Page 46 of Curveball

I scrunch my face. “Shit. We have a weeklong road trip leading into the all-star break. I won’t be in town to help when you get here, but then I’ll have a few days off.”

“It’s cool. It’s such bullshit that you didn’t make the all-star team. This is the best season of your career.”

I smile with a bit of pride at that. It’s true. I’ve never thrown better. “It’s not a big deal. They gave it to the younger guys. It means more to them. Frankly, I welcome a few days off. I want my team to win the World Series this year. I don’t give a shit about individual, meaningless accolades. I want to rest up for the second half of our season. We have a real chance at going far. I assume with the four of you reunited, your team will be immediate contenders.”

“You’re right. Maybe we’ll both win championships this year. That would be amazing.”

“Sure would.”

She smiles nervously. “Are you seriously besties with Layton Lancaster?”

I point at her. “Stay away from him. Yes, he’s my best friend here, but he’s a womanizing manwhore. He has norespect for women at all. He’s the last thing you need after the Marc disaster.”

Arizona had a damn shrine to him in her bedroom when she was a teenager. Something I most definitely will not ever share with Lancaster.

“I know. I’mneverdating a baseball player again. Guaranteed.”

“Good. I’m sick of beating teammates off with a stick to keep them away from you. I spent all of my college years doing that.”

She giggles. It’s music to my ears. She’s been a mess since the Marc debacle. I miss my happy, sassy, nutty, little sister.

She looks closely into the phone. “Are you topless? Why don’t you ever wear shirts? It’s weird.”

“It’s fucking hot here. East Coast summers are no joke. Are you jealous of my abs?”

“More like flabs. You’re getting old. You have a dadbod now.”

I look down, examining myself, and hear her unique Arizona snort-laugh. She’s fucking with me. I have a good body.

“Z, I love hearing you laugh, even if it’s at my expense.”

She gives me a small smile as she nods in agreement. “Me too.”

I’m walkingout on the tarmac toward our plane to board it for a long road trip before the all-star break. I can’t stop thinking about Ripley moving to Philly andwhat it will mean. I feel like it’s a car crash you observe unfolding but can’t do anything about it. I hope we all come out of this unscathed; Arizona, Ripley, and me.

It looks like everyone else has made their way onto the plane. I see Layton walk out of a different exit from me, an equal distance from the steps of the plane. We stare at each other, smile, and then both take off in a dead sprint, not wanting to be last.

I make it to the steps just a hair ahead of him and laugh. “I can’t believe you let a pitcher kick your ass.”

He grimaces. “I’m a catcher. Our knees are always fucked. Damn it. Now I need to come up with something.”

We both walk on the plane. Cheetah, who’s taken to my little random fact game quite well, immediately yells out, “You’re up, Lancaster. Give us a good one.”

Layton smiles. He’s clearly got something in mind. “Everyone’s tongue print is different. It’s like a fingerprint that way. There are lots of ladies who have a very unique#laidbylaytontongue print on them.” He flicks his tongue suggestively and then thrusts his hips.

Everyone starts laughing.#laidbylaytonis always trending. Women he sleeps with, women he doesn’t sleep with, and basically any woman in her twenties in the city of Philadelphia and any town we visit love to pose for photos with him and include that hashtag. It doesn’t bother him at all. In fact, he embraces it.

I head toward the back of the plane, needing a little alone time away from the crazies for this trip. I elect to sit next to Dutton.

He looks up at me from his seated position. “How’s it going, Q?”

I blow out a long breath. “I have a few things on my mind. I need a little peace and quiet for this trip.”

He nods in understanding. “You want to talk about it, or no?”

I’m quiet for a moment. “My sister is moving to Philly.”

“Is that a good or bad thing?”

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