“C AN YOU HEAD OVER TO the Hennington ranch today?”

I look at Cooper as if he’s grown another head. He knows that’s the last place I want to go. “Why can’t Wyatt go get the horses? It’s his family.”

“Listen, it’s business. We bought two more horses from the Henningtons. I need Wyatt out in the pasture. The other men are busy, and you work for me.” Cooper tries so hard to be stern.

I giggle. “That was almost convincing.”

“I’m not joking. You need to be there before five.”

It’s been two weeks since the last time I saw Zach. Two weeks and not a peep. It’s like one step forward and two steps back with us. I thought we were getting somewhere in the truck, and then he ruined it by kissing me. We have these moments of clarity only to have it eclipsed by the past.

“Coop, I can’t.” I go through possible excuses in my mind. He’ll know that I’m lying, but there’s not a chance in hell it’s happening.

“I’m not asking.”

“I’m not going.”

“It’s not all about you and your love life, Presley. Some of us had no choice. Some of us had to give up our dreams to face reality. Now it’s time for you to grow up and face yours.”

What does he know about reality? I’ve been in hell, waiting for things to be a little easier. But no, every time I feel an ounce of relief, something else happens. “Wow, it must be nice to sit in your ivory tower and judge me. You think I haven’t had to grow up? Live a real life? You think I didn’t have dreams that didn’t pan out? Wake the fuck up.”

I stand and Cooper rolls his eyes. “So what if you had to come back home?”

“I didn’t come back home, Cooper. I lost everything . Every single thing that I had in my life. I lost it all. My husband, bakery, home, friends, the kids’ school, you name it . . . it’s gone. So tell me what reality you think I’m not facing, dear brother.”

Cooper and I were close as kids. Being only two years apart meant we spent a ton of time together. Between him dating my girlfriends and teaming up with the Hennington boys to torment me, we were always in the same space. Plus, we had to help with the ranch. But this guy. This angry man isn’t the Cooper I knew.

“I’m not going to argue with you.”

“Yes,” I demand, “you are. I want my brother back.”

“Fine.” His hands rise and fall. “You left all of us, Presley. You didn’t just leave to go to college. You left. You never came back to visit or check on your family. I didn’t even know your husband until after you were married. Let alone ever get to know my nephews. They’re how old? This is the first time I’ve spent any time with them—ever.”

I can imagine it hurt him. But I never knew it did this much. I always assumed Cooper was mad about not being able to leave here. “You were welcome at my home any time.”