Page 104 of Force Play

“It’ll be a hardship, but I think I can manage.”

“Have a good game. I’ll be waiting for you afterwards.”

“Fuck, I love that.” There’s a knock on the door behind him. “Gotta go. See you soon.”

Shit, I’ve gotta get going too. I shove my feet into a pair of sandals and grab my bag to head to Poppy’s so we can ride over together.

The team secured their spot in the postseason already, which means the pressure is off tonight. This game doesn’t impact their season other than what kind of momentum they carry into their first series. Still, I’m so nervous for Dom and not just because his parents are going to be there, but because they are playing Phoenix. If they were just a rival, it would be one thing, but now that he knows who Jensen is and with the added history between them, it feels like the lit fuse to a bomb just waiting to go off.

Maybe I’m worried for no reason. Jensen doesn’t know I’m in Denver, let alone who Dom is to me. Plus, Dom is basically the most laid back person on the planet. I’m sure it’s just my already frayed nerves, married with the fact that I’m meeting his family tonight.

My fingers tap out a too fast beat to the radio on the drive to Poppy’s and by the time I pull into her driveway, I’m seriously considering turning around and going home to cry into my pillow.

“Hey,” Poppy says, greeting me at the door with a smile.

“Hey,” I reply with a lot less enthusiasm.

“What’s wrong?” She reaches out, looping her arm over my shoulder and moving me inside. The simple gesture has tears pooling in my eyes. “Are you still not feeling well?”

My throat burns with the lie I’m about to tell. “Just jittery, I think.”

She bites her lip, looking like she’d rather do anything but say whatever is on the tip of her tongue. “Um. I’m not sure I should tell you this. But I feel like I should warn you, in case you don’t already know.”

Oh. I hadn’t exactly forgotten about my ex playing for Arizona. A fact that Dom reminded me of earlier, so I wasn’t caught off guard by seeing him tonight. It’s just with everything else going on, it’s not my biggest concern. “I already know that Jensen will be there,” I tell her.

“So you’re nervous about meeting the family?” she asks, tilting her head to the side. It reminds me a little of Ronnie, which makes me laugh. What the actual fuck is wrong with me?

“Yeah, it’s a big step.”

“Do you think it’s too soon?” My normally loud best friend rubs my back, her voice filled with quiet concern.

I actually snort out a laugh at that one. She’s going to think I’m crazy. Maybe Dom is right and I should tell her everything if for no other reason than her not thinking I’m losing it. I will tell her, just not tonight. “No, it’s not too soon,” I finally say.

In the grand scheme of things that Dom and I have gone through together, tonight should be a cakewalk, and maybe it would be if I wasn’t pumped full of hormones.

“Is everything okay with you?” She eyes me cautiously, her eyes sweeping over me. “Something’s been off since you moved. Are you not happy here?”

“No, that’s not it.” I take her hand in mine, desperate to reassure her. “Living closer to you is everything. I’m happy, promise, just in my feelings today. But you know what always cheers me up? Baseball pants.”

“Okay, now I know something is very wrong. Who are you and where is my best friend?”

“The butts were never the problem and they definitely aren’t now. Are the rest of the girls meeting us there?”

“Don’t think I didn’t notice that deflection.” She checks the time on her phone. “Shit, we’ve gotta get going or we’ll miss warm-ups.”

“What the hell are we waiting for? The stretching is the only reason I’m going.” I grab her keys from the hook and toss them to her.

“No, it’s not.” She catches them, leading the way out the door to her car.

“Fine, there are other reasons too,” I admit opening the passenger door.

The traffic gods take pity on us and we are in the stadium before the guys come out onto the field for warmups.

We take our seats along the outfield wall, the same seats Poppy and Delilah have been sitting in for the past few seasons. Tonight we take up half the row with Janet, Marv, Mia, and Willa joining us as well.

Mia and I are talking about her upcoming book release, when Poppy lets out a high-pitched whistle next to me as the players run out onto the field.

Cruz is the first to spot his wife, blowing her a kiss. Next, Dean kisses his fingers and points to Mia. Such a secret softie, that one. Hendrix jogs out to center field and winks at Poppy, who’s screaming her face off at him.

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