Page 2 of Tame the Player

I give my sister a hug and then walk into the living room and spot my new sister-in-law. “How’s it going, Haven?”

I lean over and kiss her on the top of the headas my brother and Haven’s husband, King, growls at me. “Watch it, Gray.”

I sit down in my chair, and even though I’ve tried to tune out the ballgame on the television since I walked into the room, I’m drawn to it and see that my team, the Jasper Bears, are down three to one in the bottom of the 6th.

Dom grabs a piece of pizza from the box on the coffee table. “Don’t worry, brother. There’s still plenty of game to be played.”

Gabe sits across the room, not even in a position to watch the television. I guess he’s not here for the game. “So what’s the doctor’s saying? What’s the plan?”

“Physical therapy.”

Dom chugs his beer. “Well, do the therapy and then get back to work.”

Chrissy puts a plate in Gabe’s hands. He takes it, and they exchange words before she turns to me and piles a plate with pizza and puts it in my lap. “Eat up. I’m working on a therapist that will come here. I already have one in mind, but it’s going to cost you. She’s the best at Jasper Hospital.”

I could argue with her, but I know it won’t do any good. I want a few more days of wallowing in my self-pity, but I’ve had trouble finding a therapistwith the availability I need for the next two months. “I need to be back in the game in two months. I have to make it to the playoffs.”

Chrissy gives me an encouraging smile. “And you can do it… if you have an in-house therapist.”

I almost choke on the piece of pizza I’m eating. I’ll grant it to her, my house is big. It has everything I need to get back into the game. It has a workout room with every workout machine I would need. A therapy room with top of the line everything. This house has four guest rooms, so technically someone could stay here and I wouldn’t even have to see them outside of therapy, but the idea of having someone here all the time just doesn’t sit well with me. I like my privacy. “No. I can drive to therapy.”

Chrissy rolls her eyes. “You’re going to drive into Jasper every day for therapy? Sure, that makes a lot of sense.”

Gabe points at Chrissy and nods at me. “I agree. You need someone in house. You don’t want to traipse through town for every appointment. If they’re here, they can help you with your workouts and everything… maybe even help you heal faster.”

I hold my hands up. I know if I say no, they’re just going to keep arguing their case, so I do what I have to do to get them off my back. I know they’rejust trying to help, but I’m not in the mood for it right now. I’m still trying to wallow if only they’d let me. “I’ll think about it.”

Chrissy claps her hands together. “Okay, I’ll get on it.”

King goes over to where Haven’s sitting. He pulls her up and then sits down, pulling her into his lap. He kisses his wife and wraps his arms around her. We’re all watching them, and I see the same look on my brothers’ and sister’s face as I’m sure is on mine. Since King met and married Haven, it’s brought a different level to our family dynamic. It’s nice seeing that at least one of us was able to find love.

King whispers something to Haven and then clears his throat when he notices us all watching them. “So the playoffs are in two months. Can the Bears get there without you?”

I’m not arrogant, but I know what I bring to the team. If you look at stats and everything on paper, the chances are slim. Not only am I considered the number one catcher in the league but I’m also the third in the league for home runs. There’s no doubt that they are going to hurt without me there, but I have faith in my team. I have to, there's no other option. “Yeah, they’ll getus there. And come hell or high water, I’m going to be back for the playoffs.”

We watch a little of the game, and when we get to the middle of the eighth and it’s tied four to four, I drop the bombshell that I can’t stop thinking about. “So the main question I’ve been asked is if I’m going to retire at the end of this season.”

I’m not sure what I expected, but it wasn’t this. Every one of them stares back at me, and none of them seem surprised by my statement. It’s almost as if they’ve thought about it themselves. I jam my hand through my hair and stare at the television. “I mean, I’m thirty-eight years old. I guess it’s a given that people would wonder, and it seems my body is giving out on me.”

“Bullshit,” King practically bellows, and Haven jerks in his lap.

He apologizes to her and then turns back to me. “Seriously, Holden. That’s bullshit, and you know it. You’re not going to retire until you’re ready. You’re not going to let some lame asshole make you think now’s the time. You’re going to get your arm better, win the playoffs, and then you decide what you’re going to do. It’s your life, you live it the way you want.”

My whole body heats as emotion rolls throughme. My heart is racing, and there’s a tremble in my hands, but I nod at my big brother. He’s the man that worked his ass off to get me to the big leagues. He’s the reason I was able to get trained by some of the country’s best athletes. He made it possible for me to get where I am now, and I know he’s right. I’ll retire when I think I’m ready.

I lean forward, resting my elbows on my knees. The time for self-pity is over. A new determination has come over me, and I’m going to prove to everyone that I still have plenty of game left in me. “Thanks, King.”

He nods at the same time Dom jumps from his seat with a loud holler. “Yes, go ball! Go ball!”

All eyes turn to the screen in front of us, and everyone in the living room starts punching their fists in the air. The Bears did it. They won a game against a team that was favored to win. There are plenty of more games to play, but if my team can get us there, I’ll be back for the playoffs.

2

CATHERINE

The sound of chairs scraping across the floor and people talking fills the room as I try to eat my lunch. My friend Bethany, a nurse here at the hospital, is telling me some gory story from her morning working in the emergency room, and suddenly I’m not that hungry anymore. I point with my fork at my plate. “Really? I’m eating here.”

She just laughs and waves me off. “You’re so sensitive, Catherine. I didn’t even go into detail.”

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