Step Up to The Plate (Dansby Swanson)

Chapter 16- Baseball Players are Toxic!

So, I know someone who is going to continue to hate me for this chapter, but it's all good. No pain, no gain, RIGHT? Right.

"Avery--" Freddie walked up behind her, his voice a whisper, "I really am sorry--"

"No. Nope-" She shook her head, "I'm NOT doing this right now. I don't want to talk to you!" She brushed passed him, making her way back into the conference room.

He followed her and closed the door behind them. Her back was to him, as he approached her. He didn't speak, though... he didn't know what to say.

Avery could feel his presence just behind her, and God, she'd never been hit with so many emotions, "Shouldn't you be talking to your wife?"

"I'm where I want to be right now."

She turned around and stared up at him. He should NOT be standing there, "Is it true, Freddie?" He opened his mouth to speak, but she stopped him, "I'm serious, is what Dansby said TRUE?"

"You know how I feel about you...."

"I know what you've told me... I know how you've made it seem." She glared at him, arms folded across her chest, "Answer me!!"

"I've told you before if you would just listen." He was slightly frustrated. It made him feel extremely bad that he'd hurt Dansby, and especially Chelsea, but Avery was too important to brush off right now, "I care deeply for you, Avery. I always have. EVEN before that night. Did I have intentions of letting you know it? NO. But the answer to your direct question is YES, it's true. And Dansby is right, I do love you.. in fact, I love you enough to let you live the way you want to. You made it clear you didn't want me, so I didn't push you. Your happiness is what matters to me!"

She felt as if she'd been punched in the stomach.. she covered her mouth in shock and stepped backward. She didn't know what to think or feel. She'd be lying if she said she didn't suppress feelings for him so many times before she'd met Dansby, "Why do you keep saying these things to me? You... love me? Like.. LOVE?" Her eyes met his, and she was a bit taken back by the look she was getting.

"Because I mean it. Why do you think I'm here, ignoring my wife who's called me a dozen times? Why is it so hard to believe that I'm in love with you?"

She closed her eyes, tears freely flowing again, "It was one time, Freddie- ONE time... you can't gather all of this from that."

"Stop thinking it's about sex. It's NOT. It has nothing to do with that 'one night'..." He shook his head, stepping closer, "It's all the times we talked, and you listened. All the times I was frustrated, and you were there. And when I thought I couldn't make it through a slump, YOU were who picked me up. You were my best friend, and I can't help it if I felt more along the way,"

She took two steps back, wanting to keep her distance, "Wow... I don't even. I mean..." Avery had done all of those things, and he'd returned them to her as well, but she honestly had no idea, even though everyone had tried to tell her, she brushed it off with doubt.

"You can't tell me you don't feel it too..." Freddie felt bad for Dansby, but he had to worry about himself at some point. Avery was too important to him to let her go without a fight. If it had to come to this, they might as well get it out in the open, "Because I know you do. It's written on your face..."

"Stop it. STOP. IT." She shook her head, her hand on the door, "I can't do this right now. I'm not ready to admit that out loud to you," She paused, realizing how that sounded, "That came out wrong."