Page 173 of The Fall Classic

Being folded so seamlessly into another person’s family, it struck me how much I’ve held her love for me at arm’s length—keeping her and her family at a safe distance, excluding myself even when I was included, only participating when she insisted, not accepting that I never needed an invitation at all.

As hard as it is for me to believe I’m wanted, I think it’s a million times harder for Liv. But Alma and I are making it hard for her to deny it.

We guide everyone into Alma’s backyard, which is still decorated from Ava’s quince in the most beautiful autumn colors, with its jeweled pumpkins, hay bales, and string lights. It’s perfect for an outdoor Thanksgiving—complete with the industrial warmers.

Logan has been helping Alma and Julio’s sons deep-fry the turkeys, but when he sees his family come around the corner, he bounds over and gives one hug after the other. Even Jake pats him on the back. The two start talking, and they look like they’re getting deep fast.

“We’ll get ’em next year,” Logan says to Jake in a quiet voice. I only hear them because I’m setting the table six feet away. “We’re not going down like that again.”

“I should have been enough to carry the team without Coop,” Jake grumbles.

“That’s not how teams work. You’re one of the best players in baseball, man. You’re already basically a lock for the Hall of Fame.”

“If there’s a Hall of Fame left to make,” Jake mutters. “Bruce says the new collective bargaining fight is gonna be ugly. Might not even have a normal season next year.”

“Sufficient unto the day, man,” Logan says, and Jake snorts.

“Using my own words against me? You suck,” Jake says, but he seems lighter.

I walk to the far end of the table and miss whatever else they’re saying, but I can’t help looking up to catch Logan’s eye. I smile at him, and his eyes crinkle back at me.

I’m so thankful for a boyfriend who builds people up and invests in relationships, a boyfriend who cares about people.

He can quote Robert Frost and Twilight in the same breath and has unironically watched two seasons of Gilmore Girls with me while we’ve packed up my apartment and another while I’ve made him sample every variation of drink for the stadium.

He really is a dream man.

After I finish setting the last of the utensils, I join Liv and Alma and Julio at the food table, where Alma is staring openly at Bruce.

“Who is that action hero?”

Oh my lanta, Alma is blushing.

Julio elbows his wife, and he starts teasing her in Spanish about her crush, reminding her that this man isn’t the Terminator and she needs to close her mouth because she’s letting flies in, and she insists she doesn’t have a crush and he’s being foolish, and he’s asking why she’s sweating …

Yeah, I understand every word.

“That’s Logan’s dad,” I tell Alma.

“He should marry Marta,” Alma says, speaking of one of her daughters.

“Marta is married,” Julio says.

“So? Ernesto is weak. That is a real man.”

“You just want access to the eye candy,” Liv says with a snort.

Julio and I both laugh. After a few more minutes, Alma’s children and grandchildren arrive, and then we’re sitting, saying grace, and eating.

“How did your meeting with Jane & Co go yesterday?” Scottie asks from across from me as we dish up. “Are you still on track for a January third launch?”

“Yes, still on track. I’ll have you well-caffeinated again in no time,” I say. “And the meeting was good. I love the new Meant to Bean logo, and they have a solid marketing plan for our stadium rollout next spring.”

It was a hard decision, but I’ll be leaving Meant to Bean in Alma’s and Liv’s capable hands. And Nicolette has offered to consult, as needed. She was horrified when she found out that our parents weren’t forthcoming about my inheritance. She’s still talking to them, but she told them in no uncertain terms that she was on my side.

I know, because it’s the last text in our family thread before I blocked my dad and Marlowe.

“You have been such a good sister to me,” she told me tearfully when we met up for coffee a few days after she found out. “But I wasn’t a good one to you. I ignored the way my mom treated you and let you become a second-class citizen in our own family,” she said. “I’m sorry, Georgie. I don’t want to lose you because of what our parents did to you. What my mom did to you. I will never forgive myself if I lose you. Lulabelle will definitely never forgive me.”