Ryan didn’t smile. He stepped closer, crowding me against the door one last time. “I’m saying it because it’s true. You’re a great rookie. Now get out of here before I decide I don’t care if Miller sees us.”
“Yes, Cap.”
I slipped out of the bathroom, my heart in my throat. I walked down the aisle, keeping my head down and sliding into my seat next to the window. I stared out at the passing highway, my lips still tingling and my pulse finally starting to settle.
I was suddenly having feelings toward Lindson. And I was ready to have him bang me again, once we got to the hotel.
* * *
Ten minutes later, the bus pulled into the stadium lot. We wereplaying against the Arizona Sandbags. I know, quite a name for a baseball team. I couldn’t stop laughing to myself when Coach announced our next play team.
Before we started practice at the stadium, we headed to the hotel to relax and unwind. I got a text from Ryan.
RYAN:If you win tonight, you get a reward, Oz.
I type back.
ME:What reward, Lindson?
RYAN:You know damn well what it is, Ford. Be a good boy for me tonight and win.
Fuck. I have to get use to his dirty words. Because right now, I wanted that reward.
* * *
That night, we won the game. 3-1. I still kept my distance from Ryan, but he still looked at me on the field like I was a piece of meat. A few brushes of fingers to each other, but nothing steamy that caught anyone’s attention.
The high of tonight’s game and the secret thrill of the bus ride crashed into a sudden wall of reality the moment I stepped into my hotel room. My phone was buzzing on the nightstand, the caller ID flashing a name that always meant business.
It was Marcus, my agent.
I sank onto the edge of the bed, wearing a t-shirt and lounge pants. “Hey, Marcus. It’s late. Everything okay?”
“Ozzie,” Marcus’s voice was tight, professional, and lacked its usual breezy charm. “We need to talk. I just got a call froma scout who was at the stadium tonight. He wasn’t just there to watch your catching and batting average.”
My stomach dropped. “What are you talking about?”
“There are rumors, Oz. Someone saw you and Lindson coming out of the back of the bus together today. And then there’s the way you two were looking at each other on the field tonight. People are starting to whisper, and in this league, whispers turn into headlines faster than a ninety-mile-per-hour heater.”
Shit.
I went cold. The “perfect” world Ryan and I had built over the last forty-eight hours felt like it was made of glass, and Marcus had just thrown a rock at it.
“Marcus, it’s not—”
“Don’t,” he interrupted. “Whatever is happening, you need to stop it. You’re in a contract year, kid. The Beavers love you, but the front office is old-school. Henderson wouldn’t like this at all. If they see you a ‘distraction’ or whatever this is becomes a tabloid story, I will have to talk about trading you to another team.”
The fuck?He wouldn’t dare. He’s trying to threaten me, but I keep calm on the line.
I stared at the hotel room door, knowing Ryan was just three doors down the hall. He needs to know this.
“I’m just telling you to be careful,” Marcus sighed. “Keep your head down. Play ball. Do not give me a reason to move you.” Then he hung up.
Fuck.What am I going to do? The room felt twice as big and ten times as lonely. Maybe I should text Ryan about this. I want to go to him, to feel his arms around me and have him tell me it didn’t matter. But Marcus’s words were ringing in my ears: He’ll drop me in a heartbeat.
I send a text to Ryan.
ME:I’m coming to your room. Something happened. Will be at your door in 5 minutes.