Page 19 of Double Play

Our food arrives, and we’re quiet as the waitress places it on the table.

Once she leaves, he garbles, “Nothing to report. Same ole stuff,” around a mouth full of bacon.

“You’re having an awesome season.”

He smiles as he swallows his food. “I know. I’m psyched. I like this team. A lot. My arm feels better than it has in years. I think we have a chance of going far in the playoffs.”

“For sure. I can see it in your body language. You’re happier here. It seems like you’ve made good friends.”

“Honestly, Layton is my best friend. He was so good to me when I first arrived in Philly. I love the guy; I just don’t love him for my sister. I’ve seen too much.”

It’s not like I haven’t come to the same conclusion. “I know.”

“There’s a good crew of usoldiesthat hang out together. It’s hard to believe that I’m now the gray hairs of the team. How did that happen?”

I pretend to examine his locks and joke, “You’ve got at leastone or two years before the gray hairs fully set in. I only see a small handful.”

He twirls a few of his curls on the back of his head. “East Coast girls fucking love my hair. It’s like there are no blond men out here. They’re obsessed with it. It’s like shooting fish in a barrel.”

I scrunch my face. “Eww. I don’t need to hear that.”

He smirks as he gobbles up the last of his breakfast sandwich in one giant bite. “What about your team? How are they looking?”

“Really good. Ripley’s throwing heat right now. We can hit through the lineup. We’re immediate contenders.”

“Cool. Are you going to think about entering the dating pool again? The thought makes me sick to my stomach, but the thought of you alone and as miserable as you’ve been the past year makes me sicker.”

“I can’t date while I’m in my business relationship with Layton. That’s one of the rules.”

He lets out a laugh. “Does Layton have the same rules?”

“Yep.”

“That willneverhappen. He’s the biggest player I’ve ever met. He doesn’t even have to try. Women legitimately fall at his feet. Even more so than for me.”

I scrunch my face in disgust. “You’re so conceited. Just wait until you lose your hair. Then no one will want you.”

He gasps. “Never.”

“You should lock someone down. I think I see a receding hairline starting to take shape.”

His eyes widen and he pulls out his phone, carefully examining his hair in the camera. “No way. It’s thick and perfect. It’s not going anywhere anytime soon.”

I laugh. I love messing with him about it.

He pinches my arm like he used to when we were kids. I smack his hand. “Ouch. That hurts.”

He chuckles. “Are you going to be able to come to any of my games?”

I nod. “Anytime Layton and I don’t have our own team obligations, we’re supposed to show up at each other’s games, so I’ll be there. I would have come anyway to see you play, but now I’ll get VIP treatment.”

“Sweet. I can’t wait to come watch you play. It’s been years since I’ve seen your games in person.”

“You can sit with my boyfriend.”

His face falls. “Not funny.”

LAYTON

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