This scene originally took place before Chapter 6, while Quinn and Chloe are still “just friends” …

 

***

 

THWACK.

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Chloe clapped as the ball soared over the right field fence. The batter waved his red cap at the crowd as he took off at a slow jog around the bases.

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A petite woman dropped into the seat next to Chloe, brushing dirty blonde hair out of her heart-shaped face. “That’s the most exercise Randy’s gotten since this game last year. Has Quinn been up to bat yet?”

 

“No, she’s in the circle. It’s Zoey, right?”

 

“That’s me. How are you liking Rowan Valley?”

 

Chloe took her time answering. The truth was she wasn’t sure. She’d felt more than a little stifled at times, wanting nothing more than a Dunkin Donuts and a Barnes and Noble. She missed the energy of a big city, having the choices of any type of food she could imagine, the endless events available every weekend.

But Rowan Valley had a certain charm of its own. People were friendlier here than anywhere she’d ever lived. The barista at the coffee shop already knew her order, and she enjoyed knowing the economic impact the orchard had on the area as the second largest employer. And, of course, the town had something—someone—Boston and Hawaii and Philly would never have.

 

She settled on, “It’s different.”

 

Zoey laughed. “Very diplomatic. But I get it. Most kids who grow up here can’t wait to get out, and I was no exception. I went off to college in Boston and swore I’d never come back.”

 

“Which school? That’s where I grew up.”

 

“Brandeis. It was a great four years, and I really enjoyed Boston, but by the time I graduated …” She shrugged. “Things change.”

 

“Yes, they do.”

Quinn stepped up to bat, and Chloe’s mouth ran dry. She wore tight, black leggings, molded to her firm ass, and the same red and white jersey as the rest of her team, rolled up to show off her defined shoulders while a red sleeve covered the freshly healed scar on her forearm. A Yankees baseball cap sat backwards on top of her hair, which was braided into two plaits.

 

“See something you like?”

 

“Yeah … what?” Chloe murmured absently before realizing what she’d said. She sat up straight, blushing crimson.

 

“Girl, don’t be embarrassed,” Zoey said with a laugh, nudging her knee. “Q makes everything look good. Pure lesbian catnip.”

 

Chloe had no response for that, though she didn’t care for the implication that she was simply one of a dozen lined up for the attention of Miss Kennedy. Quinn hit a line drive to left field that escaped the outfielder, and she raced around to third base, waving wildly to Chloe and Zoey as she waited for the next batter.

 

They chatted politely as they watched and cheered. The teams were evenly matched, and it seemed like most of them weren’t taking it too seriously, indulging in plenty of good-natured ribbing. Chloe found Quinn’s best friend easy to talk to, with a razor-sharp wit, and very direct.

 

“What is up with you two?” Zoey asked abruptly during the fourth inning.

 

Chloe tore her gaze away from Quinn, who was playing second base. “What do you mean?”

 

“She won’t tell me, so I’m asking you: what’s going on between you two? You can’t take your eyes off her, and she’s pure heart eyes emoji when she talks about you, not to mention her out there showboating and checking every two seconds to make sure you’re watching.”

 

“There’s nothing to tell.”

 

Zoey rolled her eyes. “Whatever. But you should know, she’s the best person.”

 

Chloe thought about the softness of Quinn’s deft hands, the way her nose crinkled when she grinned at Linc and Lucy, her boundless energy. “I know that.”

 

Zoey’s exhale was audible to half the field. “Fine. I don’t know you well enough to tell you what to do.”

 

“I have a feeling that doesn’t normally stop you.”

 

“You would be right about that,” she admitted with a chuckle. “But Quinn would kill me if I interfered any further. God knows I’ve told her what I think about it.”

 

Chloe let that roll around in her head until it refused to rest. “And what have you told her?”

 

Zoey turned to her with a wry smile. “Now that would be breaking bestie confidentiality.”

 

Duly noted, Chloe let her attention return to the game, and she and Zoey continued chatting without returning to that particular loaded topic. As if in a movie, the red team was down by two runs with two outs and the bases were loaded by the time Quinn came up to bat at the bottom of the final inning.

 

As she stepped up to the plate, she turned and winked at Chloe before swinging freely at the very first pitch, sending it sailing over the center field fence. If it had really been a movie, the crowd that engulfed Quinn as she bounded triumphantly over home plate would have parted, and Chloe would have jumped on her, Quinn spinning around as they celebrated something as simple as an amateur adult softball championship.

 

But this wasn’t a movie, so Chloe simply slipped away quietly, letting Quinn bask in the glory of victory alone.