Page 10 of The Foul Out

“It’s like I live in freakingGroundhog Day,” Hannah said. “For the love of God, how many times can this team showthe world that they hate kids and birds and dogs, and act like assholes?”

I blinked.

“Well?” she asked, brows lifted into her hairline.

“That was a question for me?” I cocked my head. “I think Jasper’s the real issue. Or maybe Tristian.”

She scowled. “Bosco,” she said through gritted teeth.

No one liked Tristian Jenner. We’d all been hoping that Miller and Langfield would trade the left fielder.

She moved around the desk to stand in front of me and crossed her arms. “The family is coming here.”

“Family?” I asked.

“Yes, the poor woman you turned all of Boston against. And her kids.”

I swallowed past the lump in my throat. Shit. I had to face this woman? Today? “Why?”

Her eyes narrowed. “To fix the situation. Asher and Zara are coming to help.” Asher, the Revs’ catcher, and his wife were not only well-known to most of the country, but they were two of the most outgoing people I’d ever met. It made sense that Hannah would invite them to be the friendly faces in the group. “And bringing their kids, since they’re close in age to Sam and Piper.”

The names tickled something in the back of my mind. “Who?”

She closed her eyes and lifted her head for a moment. After a long breath out, she zeroed in on me. “The kids who almost got their teeth knocked out.” Typical Hannah, bringing all the drama.

I slumped in my seat, scowling. “Never would have happened.”

“Not how it looks when you watch the tape.”

I fought back a wince. I’d seen replays a few times at this point. Though it stung to admit it to myself, she might be right.

“Avery and Chris are picking up Puff and bringing him over.”

That lifted my mood a fraction. It was hard not to love our favorite feathered friend. Although when Damiano struck the bird with a pitch, it had seemed like a disaster, now we all agreed we couldn’t do without the little puffin in our lives.

“Emerson and Gianna are coming too.”

“Of course you want Bambi. You’re filming this shit, aren’t you?” I chuckled. Our third baseman always put on a good show. “Sounds like you don’t need me.”

“This is not a joke.” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “You’ll be there. Not to be the fun or entertainment for the kids, but to apologize. You’llgrovelif you need to.”

My spine snapped straight as annoyance burned in my veins. “Like hell I will.”

“You will.”

Gripping the armrests on either side of me, I scowled at her. She glared right back, eyes hard, like she wasn’t at all intimidated by me. She probably wasn’t. The girl had grit and an iron will. But I didn’t back down.

This moment had the potential to turn into the world’s longest staring contest, but a knock behind me broke the tension and had us both turning.

“Sorry, Hannah, babe, but I need my little man a minute.” Cam stepped into the room. His charming-as-fuck act even got a smile out of our PR boss woman.

“Maybe you can talk some sense into him.” Her tone with Cam was nothing like the verbal daggers she had been hurtling my way.

“That would be a first,” Cam joked. His light expression dropped quickly as he held out his phone. “It’s JJ.”

My stomach sank. I had ignored two calls from him already.

“This is a real thing.” Cam cocked a blond brow.

---