Relentless

Grady Sizemore wished he was anywhere else than sitting at the bar of the Winking Lizard Tavern, just next to Progressive Field. The Cleveland area bar was a fan favorite, and at one time it had been one of his favorites too. Tons of TVs, delicious food, and more beer than you could ever ask for, it was no surprise that fans and Cleveland Indians themselves loved the bar. Grady would find himself there a lot, but not so much anymore. It was too hard to be there, really. It had been the place that he had met his girlfriend of almost a year and a half. The girl he had recently split with, and he still wasn’t over. He didn’t know how his teammates had convinced him to join them, but they had, and Grady was right in the middle of the bar.

They had just ordered their burgers and wings, when Grady stood from his stool, “I can’t be here.” His teammate, Wyatt Toregas, one of Grady’s best friends on the team looked at him incredulously, “She’s not even here!” Grady looked at the large glowing clock on the wall, marking the time ten minutes to ten at night. “She will be, any minute, and I need to leave.”

Grady turned toward the door of the bar, sighing when he watched her walk in. She immediately noticed him, and Grady wanted to punch a wall when he saw her tense up. Wyatt put a hand on Grady’s shoulder, pulling the center fielder into his seat, “She’s already seen you; you might as well stay.” Grady nodded and turned back to the bar, as she walked behind it, putting her purse in the cabinet. He couldn’t help but watch as she bent to put her purse away and her tee shirt rode up, showing off the small tattoo on the right side of her lower back.

Wyatt nudged him, pulling Grady out of his trance, “Let it go, man. It’s been months.”

Grady nodded just as their food was set down by the bartender, who would be living as soon as Aimee settled in. She glanced in Grady’s direction, something Grady only noticed because he still hadn’t taken his eyes off of her, and she sighed. Grady immediately felt guilty. He felt even guiltier when Wyatt told her that they were in need of refills. Aimee immediately refilled their beers, smiling at Wyatt, but refusing to look Grady’s way.

He watched as she moved up and down the bar, filling drinks and interacting with customers. His food had barely been touched when he heard Wyatt sigh loudly from next to him. Grady felt bad, knowing he was bringing his teammates, especially Wyatt, who knew most about the very complicated relationship that Grady had with Aimee, down. Though, it couldn’t be called a relationship anymore.

Wyatt was done with his food and paying the bill when a man came up to the bar, called Aimee’s name, and smiled at her. Grady’s eyes narrowed at the blush that crept its way onto her neck and cheeks, which probably no one else would have noticed due to the dark lighting of the bar and the darkness of Aimee’s Filipino skin, but Grady knew things about her like that; things nobody else did. Turning his head toward Wyatt, Grady nodded in the direction of the unfamiliar man.

Wyatt could only shrug and watch as Aimee leaned herself on the bar by the palms of her hands, her eyes bright and her smile wide as this man, whoever he was, talked to her. Grady knew he couldn’t be mad or jealous; Aimee wasn’t his, not anymore. They had both said a lot of things they didn’t mean, and did a lot of things they didn’t mean to do, all stemming from a fight Grady couldn’t even remember what it was about. It was by far the stupidest situation he had ever found himself in, in his almost twenty-seven years on earth.

“So, Saturday?” Grady heard the guy ask. His gaze quickly whipped to Aimee, who smiled and nodded, sending a small glance at Grady, knowing he was looking. Sure, she was trying to move on, but she felt bad about doing it in front of her ex. That was just not classy, but really, what was she supposed to do? Turn Trevor down just because her ex was within earshot of her conversation?

After Trevor grinned and told her he’d see her Saturday, and Aimee saw the look of hurt that flashed on Grady’s face, she realized it would have been the best option to tell Trevor she’d talk to him later, let Grady make his own conclusions, rather than being subjected to seeing the girl he swore he’d be in love with forever agree to a date with another man.

And it hurt, a lot. Because Grady was, in fact, still in love with Aimee and he was pretty sure he would never not be.

. . .

Her feet were aching and her head was pounding from the loud music that had constantly played throughout the bar, and all Aimee wanted to do was go home and sleep her exhaustion off. It was nearing three in the morning when she finally reached her small house, just on the outskirts of downtown Cleveland. She sighed and got out of her car, walking up the front path when she froze mid- step.

Grady sat on her front stairs, his eyes closed and his head leaning against the post next to him. Aimee sighed loudly, only able to smile lightly at Grady’s sleeping form. Sitting down next to him, he bumped her shoulder against his, waking him up. He slowly opened his eyes and lazily looked up at her, smiling.

“Hey,” He said, rubbing a palm against his eyes. Aimee sighed and shook her head, “Grady, why are you here?”

“I can’t catch up with you?”

“If you wanted to catch up with me, you could call, talk to me at the bar, not show up at my house.”

Grady sighed, wanting to tell her so bad how he had felt when she had agreed to a date with that guy. He felt his chest tighten, the air escaping from him, and she hadn’t even verbally said yes. He saw how tense she was, still, and Grady could tell she didn’t want him there. She stood from her seat on the steps and walked to her door, motioning for Grady to follow her.

“Aimee…” He said, as soon as the door closed behind him.

“No,” She cut him off. “I don’t want to hear it, or anything., Grady. You broke my heart.”

“And you broke mine. Do you even remember why we were fighting? ‘Cause I sure don’t!” He said, staring at her incredulously, his voice raising with each word he spoke. Aimee’s eyes went to the floor, and she shook her head slightly. “I don’t remember, no,” She told him. Grady waved his hands in the air, and Aimee couldn’t help but laugh at the ridiculous gesture and the exasperated look on his face.

“Grady, I think we need to move on.”

“No,” He said, immediately. “We don’t. I’m in love with you, and you’re in love with me.” She shook her head, but Grady continued, “I meant every word I said when I promised you I’d love you forever.” Aimee sighed and opened her mouth to respond, but Grady cut her off. “Don’t try to tell me you’re not. You wouldn’t have been so tense at the bar if you weren’t in love with me, Aimes.”

She smiled lightly at the nickname, watching as Grady paced around her living room. “I’m going to win you back, one way or another.”

“Grady, I’m moving on.”

“With that guy from the bar? Come on, Aimee. We both know he’s not your type…”

“My type?” She asked, bitterly. “Just what is my type, Grady?”

He shrugged, stepping close to her, “Not him, not someone who goes to a bar dressed in a business suit - ”

“He had just gotten off of work!”

“That’s not your type either, someone who has to wear a suit to work, Aimee. You’re laidback and you go with the flow. You need someone like that, too. You need someone who’s going to love you with his whole heart and devote every one of his free moments to you. Someone who’s going to love you, make love to you, Aimee. And we both know that’s me.”

By the time he had finished his speech, he was right up against her, his right hand tangled in her black hair, and his mouth was right by her ear.

“You were always good with words, Grady.”

He laughed lightly, the sound making her shiver as his hot breath reached her neck. He pulled away from her and made his way to her front door. He opened it and stepped onto the porch, turning to her before he left, “I won’t give up on us, because I know you don’t want to either.”