Page 110 of Curveball

We man hug. “You too, Coach.”

He looks at my face. “Shit, you’ve got a lot of facial hair brewing.”

I chuckle as I touch my longer beard. “I haven’t shaved in a while. I don’t mind it. Want to share a cab to the team hotel?”

“Absolutely.”

We get in the cab and begin our journey to the hotel. He asks, “Where have you been the past few months? We haven’t seen you around the stadium at all.”

“Some traveling. A little…self-development. I have some things going on in my personal life.”

He nods. “The woman you once alluded to?”

I nod. “Yes.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“It’s complicated.”

He barks out a laugh. “It usually is.”

“Do you mind if I ask you a question?”

“You can ask. It doesn’t mean I’ll answer.”

I smile. “Fair enough. If you had to do it all over again, I mean marry your wife even knowing what was coming, would you still see it through?”

Without any hesitation, he replies, “Yes. She was the love of my life. Nothing will ever change that.”

“And the fact that your career got cut short; you’re good with that decision?”

“I am. My children mean more to me than anything. Baseball is a game. Family is everything. Maybe men are wired a little differently in terms of how much time we consider parenthood before becoming a parent. While I always assumed I’d become a father one day, I didn’t sit and dream about it. But once you hold your first child, every priority you’ve ever had shifts. Every preconceived notion and fear suddenly melts away. And nothing is better than watching the woman you love become a mother.”

“Were you ever afraid you’d be a bad father?”

He gives me a knowing smile. “Every single day since I found out that she was pregnant with our first.”

“And you were never able to move on from her? Even after all these years?”

He lets out a nervous laugh. “If you asked me this question a year ago, which you sort of did, my answer would be different. I’ve been talking with a woman lately. It’s complicated, but we’ll see where it goes.”

He seems lighter than the last time we spoke. I’m happy for him.

We continue chatting until we pull up to the hotel. Pitchers and catchers arrive a few days before the rest ofthe team, so I don’t expect many people when I arrive. Because Arizona is…well…Arizona, when I walk inside, she’s waiting for me in the lobby with a scowl on her face.

I roll my eyes but can’t help the smile on my face. I’ve missed my sister. “Fucking two minutes. I’ve been back for two minutes and you’re already here?”

I see Layton behind her smirking as Dutton shakes Layton’s hand and then makes his way to check-in.

Arizona crosses her arms. “You and I need to chat, bro. You did my best friend dirty, and it’s not okay.”

I hang my head in shame. “I know I did.” I blow out a breath. “Can we go somewhere and talk privately? Somewhere that’s not the lobby of a hotel?”

She nods. “Fine. But this conversation is happening, and it’s happening right now.”

“I know.”

She takes Layton’s hand, and they follow me.

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