Page 56 of The Fall Out

I knocked on his door and was instantly met with a pair of blue eyes that were more familiar than one would expect. Avery may have inherited her eye color from her father, but not an ounce of the joy and warmth that shone in his daughter’s was reflected in his. He was pure intensity.

“Shut the door.”

The clipped tone didn’t bode well for how this conversation would go. But I closed the glass door gently, then stood in front of the desk, waiting for him to get on with it.

He scowled up at me and barked out a “sit.”

I locked my jaw and swallowed back my annoyance. For Avery, I could keep it together. So without a word, I followed his command. He scanned me from head to toe, his expression as hard as ever, but he didn’t say anything.

He’d called me in here, so I waited silently, refusing to fidget or break eye contact as I did.

Finally, he sighed, and the tension in his shoulders eased noticeably. “We’re not ready to make the official announcement yet, but we locked in Asher Price.”

I lifted my chin and pressed my lips together. Well, shit. Mason might not need to carry the bats this season after all. Last season, Asher Price’s batting average was the highest in the league. And the man was the angel of major league baseball. Smart and calm. A family man the media loved. The guy could do no wrong.

Wouldn’t be the worst thing for the team. “Great.” I left it at that, because I didn’t have the first clue why he’d bring me in here to tell me this.

Wilson hit me with the glare he mostly reserved for me. “That said, pitchers and catchers will report for spring training a week early.”

My stomach sank, but I locked my jaw to keep from cursing out loud. Not only was I supposed to go see my father before I left for Clearwater, but the puffin exhibit was set to open a week before spring training started. Avery had been floating on cloud nine as the date got closer, and my normally surly sister had even been relatively chipper. Not only had she designed the logo, but she’d been asked to create a lot of the art for the media blitz.

I could skip the Long Island visit if I had to, but there was no way I’d let Avery down. “Not going to work.”

“I wasn’t finished.” He clasped his hands on his desk and glowered at me. “I called you in here to give you a heads-up, but also to let you know that you’ll be given a two-day extension for your zoo appearance.”

“Great.” I nodded. At least he wasn’t being a dick.

He huffed out a big breath and kept his intense focus locked on me. “You’ve done a lot for that bird.”

I sometimes called Puff “that bird” too, especially since it made Avery smirk and roll her eyes. It made no sense that it put my teeth on edge when Tom said it, but I had to take a moment so I didn’t say something I’d regret.

“I broke his wing. It’s the least I can do.” I shifted in my seat, holding eye contact, all the while wondering if he’d ask about Avery while he had me here.

“And the slider?” He cocked a brow.

That wasn’t a question I liked being asked, but it was probably a better alternative. I lifted one shoulder. “Sucks less.”

He sat back in his chair. “Needs to be better than that.”

“Yup.” That was why I’d been working on it every day.

Neither of us spoke again for a long moment. We watched one another, him working his jaw from side to side and me ignoring the trickle of sweat that rolled down my spine as I waited for him to lose his shit about my friendship with his daughter.

Finally, after what felt like a lifetime, he tipped his chin. “Shut the door behind you. I have some calls to make before we make the announcement this afternoon.” With that, he turned his attention back to his computer, dismissing me.

I left, simultaneously thrilled to be done with that awkward conversation and annoyed with myself, because it was probably the best talk we’d ever had. For the next two months, I’d have to double down on my efforts to get along with the man, because come March, I wanted to be dating his daughter.

I pulled out my phone and clicked on theMessagesapp, then tappedBlondie. She needed to know I’d still be at the exhibit opening before she heard about the change of schedule from her father. But mid-message, I stopped. I’d rather tell her in person, and based on the last text she’d sent, she was in desperate need of a caffeine fix. I deleted the message, then pulled up my dad’s thread.

Me: Coach says I have to report to spring training early, so I’ll have to miss the clinic. I’m sorry.I know the kids will be bummed.

My heart felt heavy in my chest. This would be the first time in years that I’d missed the winter clinic my dad put on for his high schoolers.He’d been the gym teacher at the same school for forty-two years, and he’d been the baseball coach for almost as long. All the towns in the area came to his winter clinic.

Pop: don’t worry about it. You can’t control your schedule.

Pop: but COACH? You moved on from calling him Satan, I see.

I rolled my eyes.

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