Page 7 of Double Play

Reagan says, “Oh good. You know Arizona Abbott. I guess that makes sense with her brother being on the team.”

Her brother? Her brother is on the team? Abbott. Oh shit. She’s Quincy’s sister. I suddenly remember him mentioning her last night. A sister that just moved to the area. A sister that was supposed to come to Screwballs.

Reagan continues, “Well, I’m thrilled you know each other because we’ve got a very unconventional proposal for you. One that will require you two to spend a lot of time together. Intimately.”

CHAPTER ONE

ARIZONA

My cell phone begins ringing and it feels like a hammer to my head. Too much tequila last night. I slowly peel my eyes open and glance at the clock. Ugh. It’s seven in the morning. Who the hell would dare call at this hour? I reach over and lift my phone, noticing a familiar name. Why is my coach calling me on our one day off? That’s odd.

In a groggy voice, I answer, “What’s up, Coach Billie?”

In her slight southern drawl, she says, “Hey, Arizona. I apologize for the early call. I know you girls were hoping to finish unpacking your new apartments today, but I just got the strangest call that required me to reach out to you.”

“No problem. What do you need?”

“I need you to head down to the Cougars stadium for a meeting at nine.”

I sit up, a bit startled. “The Cougars? The baseball team? Why? Who will I be meeting there?”

“Yes. I don’t know why, but I do know that it’s with the new owners. Did you hear that the team was sold last night?”

Did I hear? Hell yes, I heard. Layton fucking Lancaster bailed on me without a single word the second he heard. What a dick. I should have known better. Damn three drinks loosened my senses. Ugh, and I let him kiss me. What was I thinking? Tequila brain. I’m blaming it on that.

“I heard. Why do they want to meet withme?”

“I don’t know, but I need you to go. It came directly from management.”

I blow out a breath. There go my plans for the morning. “No problem, Coach.”

“Thank you. They said to go in the executive entrance and ask for the main conference room. Call me afterward and let me know what they wanted.”

“Will do.”

We hang up and I sigh. What in the world could they want with me? The Cougars are a billion-dollar franchise that’s been around for nearly a century. The Anacondas are a brand-new softball team barely worth the cost of our new uniforms.

I hear a creaking noise and turn my head to see my bedroom door open. Ripley walks in wearing a long T-shirt, the same one she’s worn since college. It was her college boyfriend’s shirt. She doesn’t care about him, but the shirt readsI Love to Eat Outand it has a stick figure woman sitting on the face of a stick figure man. She stole it from him on the way out the door and has worn it to bed most nights since.

She looks around. “Damn, you’re alone.”

“Um, why wouldn’t I be?”

“I heard you talking. I was hoping it was to a man.”

I moan, “Argh. I barely remember what it’s like to have a man in my bed. I think I’m a virgin again.”

She giggles as she crawls into bed with me and lays her headon a pillow. Her face turns serious as she tucks my hair behind my ear. “You’ve got to let the past go, babe. We’re in a new city. It’s a fresh start for you.”

My eyes fill with tears. I whisper, “I wish it didn’t still hurt so much.”

“It’s been over a year since the breakup and…everything else. It’s time to move on. It’s time to get yourself out there. It’s time for my real best friend to come back to us.”

“It was more than a simple breakup, Rip.”

“I know. But it’s still time to put it behind you. Onward and upward.” She smiles and her face looks hopeful. “Layton Lancaster seemedextremelyinto you.”

“Layton Lancaster is a manwhore. He’s the exact opposite of the kind of man I want. No baseball players.” I make a slash through the air with my hand to reiterate my point.

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