Page 137 of Hot Streak

“I can be,” Connor admitted.

“Not today. Today, every pitch you threw was a fucking masterpiece,” Alejandro said. “Just when I thought your placement couldn’t get better, it did.”

“I overthink sometimes. Try too hard, and it fucks me up.” It wasn’t easy to admit he wasn’t always brilliant, wasn’t always perfect, but he’d thought Alejandro’s bluntness might be an olive branch. And it seemed like it was, because his smile widened even further.

“Lot of pressure, but you’re handling it,” Alejandro said.

“Thanks.”

Connor thought he was being nicer than he deserved, but it did feel good. Not the same way it had felt when he’d finally earned Jackson’s respect, but good nonetheless.

And it felt even better because this time, he’d battered those fears back all on his own.

You gotta do it. This is the new normal. Jackson’s not ever gonna catch you again.

He’d been reminding himself of that fact ever since he’d gotten called up, but it had never felt real, not until now.

There was a part of him that would always want to go to Jackson for advice and suggestions—and he hoped Jackson wouldn’t ever hesitate to give him both—but he thought that he could talk to Alejandro now.

“Hard to adjust to a new catcher, too,” Alejandro pointed out wryly, as he stood. “But you’ve made real progress. You’re gonna be great on this team, next year.”

“Next year? I thought I was pretty fucking great, today.”

Connor didn’t miss Alejandro’s wince. “You didn’t hear? Tommy’s coming back off the DL. Maybe you’ll stick around, but I have a feeling you’ll end up finishing the season in Raleigh.”

“Oh. Oh.” There was a part of him undeniably disappointed. He’d wanted and waited and worked for this chance for too damn long to feel differently about it. But if he went back to Raleigh . . .

“But I know how excited everyone is about you, kid. You’re gonna be the new ace of the franchise. Don’t rush it, you know? Enjoy it. You’ll get there, and if you push, you’ll never be that good.”

He’d been pushing before. Connor knew he had been. Not taking his time. Hoping to rush through the levels. Get to the majors as fast as possible.

But maybe Alejandro had a point. If he was going to get here—and he’d already been here, so coming back seemed inevitable—then there was no reason to not enjoy the journey. To not learn as much as he could while he was on it.

“Yeah, I like that,” Connor said.

Alejandro put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. “Can’t wait to catch you again, Comet.”

“Can’t wait to be back,” Connor retorted.

Sure enough, the manager took him aside after he was cleaned up, and the meeting was thankfully short and sweet.

They’d thought he’d pitched very, very well, but for now, he was going back to Raleigh, to triple A, to finish out their season. And the next season . . .

“Well, don’t be surprised to get an invite to our spring training,” the manager said.

“I’ll make the most of it, sir,” Connor said, shaking his hand.

He chuckled. “I’m sure you will. You got a career ahead of you, Connor, if you keep pitching like you did tonight.”

“Thank you,” Connor said. He wanted to say, I couldn’t have done it without Jackson Evans. You sure you don’t have room on the spring training roster for him, too? But he didn’t, because Jackson would’ve hated him for it, if he’d ever found out he’d suggested it.

He’d expected to be here through the end of the season—even the playoffs, if the team made it that far, but now, suddenly, he was going back to Raleigh.

To Jackson.

Connor considered telling him right away. His fingers itched with the need to text him, to not only give him the exciting news that he’d be back soon, but to work him through another hot phone sex orgasm.

In fact, before he’d gotten the news he’d be flying back to Raleigh tomorrow, he’d anticipated doing just that. Maybe even Facetiming Jackson and seeing him again. Just the anticipation of doing it had lit him up the whole afternoon and evening. But now he wasn’t sure that was really what he wanted.

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