Page 15 of Force At Third

“Fuck yeah, it would have,” Zandor agrees.

“All our kids picked well,” Cyrus states. “Which is why none of us are behind bars.”

“True story,” Jase agrees.

“Point in asking you up here is Frangula’s GM called. He’s talking shit and will probably be doing the same on the field.”

Zandor adds, “He’s got the whole team convinced our entire infield jumped in, and we don’t want shit to go sideways at the game tonight.”

“Not one of the guys jumped in because they didn’t need to. Pope pulled me off him. Danny Aiken, from back home, was here, and he assisted. He’s?—”

“We believe you and would have your back even if you did start it,” Xavier cuts me off. “I don’t want issues with Frankie, tonight, is all.”

“We need you on the field, but if you want to sit it out and?—”

“Fuck no,” I cut Jase off. “I don’t want to sit. I wanna slaughter them on the field. He wants to run his mouth, that’s no skin off my ass. He takes it off the property after the game, that’s another story.”

“Think maybe we could wait until after the series?” Zandor chuckles. “We have them here two more nights.”

“Been waiting for the opportunity for a while now.” Since I heard the rumor he was playing grab ass with Gwen. “I have no problem waiting it out.”

“Question,” Cyrus asks, standing.

“Shoot,” I do the same.

“This over the game or a girl?” he asks, amused.

“No reason to fight over baseball. The calls are the calls, and the score is the score. The game’s nothing to throw fists over.”

* * *

Sliding out of my vehicle, I see our catcher, Nour Uyar, outside with a little white pup.

“What’s up?” I ask, walking around the back and grabbing my bag.

“AJ and I moved in next to Roman yesterday.”

I must have missed that, I think as I tap the button to close the hatch.

“Yeah? He let you have a dog?”

“The pup’s his. Elle, meet the Jags’ third baseman and your neighbor, Locke. Locke, meet Elle.”

I squat down and give her some Locke love, and she licks me. “The bitches love me,” I joke. Well, sort of, because it’s not a lie. Standing, I glance around. “Lots of vehicles. Hart’s family in town?”

“They’re staying until we head out of town,” he says as we walk toward the back decks of the townhouses. “Neighbors got a full house, too.”

“Yeah?” I ask to be polite, and yeah, I get some intel.

“Heard the owner was from your hometown.”

Well, shit, I laugh to myself and ask, “Danny and Chloe Aiken?”

He shakes his head. “Cecilia Shaw?”

“Doesn’t ring any bells.” But I suspect it has to be someone I know. Our middle and high schools shared a building. Walton, Texas, is one of those towns where everyone knows everyone. For the same reasons that it was charming and an excellent place to be raised, it was also a pain in the ass.

I nod toward my place. “Going to catch a pregame nap.”

---