Page 31 of Sacrifice Bunt

“Are you kidding? Bros before hoes and all that. Except never tell Celia I referred to her as a ho, or the next time you see me will be at my funeral.”

Noah laughed. “It’ll be our secret.” They both turned as a truck came around the corner and stopped.

“Didn't we get our asses kicked by this guy enough last night, Ashe? Do we really have to do it again?” Heath slammed the truck door and walked over to where they were standing as the truck drove away.

“Fucking hysterical, Bailey,” Noah said.

“He’s not wrong,” Kyle gloated. “We kicked your asses.”

“We could say the same thing about game one,” Heath countered.

“I guess tonight will tell the tale of the better team,” Kyle said.

Noah just shook his head as they walked to the running path. “So what’s going on with you, Heath? What did you agree to that you don’t want to do?”

He groaned. “Zara had me on a call with the director of the Los Angeles animal shelter, and I somehow agreed to be in a bachelor auction.”

“Oh man,” Kyle said, laughing. “She’s diabolical.”

“Right?” Heath said. “I said no over and over, but somehow, Zara, and some woman named Grace from the animal shelter, talked me into it.”

So that was the call Zara had at seven-thirty. With Heath. “How can they talk you into something you don’t want to do?”

“Fuck if I know.” They hit the path, and all started jogging. “The animal shelter woman wasn't even supposed to be on the call, but of course, Zara conferences her in, and the next thing I know, I'm saying, ‘sure, I’ll be in your bachelor auction.’ I swear to god, Zara somehow manages to get me to do anything she asks.”

“Maybe it’s because you’ve known her forever,” Kyle said. “She never does those things to me.”

“Just wait. She will.” They picked up the pace after they were all warmed up. “What’s your deal, Ashe? Why did you call this meeting of the minds?”

“It’s not a meeting, and if I wanted smart people, I wouldn't fucking call you two.”

“Sounds like a deflection if I’ve ever heard one,” Kyle said.

Heath knew about his panic attacks because they’d been on the same team since the beginning, but as far as he knew, Kyle had no idea. He didn’t care if he knew, not really, and not in the same way he cared if Zara knew. “I had a panic attack after yesterday’s game.”

Kyle stopped running abruptly, both he and Heath following suit. “What?”

Noah shrugged. “It’s something that happens sometimes, and I know how to work through them.”

“I figured as much when you weren’t in the locker room right away,” Heath said. “You good, man?”

“As good as I can be.” He’d be better if Zara hadn't pushed him out.

“Wait,” Kyle said, looking at Heath, “You knew about this?”

Noah answered for him. “I’ve had them since high school, and certain things trigger them.” Like sexy raven-haired beauties who turn his brain and heart to mush and make his cock hard.

“What triggered this one?”

He motioned for them to start running again as he thought over how much he wanted to tell them. “Remember the story I told you about saving a woman from a fire?”

“Hold on, what story?”

“Oh, that’s right,” Kyle said. “Heath had started ignoring us at that point and put his headphones in.”

“If this story is about who I think it is, then it’s a damn good thing I didn’t hear it when you first told it.”

Noah froze, his feet literally not able to move. “How do you know who it’s about?”

---