Do Not Fall For The Baseball Captains (Victoria and Elijah) novel Chapter 158

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I watched Caleb disappear between the pine trees until I couldn’t see him anymore.

I didn’t need anyone to explain what I’d just witnessed. Every time Victoria laughed, every time Elijah reached for her hand, something in Caleb changed.

He wasn’t really here with the rest of us. Part of him was still chasing someone who had already chosen someone else.

And somehow… I was standing exactly where Victoria used to stand.

That realization settled heavily in my chest. I wrapped my arms around myself and looked around the rest stop.

Everyone had naturally paired off. Elijah and Victoria wandered toward the other side of the road.

Miles was already pestering Adele about something that had her threatening to push him into a bush.

Jace and Fallon were seated under a tree, Coach and Natasha were talking by the van, while Nate was crouched beside a trash can, completely invested in a squirrel that looked seconds away from stealing his chips.

Since my own partner clearly didn’t want to walk with me or talk to me, I turned around, searching for a secluded spot where no one would see the tears threatening to spill.

Keeping my head down, I headed toward a narrow wooden footbridge that disappeared into the trees.

“Hey… Nova, right?”

I stopped, wiping my eye quickly before looking up.

Leo was walking down the dirt path from the rest area, holding two chilled bottles of lemonade.

He had an easygoing posture, his bright hazel eyes warm beneath the sun, his light brown hair streaked blonde and falling casually over his forehead.

“I figured someone might want something cold,” he said, holding one out. “No pressure if you don’t.”

I accepted it with a grateful smile. “Thank you.”

“For the record,” he added with a grin, “I wasn’t following you. I was actually looking for somewhere quieter myself.”

That earned a small laugh. “I’ll choose to believe you.”

“Wise decision.” He gestured up the path. “Mind if I walk with you a bit? Sitting in that van for three hours was killing my knees.”

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“Sure,” I said softly. “I don’t mind at all.”

:

For a while, neither of us spoke. It wasn’t awkward. Just… quiet.

We stepped onto the weathered planks of the wooden footbridge spanning a shallow creek.

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The sun filtered down through the high pine branches, carrying the fresh, crisp smell of the woods.

“I’ve actually wanted to introduce myself for a while,” Leo said, turning his head slightly to look down at me. “You’re usually surrounded by the rest of the crew, so it never felt like there was a good time. You enjoying the ride so far?”

“It’s nice,” I admitted, looking down at the clear water trickling over the rocks below. “A little crowded, but

nice.”

“Yeah, that’s pretty much this group in a nutshell.” Leo chuckled. “Are you staying for the full week at the cabin?”

“That’s the plan,” I said. “What about you? Are you excited about the MLB draft?”

Leo shrugged, leaning his back against the bridge rail.

“If a scout calls me, cool. I’ll play ball for a few years. If not, I’m not going to lose sleep over it. I actually enjoyed studying economics way more than sitting through hours of game film.”

I raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised.

“Really? I thought all you guys lived and breathed baseball.”

“Jace and Miles sure do,” he smiled, a clean, effortless grin. “I want to open a small sports performance training firm back home. A solid nine–to–five, my own business, no constant traveling on a bus. Baseball is great, but it’s not my entire personality.”

I stared at him for a second, taken aback by how solid he sounded,

There was no grandstanding, no massive ego, no dark brooding energy. Just a guy who knew what he wanted and felt completely at peace with himself.

“That sounds… really nice, Leo,” I murmured, feeling the tight knot in my chest loosen for the first time all day. “It’s refreshing, honestly.”

“Good refreshing or surprising refreshing?” he asked, his eyes glinting with humour.

“Both,” I smiled softly, looking down at my shoes. “I guess I’m just used to guys who make everything so complicated. It’s nice seeing someone who actually knows who he is without needing a crowd to validate it.”

Leo looked at me, his eyes softening with genuine interest as he leaned his shoulder against the wooden railing.

“Is that what you feel like you’ve been doing? Trying to validate someone who can’t see what’s in front of

them?”

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My throat tightened. I hadn’t expected him to read between the lines so easily, stripping away my armor with one question.

I looked down at the water below the footbridge.

“Sometimes. It feels like I’m constantly trying to force myself into a space that wasn’t created for me.”

“Then stop shrinking yourself to fit into the wrong spaces, Nova,” he said quietly. “Life is only as complicated as you make it. If someone makes you feel like an afterthought, that’s on them, not you.”

He looked out over the quiet woods for a beat, letting his words settle before turning back to me with a soft, inviting smile.

“Look, if cabin life gets a little overwhelming this week, you’re welcome to join me for a walk. I usually disappear for an hour every evening before everyone starts arguing over board games or some other shit.”

A genuine smile broke across my face.

“I might actually hold you to-”

A low rustle shook the overhead pine branches, and before I could even process the noise, a fat blue jay dropped out of the needles, swooping sharply right past my forehead with a loud, aggressive screech.

“Oh my!” I gasped, flinching hard and ducking down, my hands flying over my head.

Leo let out a rich, unrestrained laugh, stepping in front of me and swatting his hand lazily toward the sky.

“Careful. These mountain birds are vicious. They can smell fear.”

I straightened up, smoothing my hair down while tossing a glare at him.

“Oh, wow. Thanks for the support,” I replied sarcastically, a laugh slipping out anyway.

“Aren’t you supposed to be protecting me? Whatever happened to chivalry?”

He placed a hand over his chest in mock offense.

“Hey, I stepped into the line of fire, didn’t I?” He stepped in front of me, glancing toward the trees as though he were scanning for danger.

“You’re safe now,” he declared. “If another one shows up, it’ll have to go through me first.”

I laughed, pointing a finger at him.

“You’ve definitely practiced that speech before. That was so dramatic.”

A crooked smile appeared on his face.

“Well… you laughed, so I’ll count that as a win.”

I took a step backward, intending to lean against the railing beside him, but my sneaker caught on a slick,

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damp patch of moss coating the wooden planks.

My foot completely slid out from under me.

“Leo-”

I gasped, my arms flailing as I lost my balance.

Before I could even register the fall, Leo moved. His reflexes were instant.

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He dropped his bottle onto the grass and lunged forward, his large hands clamping firmly onto my waist to halt my momentum.

“Whoa, easy.”

He pulled me flush against his chest, steadying me. My hands landed flat against his shirt, right over his racing heart, while his palms rested directly on the swell of my hips.

I was curvy.

Having his hands span across my hips, feeling the exact shape of my body against him, made me painfully aware of my size.

I instinctively tried to pull back, shrinking into myself as heat rushed to my cheeks.

“Got you,” he murmured softly. He waited until both of my feet were planted properly before loosening his grip.

I gave a small, embarrassed laugh, but my eyes dropped to the hand still resting lightly against my side.

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A puzzled crease appeared between his brows.

“What?”

For a second, he just looked at me, like he couldn’t believe I’d actually said that.

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He said it so casually that I couldn’t tell if he even realized the effect his words had on me.

There was no forced charm. No exaggerated compliment. Just honesty.

For the first time in a long while, I found myself wondering if I’d been far harsher on my body than anyone else ever had.

A strange warmth settled in my chest.

“Nova.”